For the 24th day of International Black Women’s History Month, I’m spotlighting a film that roars with creative fire and historical truth: Bessie (2015). This powerful HBO biopic, directed by Dee Rees and starring the incomparable Queen Latifah, tells the story of one of the most iconic voices in American music—Bessie Smith, the “Empress of the Blues.”

This classic film starred the incomparable Diahann Carroll and the legendary James Earl Jones, creating a powerful and authentic portrayal