The LIT History Series is for the Legends, Innovators, and Trailblazers that have shaped our culture. I love history, and in turn, I love Black history. So much of our culture has been defined by those who’ve come before us, so I write this to capture and chronicle our narratives.

I’m one of those people that when they love something they love it. Like, obsessively love it. If it’s a movie or a TV show, you better believe I will watch it 1,000 times and never ever get tired of it. I’ll memorize all of the lines. I’ll notice the patterns on the curtains in the background. Every time I watch it it’s like I’m watching it for the first time. It’s crazy, but hey… it’s me.

In times like these, when I need to decompress, to get my mind right, to take care of my beautiful Black self, I turn to these movies and TV shows to give myself a laugh or a really good (healthy) cry. Sometimes both at the same time.

For many reasons that I cannot fully explain, Remember the Titans is one of those movies. #DontJudgeMe.

Perhaps it’s the Texan in me who can’t stay away from a good football story (yeah, I like Friday Night Lights too), or maybe it’s the soundtrack with all those good 70s jams. Whatever it is, I have the entire script memorized, and I’m not ashamed.

The story of Remember the Titans focuses on the undefeated Titans team of T.C. Williams High School and how their coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) introduced a racially diverse team in a very segregated Alexandria, Virginia.

To be clear, although this movie is based on a true story, remember that the keywords here are: based on. There are some serious historical embellishments about what went on with Coach Herman Boone and the 1971 T.C. Williams High School football team (I mean, it is Hollywood). Nevertheless, this 2000 American sports drama film is still one of my favorite movies to watch when I need to put myself in a good mood.

The movie has all of your classic Disney-esque themes to it (you already know they’re going to win the championship game), with just the right touch of blackness (singing Marvin Gaye on the school bus).

It came out 16 years to the date that this article is being published, and my feelings about it have never changed. The soundtrack. The football. The camaraderie. Julius. Petey. Sunshine. Alan. Rev. They all make me so happy, and right now that is exactly what I need. So to answer my question, why is Remember the Titans one of my favorite movies? The answer is it makes me feel good.

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