Throughout history, people of Asian descent have played important roles in the creation of American life and culture, lending their talents to significant developments in the arts, business, politics, science, and much more. Despite their myriad contributions, the stories of Asian Americans are often left untold. With more than 21 million Americans today who can trace their ancestry back to various parts of Asia, Asians will eventually be the largest immigrant group in the United States. Representation matters, and it’s time for famous Asian American figures to receive their laurels. Learn about some noteworthy activists, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, and more of Asian descent that you may not have learned about in U.S. history class.

Ellison Onizuka, Japanese American Astronaut

picture of Ellison Onizuka
Wikimedia Commons

Ellison Onizuka was the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese origin to go to space. Born in 1946 on the island of Hawaii, Onizuka graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.S. and an M.S. in aerospace engineering in the same year, and in 1970, he joined the U.S. Air Force. In 1974 he attended the Air Force Flight Test Pilot Schoo Edwards Air Force Base in California. In 1978 he was one of 35 people (out of 8,000) accepted into NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

In 1985, after years of hard work, Onizuka's dream came true, and he entered space aboard the space shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist. After this mission, Onizuka was selected for the Challenger Flight F1-L along with six other crew members. On January 28, 1986, tragically, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven members on board. For his service to his country, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and there is a crater on the moon named in his honor. 

Ang Lee, Taiwanese American Filmmaker

Ang Lee is a famous Asian American filmmaker
Filmmaker Ang Lee at TechCrunch (2019) via Wikimedia Commons

Taiwanese American filmmaker Ang Lee has the unique distinction of being the first non-white director to win an Oscar for directing as well as producing and directing Academy Award-winning films performed in Chinese and English. Having been nominated for a total of nine Academy Awards, Lee has won three: Best Foreign Language Film for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) as well as Best Director for Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Life of Pi (2012). Born in Chaozhou, Taiwan, in 1954, Lee came to the U.S. to study film, and he received an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School, where he was a classmate of filmmaker Spike Lee. Ang Lee is considered by many to be among the most accomplished and influential filmmakers of his generation.

Anna May Wong, Taishanese American Actress

Anna May Wong was a famous Asian American actor
Anna May Wong in a publicity still from Toll of the Sea (1922) via Wikimedia Commons

Widely regarded as the first Chinese American actress of Taishanese descent to achieve superstardom in Hollywood, Wong was born in Los Angeles in 1905 and started acting at an early age. Her varied career spanned silent films, the first color films, television, and radio. Although many of her early roles played into ethnic stereotypes, Wong was a vocal advocate for greater representation of Asian Americans in film and television, and she gained both critical and popular acclaim for her international acting roles. Wong famously lost the leading role of the Chinese character O-Lan in the film adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth to German actress Luise Rainer, who played the role in yellowface and went on to win the Academy Award for her portrayal.

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu, Chinese American Nuclear Physicist

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu (center left) with Columbia University colleagues and science talent search winners, in 1958, via Wikimedia Commons

Known as the “Chinese Marie Curie” and the “Queen of Nuclear Research,” Dr. Wu was born in Jiangsu Province, China, in 1912, and moved to the U.S. in 1939 to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. As an experimental physicist, Dr. Wu made significant contributions to the study of nuclear physics, and as a member of the research staff at Columbia University, she played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, the research and development consortium led by the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom that created the first nuclear weapons. Dr. Wu was the recipient of the inaugural Wolf Prize in Physics and was the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society.

Joyce Chen, Chinese American Chef, Restaurateur, and Author

Before there was Food Network, chef, restauranteur, and author Joyce Chen was credited with popularizing authentic, northern-style Chinese cuisine in the U.S. Previously, much of the Chinese food that most Americans consumed was a hybrid “chop suey” that was neither authentic nor Chinese in origin. Born in Beijing, China, in 1917, Chen and her family fled the country as communists were taking over. She settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she opened the first Joyce Chen Restaurant in 1958, pioneering the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet concept. In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp with Chen’s image in honor of her accomplishments and lasting influence on American cuisine.

Dalip Singh Saund, Indian American Congressman

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives via Wikimedia Commons

Born in Punjab, India, in 1899, Saund emigrated to the U.S. via Ellis Island in his early 20s to further his education. He subsequently earned both master's and doctoral degrees in mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1949, Saund ran for and won various positions in local government in Stockton, California. In 1955, he announced his campaign to run for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat, a seat he would go on to win twice, which made him the first Sikh American, the first Asian American, and the first Indian American to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

Cecilia Chung, Hong Kong American Civil Rights Activist

Cecilia Chung is a famous Asian American
Grand Marshall Cecilia Chung at NYC Pride Parade (2016) via Wikimedia Commons

Cecilia Chung is an internationally recognized civil rights leader and social justice advocate. Born in Hong Kong in 1965, Chung immigrated to San Francisco in her late teens. She is a transgender woman living openly with HIV and currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Evaluation of Transgender Law Center. Chung was the first transgender woman and first Asian to be elected to lead the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration. Through her advocacy and philanthropic work, Chung has established herself as one of the country’s most important voices in anti-discrimination, transgender rights, and HIV/AIDS education and awareness.

Related: 25 Black Heroes Our Kids Should Know by Name

Dr. David Ho, Taiwanese American Research Physician and Virologist

David Ho is a famous Asian American scientist
David Ho in his laboratory within the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, New York, NY (2005) via Wikimedia Commons

Born in Taichung, Taiwan, in 1952, Dr. David Ho moved to Los Angeles at age 12 with his mother and younger brother to reunite with his father, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1957. After earning his bachelor of science in biology from the California Institute of Technology and his medical degree from Harvard University-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Dr. Ho performed his clinical training in internal medicine and infectious diseases. When he was a resident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, he came into contact with some of the first reported cases of what was later identified as AIDS. Since then, Dr. Ho has been at the frontlines of AIDS research and more recently, coronavirus research.

George Takei, Japanese American Actor, and Civil Rights Activist

George Takei at the 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion Convention via Wikimedia Commons

Best known for his iconic role as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek series, George Takei is a groundbreaking actor and civil rights activist who blazed a trail for subsequent generations of Asian Americans in the performing arts. A self-proclaimed Anglophile, Takei was named after the United Kingdom’s King George VI, who was crowned earlier in the same year (1937) that the U.S.S. Enterprise helmsman was born in Los Angeles.

Like many people of Japanese descent at the time, and despite being American citizens, Takei and his family were forced to relocate to internment camps during World War II. Since coming out as gay in 2005, Takei has become a prominent LGBT rights advocate and political activist. He also has won awards and accolades for his work on human rights and Japan–U.S. relations, including his work with the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Duke Kahanamoku, Native Hawaiian Olympic Gold Medalist, Surfer and Actor

Duke Kahanamoku (left) with his younger brother and fellow Olympian Sam Kanahamoku via Wikimedia Commons

Nicknamed “The Big Kahuna,” Duke Kahanamoku was a towering figure in the worlds of sports and entertainment. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1890, Kahanamoku was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming, having competed in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, and the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Kahanamoku also was an alternate for the U.S. water polo team at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. Following his trail-blazing athletic career, Kahanamoku worked as an actor, sheriff, and surfer, helping to popularize the Hawaiian sport of surfing to a new generation of surfers all over the world.

Grace Lee Boggs, Taishanese American Author, Philosopher, and Feminist

Grace Lee Boggs is a famous Asian American historical figure
Grace Lee Boggs autographing her latest book, The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century, at the Chinese Cultural Center (2012) via Wikimedia Commons

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1915, to Chinese immigrant parents from Taishan, China, Grace Lee Boggs was a prominent Chinese American author, social activist, philosopher, and feminist. She was on the frontlines of social change in the 1940s and 1950s, and in the 1960s, she and her husband James Boggs—a Black writer and community organizer—were important figures in the fight for social justice for minority communities. Lee Boggs is best known for her book, The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century, and she is regarded as a key figure in the development of the Asian American movement and identity. She remained active in human rights advocacy until her death in 2015 at the age of 100.

Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian American Surgeon, Actor, and Author

Publicity still featuring Haing S. Ngor via Wikimedia Commonss

Although Haing Somnang Ngor trained as a surgeon and obstetrician in his native country of Cambodia, he is best known for winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for his debut performance in the film, The Killing Fields, in which he portrayed Cambodian journalist and refugee Dith Pran. Ngor is the only actor of Asian descent to ever win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and only one of two non-professional actors to win an acting Oscar. Born in Takeo Province, Cambodia, in 1940, Ngor survived the horrors of prison camps under the Khmer Rouge. Ngor harrowing accounts of torture and losing his wife during childbirth in Pol Pot’s prison camps, as well as his subsequent journey to the U.S. as a refugee, are told in his autobiography, Haing Ngor: A Cambodian Odyssey.

I.M. Pei, Chinese American Architect

Born in Guangzhou, China, in 1917, Ieoh Ming Pei moved to the U.S. in 1935 to enroll in the University of Pennsylvania’s architecture school, but he quickly transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Pei would go on to design some of the nation’s most iconic buildings, including the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, among many others. Pei’s design of the glass and steel pyramid at the Musée du Louvre in Paris firmly established his reputation as a global visionary. Pei is among a select few architects whose work has defined city skylines around the world. In 1983, Pei won the Pritzker Prize, which is sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize for architecture.

Jerry Yang, Taiwanese American Co-Founder of Yahoo! and Tech Investor

Jerry Yang at TechPulse Summit (2009) via Wikimedia Commons

In 1994, Jerry Yang and his classmate David Filo dropped out of the doctoral program at Stanford University to create an internet directory originally named “Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web,” which was later renamed Yahoo! As the creator of one of the first internet portals, Yang played a critical role in defining the role of technology in our lives. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1968, Yang emigrated to San Jose, California, at age 10 with his mother and brother. In the years since leaving Yahoo!, famous Asian American Yang has become a mentor to numerous technology startups and an investor to more than 50 startups.

Related: 24 Books That Feature Asian-American Heroes & Leads

Kalpana Chawla, Indian American Astronaut and Engineer

Kalpana Chawla NASA Portrait (2002) via Wikimedia Commons

Kalpana Chawla was the first woman of Indian descent to go to space, having served as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator on the space shuttle Columbia. Sadly, Chawla was one of the seven crew members who died when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003 following the space shuttle Columbia’s 28th mission. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and several streets, universities, and institutions have been named in her honor. She is regarded as a national hero in India, where she was born in East Punjab, in 1962.

Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink, Japanese American Politician and Attorney

Patsy Mink was a famous Asian American politician
Congresswoman Patsy Mink with President Lyndon B. Johnson at Honolulu International Airport (1966) via Wikimedia Commons

Born on a sugar plantation camp in Paia, Hawaii, on the island of Maui, in 1927, Patsy Mink pursued a law degree at the University of Chicago after being rejected by all 12 medical schools to which she applied. As the then Territory of Hawaii debated statehood in 1956, Mink was elected to the Hawaiian Territorial Legislature representing the Fifth District in the Territorial House of Representatives, becoming the first woman with Japanese ancestry to serve in the territorial House. When Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, Mink ran in the Democratic primary for the state's at-large U.S. congressional seat but was defeated by Territorial Senator Daniel Inouye.

In 1965, Mink won a post in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Hawaiian woman elected to U.S. Congress and the first woman of color elected to the House, where she served six consecutive terms. She served as Assistant Secretary of State under the Carter administration, then returned to the House, serving again from 1990 to 2002.

Philip Vera Cruz was an influential labor organizer, farmworker, and leader in the Asian American movement. As a co-founder of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, which later merged with the National Farm Workers Association to become the United Farm Workers, Vera Cruz led the charge to improve the terrible working conditions for migrant workers, especially Filipino and Mexican farmworkers.

Philip Vera Cruz, Filipino American Labor Leader, and Civil Rights Activist

Born in Saoang, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, in 1904, Vera Cruz moved to the United States at age 22. Working a variety of menial labor and farm jobs, Vera Cruz witnessed firsthand the deplorable treatment that farmworkers experienced. Vera Cruz partnered with Mexican labor organizer Cesar Chavez to demand better treatment, and together with the United Farm Workers union, these labor leaders were finally able to impact change in working conditions for thousands of workers. Learn more about this hero by reading Philip Vera Cruz: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement.

Sammy Lee, Korean American Olympic Diver, Coach, and Physician

Sammy Lee is a famous Asian American olympian
Sammy Lee (center) with silver medalist Joaquín Capilla Pérez (left), and bronze medalist Günther Haase (right) via Wikimedia Commons

Sammy Lee has the rare distinction of being the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic platform diving. Born to Korean immigrant parents in Fresno, California, in 1920, Lee first dreamt of becoming an Olympic athlete when he saw banners for the 1932 Olympic games in Los Angeles. Lee competed in the 1948 Olympics in London and the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

Following Lee's impressive diving career, he helped coach several U.S. Olympic divers, including Bob Webster, Greg Louganis, and Pat McCormick. In addition to coaching, Lee also practiced as an ear, nose, and throat doctor for 35 years before retiring in 1990.

Tammy Duckworth, Thai American Army Veteran, and U.S. Senator

Official portrait of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) via Wikimedia Commons

Born in 1968, in Bangkok, Thailand, to an American father and Thai mother, Tammy Duckworth is the first Thai American woman elected to the U.S. Congress, the first person born in Thailand to be elected to the U.S. Congress, the first woman with a disability elected to U.S. Congress, the first female double amputee in the Senate, and the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office.

A former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and veteran of the Iraq War, Duckworth lost both of her legs and some mobility in her right arm after her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by Iraqi insurgents, causing severe combat wounds. Despite her injuries, she sought and obtained a medical waiver that allowed her to continue serving in the Illinois Army National Guard until she retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2014.

Yo-Yo Ma, Chinese American Classical Musician and Performer

via Wikimedia Commons

Born in Paris, France, in 1955, to classically trained musicians of Chinese descent, Yo-Yo Ma was raised and educated in New York City, where he was a musical prodigy who began performing at the age of four. A graduate of The Juilliard School and Harvard University, Ma has performed as a soloist with orchestras around the world, recorded more than 90 albums, and received 18 Grammy Awards. Ma has achieved both critical and commercial success and has been honored with numerous recognitions, including the Glenn Gould Prize, National Medal of Arts, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Polar Music Prize, and was once named “Sexiest Classical Musician” by People magazine.

Wong Kim Ark, Chinese American Cook

Wikimedia Commons

Wong Kim Ark is not a well-known Asian American in most American history books, but the 1898 landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, known as United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649, established an important precedent for birthright citizenship. Wong was a restaurant cook born in San Francisco in 1873 to Chinese immigrant parents. The Naturalization Law of 1802 made Wong’s parents ineligible for U.S. citizenship through naturalization. When Wong visited China as a teen, upon his return to the U.S., he was readmitted without incident.

However, several years later, following another return from visiting China, Wong was denied entry because he was not considered a U.S. citizen, despite having been born here. Wong was confined for five months on steamships off the coast of San Francisco while his case was being tried. In a landmark 6-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court sided in favor of Wong’s claim of birthright citizenship, establishing an important precedent that continues to this day.

Yuji Ichioka, Japanese American Historian, and Civil Rights Activist

As a child, Yuji Ichioka and his family were relocated from their home in San Francisco to the Topaz internment camp in Millard County, Utah, for three years during World War II. This experience proved to be seminal for Ichioka, who is largely credited with coining the term “Asian American.” By helping to unify different Asian ethnic groups (e.g., Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, etc.) under a single, self-defining term, Ichioka paved the way for greater prominence and understanding of people of Asian descent in the U.S. Born in San Francisco in 1936, Ichioka served three years in the military, then earned degrees from University of California campuses in Los Angeles and Berkeley.

He founded the Asian American Political Alliance in 1968 and helped to establish the Asian American studies program at UCLA. With his wife, Emma Gee, Ichioka established the Yuji Ichioka and Emma Gee Endowment for Social Justice and Immigration Studies at UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.

Bhagat Singh Thind, Soldier, Activist, and Author

Wikimedia Commons

Bhagat Singh Thind, a practicing Sikh from Punjab, India, blazed a trail for immigrants hoping to become American citizens. In 1918, After serving in World War I, Thind was granted citizenship, only to have it revoked four days later because he failed to meet the definition of either a "white person" or a "person of African descent. He tried again in 1919 and was granted citizenship in 1920. The Beauru of Naturalization appealed the ruling, and his case went before the Supreme Court in 1923. Siding with the bureau, Thind was once again stripped of his citizenship. Finally, in 1935, he was awarded citizenship for a third and final time under the Nye-Lea Act, which stated that all veterans of World War I were eligible for citizenship, regardless of race. 

He was also the first United States soldier to wear a turban and eventually, while fighting for citizenship, obtained his Ph.D. in theology and English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.  

 

Some things, like your ability to weather both heat and traffic with grace, are easy giveaways that you’re from Atlanta. But there are some baby names that are even more Atlantan than that and will let everyone know how much you love our fair city. Keep reading for a peck of perfectly peachy Georgia-inspired baby names for boys and girls that you’ll love.

Asa
Asa Griggs Candler founded the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892, and was our city’s 41st mayor from 1916 to 1919. Since he had 5 children, though, and countless grand, great-grand, and great-great grandchildren (most of whom have Asa in their name somewhere), you’re bound to run into one of his descendants at the playground sometime. Just be prepared to be grilled on your lineage.

Ansley
Atlanta’s first suburban neighborhood can be found in Midtown, between Peachtree St. and Piedmont Park. Designed in 1905 for automobile travel, it features wide, winding roads that are still as fun today to travel as they were over a century ago.

André
André Lauren Benjamin, better known as André 3000, is an Altanta rapper, singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. You might know him for being part of hip-hop duo OutKast, alongside fellow rapper Big Boi.

August or Augusta
In addition to being the city where every spring The Master’s Tournament takes place, this Georgia town shares a name with Helen Augusta Howard, who established the Georgia Woman Suffrage Association (GWSA) in the 1890s.

Bless
Another sweet middle name, not a one of us can say anything mean about anyone else without saying “bless his heart” to soften the blow.

Candler
See Asa, above. For additional inspiration, Candler Park is one of our favorite spots for a picnic, and is the site of one of our city’s best festivals.

Carter
Jimmy Carter may not be from Atlanta, but we claim him like he is.

Dex
This one’s for you, Decatur. For your funky independence and our favorite book festival of the year, we feel like you need to be honored in the next generation of Atlanta baby’s names.

Eve
Because EAV (East Atlanta Village) would cause some serious distress on standardized test forms later in life, we’ve taken the liberty of transforming one of our city’s most transformative neighborhoods into an easier-to-spell-and-pronounce baby name.

Georgia
Because, you know, we live in Georgia? Also, it’s one of our favorite girl names of all time.

Grady
Henry W. Grady was a Reconstruction-era journalist who coined the phrase “the New South,” and who helped reintegrate Georgia into the Union after the Civil War. Atlanta’s downtown hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital, is named after him, as is Grady High School in Midtown.

Gladys
The “Empress of Soul,” Gladys Knight—a four-time Grammy Award-winner best known for hits Midnight Train to Georgia and I Heard It Through the Grapevine— was born and raised in Atlanta.

Hot
Because it is. Right now. Atlanta is so. stinking. hot. And will be, until October.

Hartsfield
If the world’s busiest airport is worthy of being named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson, your special delivery is, too. Really, what’s cuter than a nickname of “Hart?”

Inman
One of Atlanta’s oldest and most scenic neighborhoods, first developed in the late 1800s, Inman Park is home to many historic homes and parks. It was Atlanta’s first planned suburb, connected to the city by the first of Atlanta’s electric streetcar lines along Edgewood Avenue. Today, it’s home to one of Atlanta’s longest-running and best annual festivals.

Ivy
Atlanta has its share of Blah Blah Blah, IV, so to make it easier on everyone, just name your namesake Ivy. We’ll know it means “IV.”

Jimmy
Thirty-ninth U.S. president, Jimmy Carter was born in Plains. And even though he lost the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan, we Georgians still see him as a two-termer.

King
Dr. King was born, lived, worked, worshipped, and is buried in Altanta. A Baptist minister, Dr. King advocated civil rights through nonviolence and civil disobedience, and was the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in Memphis in 1968.

Keisha
Our current Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, is someone whose name you’re going to be hearing a lot of, on both our local and national political stages. Yeay for strong women!

Killer
If you want a name with an edge, naming your little one after local Atlanta musician and businessman Killer Mike (Michael Santiago Render). But don’t let the name fool you. He’s not scary.

Lanier
One of Georgia’s own literary giants, Sidney Lanier also has a pretty big pond (Georgia’s largest recreational lake) named after him—Lake Lanier.

Maynard or May
Atlanta’s first African-American mayor, Maynard Jackson, was elected in 1973, during a time that many cities were still struggling to embrace the forward momentum of the Civil Rights Movement. Also, everyone in Atlanta knows that Marietta is properly pronounced “MAYetta.”

Peachy
Peachtree just doesn’t work when it comes to a first, or even middle, name. But shorten it, and you’ll find yourself with a Peach of a name—perfect for a precious baby from the Peach State.

Simon
In the 1850s, Spanish explorers used Catholic missions along the Georgia coast to assimilate Native Americans into the colonial system spreading north from Florida. The village of San Simón on current-day Saint Simons Island was a refugee village for non-converts, and is the island’s namesake.

Savannah
Founded in the early 1700s by English colonists led by James Oglethorpe, Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and was once named Yamacraw Bluff. We think Savannah is a prettier baby name than Yamacraw, but you choose.

Ty
Georgia’s baseball player Ty Cobb was born in Narrows. Nicknamed “The Georgia Peach,” he was the first player elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1936.

Wylie
Just outside the Krog Street Tunnel, where you’ll find a constantly evolving slice of Atlanta street art, is the BeltLine and Wylie Street. It’s a cool part of town, and an even cooler boy baby name or girl baby name.

Walker
This is for all our Georgia fans, because in the world of sports, there no name more revered in this state than Herschel Walker. And it’s a great name, too.

Yonah
Just a few hours from Atlanta’s city lights is Yonah Mountain, located in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest between the towns of Cleveland and Helen. Yonah is the Cherokee word for Bear, which we also love, but is a little to Alabama-y for our taste.

Make sure to capture all the pics of your little Atlantan—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.

Hidden Figures is a must-watch Women’s History Month movie

March is Women’s History Month! Here are 12 fact-based films about women that can spark great conversations with your kids. From a 1960s classic about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan to new documentaries chronicling women and girls all around the world, these powerful Women’s History Month movies are an excellent way to celebrate the strong females of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

A Ballerina’s Tale
Misty Copeland was the first African-American principal dancer for New York's American Ballet Theater. Copeland's place in ballet history—and American history—comes to life in this engrossing documentary.

Recommended for ages 9 and older

Directed by Nelson George

(Sundance Selects, 2015)

Anne Frank Remembered
Through interviews with schoolmates, relatives, camp survivors, and the family's heroic protector, Miep Gies, this powerful documentary completes the story of young Anne Frank’s last days.

Recommended for ages 9 and older

Directed by Jon Blair

(Columbia Tristar, 1995)

Hidden Figures is a good Women's History Month movie

Hidden Figures
Based on the nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures is the true story of three brilliant African-American women who worked for NASA in the 1950s and '60s as "human computers.”

Recommended for ages 10 and older

Starring Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughn, Janelle Monae as Mary Jackson, and Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson.

Directed by Theodore Melfi

(Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2016)

The Miracle Worker
This outstanding classic is based on the true story of two of the great figures of American history, Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan Macy.

Recommended for ages 10 and older

Starring Patty Duke as Helen Keller and Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan

Directed by Arthur Penn

(MGM/UA, 1962)

RBG is a good women's history month movie

RBG
This riveting documentary chronicles the extraordinary life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, highlighting the esteemed jurist's lifelong fight for gender equality.

Recommended for ages 10 and older

Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West

(Magnolia Pictures, 2018)

Amelia
A historical biopic about the famed female pilot Amelia Earhart offers an uplifting message and a strong role model for preteen girls and boys.

Recommended for ages 11 and older

Starring Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart

Directed by Mira Nair

(Fox Searchlight, 2009)

Betty & Coretta
This is a poignant tribute to the courage and fortitude of two lesser-known civil rights heroes: Dr. Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King, the widows of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recommended for ages 11 and older

Directed by Yves Simoneau

Starring Angela Bassett as Coretta and Mary J. Blige as Betty

Directed by Yves Simoneau

(Lifetime, 2013)

Speed Sisters
Spirited, inspiring documentary teaches kids about the first all-female car racing team in the Middle East and the stark realities of Palestinian life on the West Bank. 

Recommended for ages 11 and older

Directed by Amber Fares

(Dogwoof Global Sales, 2017)

A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story
This moving documentary is about a woman who was born with a very rare congenital disease that makes her look unlike anyone else. The inspiring story is a must-see for anyone who's ever felt like they just didn't fit in, and Lizzie—who has fought tirelessly against bullying—is an amazing role model.

Recommended for ages 12 and older

Directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo

(Cinedigm, 2015)

Girl Rising
Girl Rising
is an informative, educational documentary about the lives of impoverished girls living in countries where education for girls isn't a priority. It’s the kind of stirring film that parents should watch with their mature tweens or teens and then discuss the ideas it raises—girl empowerment, education, and equality. 

Recommended for ages 12 and older

Directed by Richard Robbins

(GathrFilms, 2013)

He Named Me Malala
This inspiring and deeply affecting documentary explores the life of iconic teen Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.

Recommended for ages 12 and older

Directed by Davis Guggenheim

(Twentieth Century Fox, 2015)

on the basis of sex is a good women's history month movie

On the Basis of Sex
On the Basis of Sex is another 2018 film about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this one a biographical drama that covers her time as one of a handful of women attending Harvard Law School in the late 1950s to her first groundbreaking gender-discrimination case in the early '70s. 

Recommended for ages 12 and older

Starring Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Directed by Mimi Leder

(Focus Features, 2018)

 

Common Sense Media
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at www.commonsense.org.

Want to really get to know someone? Play a round of Would You Rather. After all, when faced with choices ranging from thought-provoking to downright silly, people will always surprise you. The questions you use when playing with adults don’t have to be life-or-death choices; they can be funny, outrageous, or thought-provoking, but all should be interesting! We’ve rounded up 35 of our favorite would-you-rather questions for adults below, but if you’re playing with kids and need more age-appropriate questions, we’ve got the best would-you-rather questions for kids and teens

How Do You Play Would You Rather?

When playing this fun party game, people answer questions that have two choices. For example, “Would you rather have the ability to be invisible or the ability to time travel?” The idea is to encourage a discussion, so the questions should make players think differently about a scenario or a choice between two things, and there should always be an explanation as to why they chose their answer.

You can use Would You Rather questions with adults anywhere: at work, family gatherings, parties, or hanging with a few friends. It’s a fun way to learn more about someone, whether you know them well or not.

Silly Would You Rather Questions for Adults

Would you rather throw up in front of your hero or have your hero throw up on you?

Would you rather have the powers of telekinesis (moving things) or telepathy (reading minds)?

Would you rather eat pizza or ice cream every day for the rest of your life?

Would you rather have Jason Kelce or Travis Kelce as your teammate?

Would you rather be stuck in an elevator with your boss or mother-in-law?

Would you rather have an embarrassing photo of you surface on social media or fall down the stairs at a party?

Would you rather accidentally pass gas on a first date or on your wedding day (and it’s SBD)?

Would you rather be stuck in a zombie apocalypse or have the world taken over by A.I. ala The Matrix?

Would you rather have Adele’s singing voice or Taylor Swift’s songwriting skills?

Would you rather go shopping in your fanciest ballgown or go to a holiday work party in your bathrobe?

Would you rather be a Jedi Knight or a Marvel Superhero?

Would you rather steal Kate Middleton or Megan Markel’s stylist?

Would you rather have a mullet or a perm?

Would you rather go on tour with your favorite band or be a regular extra on your favorite sitcom?

Would you rather walk around all night with your zipper down or something in your teeth?

Would you rather be stuck in a haunted house or a broken-down car in the desert?

Would you rather be terrible at anything athletic or a really bad singer?

Would you rather be stuck on a deserted island or the top of a mountain?

Serious Would You Rather Questions for Adults

Would you rather find true love or win the lottery?

Would you rather lose your sight or your memory?

Would you rather freeze to death or die of heat exhaustion?

Would you rather have a pause button or a rewind button for your life?

Would you rather have dinner with a deceased loved one or your favorite movie star?

Would you rather be fabulously wealthy and alone or poor and surrounded by loved ones?

Would you rather find and lose true love or never love at all?

Would you rather travel the world for one year or have $50,000 tax-free dollars?

Would you rather be a world-famous movie star or a best-selling novelist?

Would you rather live a quiet life in a rural town or a busy life in a big city?

Would you rather quit social media or streaming platforms?

Would you rather work at a high-paying job you loathe or a low-paying job you love?

Would you choose to end world hunger or save the planet from devasting climate change?

Would you rather go to jail for a crime you didn’t commit or have someone steal your idea and publish it as their own?

Would you rather never celebrate Christmas or never celebrate Halloween?

Would you rather have a conversation with your past self or your future self?

Would you rather be told a comforting life or the uncomfortable truth?

 

 

Is there anything more relaxing after a long day of parenting than settling into the couch, grabbing a cup of tea, and breaking a 30-year-old cold case? When thinking of ways to unwind, grisly murder doesn’t naturally come to mind, yet women consume true crime entertainment—whether by documentary, docuseries, or podcast—at greater rates than men, and moms are among the biggest fans. There are theories as to why.

Some experts believe women are drawn to true crime because the victims are often female. Some think consuming true crime media helps women understand the criminal mindset and acts as a primer on how not to become a victim. Whatever the reason, we’re obsessed. And with so much out there, there’s no shortage of true crime docuseries to dive into. If you’ve already watched everything about the Night Stalker or are yet to join the true-crime-obsessed, here’s a list of series you need to check off immediately.

American Nightmare

American Nightmare true crime documentaries for moms netflix
Netflix

This three-part series explains how a home invasion and kidnapping led to Gone Girl-style accusations lodged against the kidnapped woman when she reappeared two days later. From the filmmakers behind The Tinder Swindler, this docuseries delves into the issue of investigators rushing to judgment and how that ultimately impacted the case and traumatized the victims. We especially loved the badass female detective who eventually broke the case wide open.

Where to stream: Netflix

The Case Against Adnan Syed 

This four-part documentary series explores the 1999 murder of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed. The hugely popular “Serial” podcast brought the story to worldwide attention, and a few years after the podcast aired, Syed’s murder conviction was vacated, and he was released from prison after serving 20 years. HBO is producing a follow-up episode to the incredible unfolding of the story that will feature exclusive footage of Syed leading up to and following his release from prison. The investigation the filmmakers did in the original series was used as evidence in the hearing to release Syed—which makes this series even more compelling.

Where to stream: Max

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks

In the first season of this fascinating series, we met Kristine and Michael Barnett, a couple who adopted a Ukrainian orphan named Natalia Grace who has a rare dwarfism condition called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita. The Barnetts claimed that Natalia not only threatened to harm them on numerous occasions but that she was actually an adult attempting to masquerade as a child. They went through the process of having her “re-aged” so that they would no longer be responsible for caring for her.

Season 2 “Natalia Speaks” addresses this story from Natalia’s point of view, specifically how Kristine Barnett formed this narrative because she no longer wanted to care for Natalia. You’ll want to dive into this series full of twists and turns that you won’t see coming (especially the shocking revelation in the series’ final episode). We’re seriously crossing our fingers for a Season 3.

Where to stream: Hulu

Escaping Twin Flames

Who doesn’t want to find their one true love, a soulmate or “twin flame”? Jeff and Shaleia Ayan established the online community of the Twin Flames Universe with just that goal in mind. This three-part docuseries provides interviews with former members who allege heavy coercion and manipulation led them into sometimes dangerous relationships with complete strangers who they were told were their twin flame. Want to learn more about this high-pressure group? Prime Video also released a series on the topic in 2023: Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe.

Where to stream: Netflix 

Evil Genius 

Evil Genius is a true crime docuseries on Netflix
Netflix

“In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI,” reads the series description on Netflix’s Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. But all of that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the twists and turns of this four-part docuseries. Add a small-town beauty queen turned criminal mastermind and the criminal case that came to be known as the “pizza bomber heist”—and you are in for a true crime rabbit hole you’re not ready for.

Where to stream: Netflix 

Inventing Anna 

Inventing Anna investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-famous German heiress who quickly befriended key players in New York’s uber-rich social scene—and stole their money, too. The series was inspired by New York Magazine’s expose on the socialite—and poses the question, “Who the heck is Anna Delvey, and why was she able to trick so many people out of so much money?”

Where to stream: Netflix

Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God

This series follows the life of self-proclaimed spiritual leader Amy Carlson, referred to as “Mother God” by those who worshiped her. She leads the Love Has Won group through spiritual enlightenment via live-streaming sessions with the help of a series of male partners she dubs “Father God.” Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God features interviews with Love Has Won devotees, many of whom appear to still be involved in the cult, and culminates with Carlson’s disturbing death and the police investigation that followed.

Where to stream: Max

Lula Rich 

LuLaRoe founders DeAnne Brady and Mark Stidham convinced thousands of women to buy into their pyramid scheme. They got rich while bankrupting those women they claimed to liberate with their products—predominantly poorly made leggings with questionable patterns. LulaRich is a four-part true crime docuseries that chronicles the unraveling of LuLaRoe; once known for their buttery soft leggings—now known for their terrible manipulation, questionable selling tactics, and ultimate demise.

Where to stream: Prime Video 

Making a Murderer 

Netflix

Making a Murderer tells the story of Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, who served 18 years in prison after a wrongful conviction for sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen. He was later charged with and convicted of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. It also tells the story of Avery’s nephew Brendan Dassey, who was accused and convicted as an accessory in the murder of Halbach. The series follows Avery’s arrest and conviction and his subsequent exoneration and release, then delves into the civil lawsuit he filed against Manitowoc County. There is so much going on here, you have to see it to believe it.

Where to stream: Netflix

Murdaugh Murders – A Southern Scandal 

Alex Murdaugh’s face has been all over the news lately, convicted last week of the murder of his wife and son and sentenced to life in prison. The Murdaughs were at one time considered one of South Carolina’s most prominent families until the death of teenager Mallory Beach in a drunken boating accident started to scrape at the veneer of the family’s facade and reveal the darkness underneath. Paul Murdaugh—the alleged driver of the boat—and his mother Maggie were found brutally murdered in 2021, and “a century of corruption, power, and cover-ups in the Low Country” was brought to light. The three-part series focuses on first-hand accounts from people on the boat and people who have never spoken about the crash or double homicide until now.

Where to stream: Netflix

Our Father 

Netflix

Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm. Her dream of having siblings led her to take one of those at-home DNA tests to see if there were any out there. The test led her to discover seven half-brothers and sisters, which raised red flags for all involved. The siblings started investigating their family tree, which landed them on a shocking discovery: the family’s fertility doctor was using his sperm to inseminate his patients—without their knowledge or consent.

Where to stream: Netflix

Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets

This one is especially for all of you who have been long-time watchers of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, a series that followed the lives of ultra-religious Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar and their 19 kids. Shiny Happy People delves into some of the scandals that have followed the family, their involvement with the Institute in Basic Life Principles, and what went on behind the scenes of the popular television show. Interviews with daughter Jill (Duggar) Dillard, her husband Derick Dillard, and niece Amy (Duggar) King provided an eye-opening glimpse of the financial manipulation, abuse, and religious indoctrination that went on in the family.

Where to stream: Prime Video

Take Care of Maya

Maya Kowalski and her family are the center of this story that’s every parent’s nightmare. Ten-year-old Maya comes down with some unusual symptoms and her parents, Jack and Beata Kowalski, take her to the ER to find out what is going on. Beata is a nurse and had previously taken Maya to many different medical providers to try and figure out what was going on. One physician diagnosed Maya with complex regional pain syndrome and suggested ketamine as a treatment for her pain. So when Maya is admitted to the hospital from the ER, Beata suggests to the hospital staff that ketamine be given.

Instead of listening to Beata, the hospital finds this request to be suspicious and requests Child Protective Services evaluate Maya for possible child abuse by her mother. Take Care of Maya follows what happened after Maya was taken away from her family.

Where to stream: Netflix

Waco: American Apocalypse

Netflix

In 1993, cult leader David Koresh faced off against the federal government in a 51-day siege that shook the American public. The conflict began with the biggest gunfight on American soil since the Civil War and ended in a fiery inferno—caught on live TV. It was the biggest news story in the world at the time, and viewers were hooked. In line with the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, Netflix is releasing the true crime docuseries on March 22, with unearthed footage and interviews with several people close to the case.

Where to stream: Netflix

The Way Down 

Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara founded the Remnant Fellowship Church in 1999. She died with her husband and son-in-law in 2021 when her private Cessna crashed into Percy Priest Lake near Smyrna, Tennessee, shortly after takeoff. Four church leaders were with the family and were also killed in the crash. The fellowship taught its members to “turn away from the love of food and toward the love of God”—so it’s essentially a church based on dieting, which is the weirdest thing ever. The series details the truth behind Lara’s very carefully curated image and delves into the controversial practices of the church.

Where to stream: Max 

Web of Death

This series follows the investigations of online sleuths who used digital footprints, DNA databases, and crowdsourcing to solve murder cases. Each episode follows a different case, like the investigation of the disappearance of Abraham Shakespeare who won a $30 million state lottery and was reported missing three years later. We love this one so much because really, we’d all like to be investigating true crime in our spare time from the comfort of our own homes.

Where to stream: Hulu

Additional reporting by Maria Guido

We know “Netflix and chill “doesn’t mean what it used to, thanks to life with littles, but when you’ve got the time to wind down after the kids are in bed, click off Disney+ and click on these adult shows on Netflix that are sure to keep you awake no matter how tired you are—at least through several episodes. From hilarious comedies to heart-pumping thrillers, here’s what we’re binge-watching on Netflix right now.

"The Brothers Sun"

Production still from The Brothers Sun, one of the best adult shows on Netflix

It's late. You're in bed. And you want a little action. But not that kind of action. Try hitting up the new series starring recently crowned Best Actress Michelle Yeoh. She plays the strong-willed mother of a family of gang members whose enemies have come a-knocking. There's a lot of choreographed fighting, fun quipping, and every shade of Yeoh on the acting spectrum. 

"Carol & the End of the World"

production still of Carol & the end of the world, one of the best adult shows on Netflix

From one of the brilliant writers for the criminally underappreciated campus comedy Community comes this miniseries about a 42-year-old accounting assistant who has absolutely no idea why the impending doom destined for Eearth means her quiet little life has to change. Like Carol in the mass of hedonistic chaos around her, this animated adult dramedy is a diamond in Netflix's digital rough.  

"Bridgerton"

Obsessed? Same. Now that you're done bingeing Queen Charlotte and eagerly anticipating the next installment of the period drama, why not work on a little refresh? While you wait for season 3 to hit the streamer (part 1: May 16; part 2: June 13), catch up on the first two seasons. Then get ready to learn more about Penelope Featherington and her longtime crush, world traveler Colin Bridgerton.

"Wednesday"

The Addams Family reruns you watched as a kid pale in comparison to this witty Tim Burton remake. The series stars Jenna Ortega as the brilliant and totally dark title character. Shipped off to Nevermore, a boarding school for outcasts, Wednesday finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Including nods to the original, with an updated ethos, this show is definitely worth a few hours of your time—okay, eight hours. Once you finish the first season, get ready for season 2 in April.

Related: Netflix Announces 'Wednesday' Will Return for Season 2

"Russian Doll"

A production still from Russian Doll, one of the best adult shows on Netflix

If you haven't caught on to this sci-fi/fantasy show that's absolutely bingeable, our only question is: Why not? Natasha Lyonne plays Nadia, doomed to repeat her 36th birthday over and over again until she gets it right, a la Groundhog Day, but with less humor and more mind-blowing plot twists. Sit down to two seasons; Netflix says a third is in the works now.

"Umbrella Academy"

a production still from The Umbrella Academy, one of the best adults shows on Netflix

Reuniting after their father's death, a group of estranged siblings sees their superpowers and a whole closet's worth of family secrets spill out. So far, the series has wrapped three seasons, with the upcoming fourth season said to be the final chapter. According to Ritu Arya, who plays Lila Pitts, season four will be the comic-book adaptation's best yet. So catch up now!

"Lupin"

a man walks briskly outside the Louvre in Paris, adult shows on netflix lupin

Forget the Ocean's. This French series will leave you wanting more after the first heart-pounding scene at the Louvre. A true gentleman thief, Assane Diop (Omar Sy) sets out to avenge his father who was unjustly imprisoned when Assane was a child. Taking cues from his favorite fictional criminal hero, Arsène Lupin, he steals from the rich and exposes the truth. Part three is now streaming.

"Beef"

a production still from Beef, one of the best adult shows on Netflix

Steven Yeun and Ali Wong star in this wild road-rage comedy that has more twists and turns than Mulholland Drive. They play Danny Cho, a contractor, and Amy Lau, a business owner, and their "beef" begins when the two engage in a near fender bender. The experience ends up burrowing its way into their lives in ways you would never imagine. You will just eat this one up.

"Derry Girls"

Set in 1990s Northern Ireland—Londonderry, to be exact—this hidden gem is set against a backdrop of political upheaval that's nearing its end. School friends Erin, Michelle, Clare, Orla, and James navigate their teenage years with wit and, well, not really wisdom, but maybe the wisdom of youth that's as hilarious as it gets. Creator Lisa McGee has earned lots of praise for this one. 

"Virgin River"

The perfect romantic-yet-not-too cheesy drama finished up its fifth season last year, with a sixth season on its way. While you wait, you can catch up on all the plaid-patterned action and learn about what Mel and Jack are up to in the small town of Virgin River. Should you need more rom-coms while you mom-mom, check out our list of shows like Virgin River.

"Kim’s Convenience"

If you haven't caught this CBC show on Netflix yet, sit down and stream it tonight. Set in Canada, it's the story of convenient-store-owning Korean immigrants and their first-generation adult kids living in Toronto. Based on a play by Ins Choi, its subtle humor balances out the show's more serious themes, meaning you'll laugh, cry, scream, and feel all the other feels. 

"Glitch"

Production still from Glitch

Guaranteed you have never heard of this chilling Aussie gem. About a group of dead people who claw their way back to life from six feet under, Glitch is a genre-blending series that will blow your mind. No, those who have risen are not zombies. And, no, they are not ghosts. But, yes, they are back for a reason. Their journeys to find out why will keep you hooked.

"The Diplomat"

Production still from The Diplomat

Politics are a dirty game. But on The Diplomat, they're also completely absurd, ridiculous, and gloriously silly. Keri Russell stars as the titular ambassador and handles every bonkers plot twist, from international crises to marital exploits with skill and grace. Bless her. Catch up on season 1 now, because the next chapter is on the way, most likely hitting the platform this year.

"Insecure"

Production still from Insecure

Don't have MAX? No biggie. Netflix now has every season of Insecure (and Girlfriends, for that matter) for your streaming pleasure. So when you're done watching Firefly Lane on repeat, treat your viewing queue to Issa Rae's hit comedy about a group of twenty-somethings navigating love, life, and friendship in Los Angeles. 

Related: 10 Hidden Gem TV Shows on Netflix

"The Witcher"

Follow the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a riveting and well-built monster hunter for hire as he journeys toward his destiny in a fantasy-based world where people are often the scariest beasts of them all. And as if spending late nights with Henry Cavill weren't reason enough to hit play on the adventure series, knowing that eye candy Liam Hemsworth is joining the cast for season 4 certainly is.

"Emily In Paris"

emily in paris woman holding a microphone with lights in the background, adult shows on netflix

An ambitious 20-something lands her dream job as a marketing exec in Paris. And the City of Love does not disappoint with three seasons of romance and adventure finding Emily on every corner. Season 4 got a bit delayed due to the 2023 writers' strikes, but worry not, word is new episodes of Emily, her friends, her lovers, and her wildly inspirational fashion choices will be out this year.

"The Crown"

Can’t get enough of the royal family? This intriguing peek into the reign and romance of Queen Elizabeth II will more than satisfy. It certainly doesn't hurt that it stars the Oscar-winning Olivia Colman for part of the saga as Her Royal Highness, either. Creator Peter Morgan has finally finished his story, with all six seasons streaming on the platform now.

"Good Girls"

YouTube

What happens when a picture-perfect, stay-at-home mom breaks bad? Good Girls. Part Weeds, part Breaking Bad, this series is a dark but fun fantasy escape that will draw you in from the first episode. In a stroke of horrible prime time decision making, the network canceled the series ahead of season five, but that doesn't mean you won't thoroughly enjoy all four seasons streaming now.

"Griselda"

Okay, yes, Ozark is a lot of fun. But odds are, you've seen Jason Bateman and Laura Linney boss up as money-laundering pros in the Ozark Mountains. So, queue up this thriller with links to the cartel instead. It stars Sofia Vergara playing against type in a queenpin role that will have you doing a double take. Drugs, money, motherhood, talk about binge-worthy. Look for it on January 25.

"Cobra Kai"

Thirty years after Karate Kid, the feud between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is still going strong. A surprise hit series, Cobra Kai checks in on the rivals, now all grown up, and finds Johnny and Daniel raising a new class of karate masters in their own dojos. Catch up now because season six is on the burner for 2024. 

"Dead to Me"

This dark and twisty mystery about a grieving widow, played by the genius Christina Applegate, and her new best friend, the wonderful Linda Cardellini, will suck you in instantly and will not spit you out until the credits roll on the shocking end. Luckily (and, well, unfortunately), there are three complete seasons to keep you entertained.

"Escaping Twin Flames"

Ripping people off is as American as apple pie. LuLaRoe did it with patterned leggings, Bernie Madoff did it with a handshake, and cryptocurrency used Tom Brady. Twin Flames Universe, the online community at the focus of this 2023 Netflix docuseries, the lure is harmonious true love. And founders Jeff and Shaleia Divine swindled millions of their prey. 

Related: True Crime Docuseries Moms Can't Get Enough Of

"Ginny and Georgia"

a man hugs two children

In search of a fresh start, single mom Georgia moves her kids, Ginny and Austin, up north. Unfortunately, secrets from Georgia’s past come back to haunt them and threaten to make their new lives anything but perfect. As addictive as it is shocking at times, Ginny & Georgia is the gift that keeps on giving: Netflix has guaranteed that seasons 3 and 4 are on the way. 

"Workin’ Moms"

workin moms season six

The last and final season of this hilariously relatable mom-com was released in early 2023. As for the binge, we hope you can make it through all seven seasons without peeing your pants, tagging along with the working moms as they balance the impossible chaos of motherhood and returning to the office. If you've already seen the entire series, check out our picks for shows like Workin' Moms. 

"The Great British Baking Show"

Mouthwatering cake pops and canapes served up with some friendly competition make this series a must-watch for any home baker (or cookie-lover) looking for inspiration. If, however, you fear the yummy sponges on the screen may induce hunger pangs that send you straight to the kitchen for a snack, there's always the Emmy-nominated Selling Sunset to quell the late-night reality cravings. 

with additional reporting by DeAnna Janes

All photos courtesy of Netflix, unless noted.

 

Watch these Black history movies with your kids and learn as a family

These Black history movies for kids were hand-picked to give the 10 and younger set an opportunity to watch and learn about some of the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of the Black community. Watch these movies with your child to tap into important conversations you can have during Black History Month and throughout the rest of the year.

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World

March On! is a Black history movie for kids
Common Sense Media

This Scholastic Storybook DVD includes narrations of four children's books about the civil rights movement and Black history. It manages to explain how Black people were treated unequally in a way even preschoolers can understand on a basic level.

Recommended for ages 4 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Paul R. Gagne, Melissa R. Ellard
Scholastic, 2010

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World

Common Sense Media

This is the uplifting true story of Janet Collins, whose dedication and determination led her to become the first African-American ballerina in the country to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House. Narrated by Chris Rock, this inspirational film can teach kids a lot about the lingering effects of slavery and racism in Jim Crow America.

Recommended for ages 5 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Saxton Moore
Sweet Blackberry, 2015

Garrett's Gift

Garrett's Gift is a Black history movie for kids
Common Sense Media

Narrated by Queen Latifah, this short movie about Garrett Morgan is a great primer on the history of a famous Black inventor and on the fascinating places where ideas originate.

Recommended for ages 5 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Karyn Parsons
Sweet Blackberry, 2007

The Journey of Henry Box Brown

Common Sense Media

The Journey of Henry Box Brown is an educational, uplifting short film that tells the true story of a former enslaved person who shipped himself to freedom in a crate in a harrowing 27-hour journey. It’s a perfect introduction to Black history.

Recommended for ages 5 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Karyn Parsons
Sweet Blackberry, 2005

And the Children Shall Lead

Common Sense Media

This powerful drama provides a great way to open discussion with kids about racial issues. Direct and sensitive, it personalizes a portrait of America's arduous struggles to break free of racism.

Recommended for ages 9 and older
Quality: 5 out of 5
Directed by Michael Pressman
HBO, 1988

A Ballerina's Tale

A Ballerina's Tale is a Black history movie for kids
Common Sense Media

A Ballerina's Tale examines the life and career of Misty Copeland, the first African-American principal dancer at New York's American Ballet Theater. Not only is Copeland a significant role model for any young girl who dreams of a career as a dancer, but she's also emerged as an important example for the Black community.

Recommended for ages 9 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Nelson George
Sundance Selects, 2015

Thunder Soul

Black history movies for kids
Common Sense Media

This documentary about one of the country’s top jazz bands in the mid-‘70s is full of inspiring messages and strong role models. The Kashmere Stage Band was an all-Black high school band from Houston that not only revitalized the predominantly Black school but also revolutionized the entire concept of the stage band.

Recommended for ages 9 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Mark Landsman
Roadside Attractions, 2011

Hidden Figures

Common Sense Media

Based on the nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures is the true story of three brilliant Black women who worked for NASA in the 1950s and '60s as "human computers.” This is a story that needed to be told—and it's told in a triumphant manner.

Recommended for ages 10 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Theodore Melfi
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2016

Remember the Titans

Remember the Titians is a Black history movie for kids
Common Sense Media

Remember the Titans tells the inspirational true story about the struggles and victories of a newly-integrated high school football team in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s a deeply moving film about the courage of individuals and the power of sports to transcend perceived and ingrained differences.

Recommended for ages 10 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Directed by Boaz Yakin
Walt Disney Pictures, 2000

Woodlawn

Black history movies for kids
Common Sense Media

Woodlawn is a faith-based drama inspired by true events at a Birmingham, Alabama, high school in 1973. The movie focuses on how a sports chaplain helped convert nearly the entire Woodlawn High School football team to born-again Christianity after it was desegregated, helping the players deal with racial strife on and off the field.

Recommended for ages 10 and older
Quality: 3 out of 5
Directed by Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin
Pure Flix Entertainment, 2015

 

Common Sense Media
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at www.commonsense.org.

Make sure your kiddos know that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is about more than a day off of school

Your little dreamers naturally understand the power and importance of having hopes and wishes, so learning facts about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream” speech is a tactile way to help kids understand the significance of who MLK Jr. was. Help the kids learn more about this chief spokesman for nonviolent activism, civil rights, and the end of racial segregation.

Bee Calder on Unsplash

1. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on Jan. 15, 1929. His birth name was Michael but was changed to Martin by his father (who also changed his name) in 1934 (after Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s).

2. At 14 he won a contest with a speech about civil rights. 

3. He started college when he was just 15.

4. He worked for a newspaper as one of his first jobs.

5. Stevie Wonder wrote his song "Happy Birthday" to help build on the campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday. He asks a simple question throughout the song, “Why has there never been a holiday where peace is celebrated throughout the world? The time is overdue.” 

6. According to the King Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. was jailed 30 times for charges such as civil disobedience.

7. MLK Jr. was awarded 20 honorary degrees.

8. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was instrumental in getting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. This act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It made it illegal to segregate based on race in schools, the workplace, and public accommodations (or facilities that serve the general public including hospitals and libraries). It may be hard for your kiddos to believe that there was once a time when children could not drink from the same drinking fountain or use the same bathroom because of the color of their skin. MLK fought to end that.

9. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in April 1964.

10. Martin Luther King Jr. married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953. The ceremony was performed by his father, Martin Luther King Sr. Coretta had the vow "to obey" removed from the vows, which was almost unheard of at the time. 

11. MLK Jr. and his wife had four children: Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Yolanda King, and Dexter King.

12. His "I Have a Dream" speech was not his first at the Lincoln Memorial. He gave a speech there on voting rights in 1957.

13. He survived an attempt on his life in 1958. He was stabbed with a letter opener by Izola Ware Curry. He underwent hours of emergency surgery. Surgeons said one sneeze could have punctured his aorta and killed him.

14. Martin Luther King Jr.'s mother was killed six years after his murder. She was shot while playing the organ at church.

15. One of the best ways kids can understand what he was all about is by listening to his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which he made on Aug. 28, 1963. Kids of any age can listen and read along through this link

Unseen Histories on Unsplash

After listening to the speech, ask your kids a few questions to help them grasp the magnitude. Here are a few suggestions:

  • What does it feel like to be excluded? Have you ever been excluded from something?
  • What is a slave? What does it mean to be enslaved?
  • What was the emancipation proclamation
  • What is something you can do to make others feel more included?
  • Can you think of a time when you saw something wasn't right, and you spoke up?
  • What does the word "community" mean to you?
  • What do you love about your community?
  • Is there one thing you can do each day to help others?
  • What are the big things you'd like to change in the world?
  • What is your big dream?

with additional reporting by Taylor Clifton

This non-profit is all about moms supporting moms when it’s needed the most

Whether you’re a new mom or you’ve got a few years under your belt, there’s no question that life can be overwhelming. Between work, caring for the kids, cleaning up messes, doing a million loads of laundry, making weeknight dinners, and getting everyone where they need to be on time, finding even five minutes for yourself is considered a total win. So what does that say about moms in general? That. We. Need. Help. Even if we don’t feel like we can (or should) ask for it.

That’s why, when we discovered mom-of-two Jen Hamilton’s TikTok video about how her non-profit, Hot Mess Express, came into existence, all we could do was stand up and cheer. Leave it to a mom to know exactly what to do!

Hamilton tells the story in her now-viral video. “So a couple years ago, there was a post on Facebook in a local moms group. It was written anonymously, and it was by a girl who was a couple months postpartum with her second baby. She was asking for recommendations for a cleaning company to come in and help her clean her house because she was so overwhelmed.

“She said, ‘I don’t even have the money to do this but I can’t keep living like this.’ So people commented and were like, ‘Oh, reach out to this person or this company.’ But I was like, ‘We are missing something big here.’”

@_jen_hamilton_

All aboard! Find our FB group if you’re local! Addresses are only shared with those who have signed up to come.

♬ original sound – Jen Hamilton

Hamilton took it upon herself to gather other local moms who could help, and they showed up in a big way.

“There were like eight or ten of us there. We had taken up a collection and we sent her and her family out for a fun day, and we spent the whole day cleaning, organizing, doing laundry. We went to Walmart and got things that they needed. We made sure that there was food in the house. We made crock-pot meals. We went all out. And that was the first ever Hot Mess Express mission,” explained Hamilton.

Since that first day, the non-profit has taken on a life of its own. It now has a nationwide reach with over 50 chapters, and there’s plenty of room for more. Hamilton no longer sits at the helm of Hot Mess Express, but her friend and fellow member, Girl, Same podcaster Brittnie Tran, was ready to take the lead.

@girlsamethepodcast

I can not believe the amount of women interested in joining HME since @Jen Hamilton’s video! It is so beautiful to see and we are so excited to have you 💕 hotmessexpress.co @brittiniechristine @kay.la.dee @Easy Breezy Runner @tina1325 #volunteer #nonprofit #womensupportingwomen

♬ Better in Stereo – Tori

Brittnie Tran recently explained her vision to Scary Mommy: “I would love to see enough Hot Mess Express chapters that we are accessible to as many women as possible. There are so many women who don’t know our group exists, suffering in silence thinking they are alone. That’s why we work so hard to normalize the struggles of motherhood and normalize asking for help.”

The struggle is, in fact, very real. A recent Pew study found that although women are earning more than ever and that there are more dual-income households than in the past, women in opposite-sex relationships are still contributing more to household duties than their partners. In these ‘egalitarian marriages’—meaning both partners contribute equally to the yearly income—women still spend an average of 4.6 hours a week on the same tasks to which their husbands contribute only 1.9 hours a week.

This is where Hot Mess Express comes in. Their mission states: “Hot Mess Express is a group of moms and caregivers who come together to rescue moms in need by doing the housework that can seem impossible. Whether these moms are dealing with postpartum depression, medical problems, social issues, or life burdens, Hot Mom Express is here to alleviate as much stress as possible by doing dishes, laundry, sweeping, mopping, and organization. Our goal is to leave these ladies with a more peaceful existence and give them a fresh start.”

You can check their official website to see if there’s a chapter near you, and if not, the website provides the tools you need to start your own. There’s also a private Facebook group for the non-profit with over 19K members that provides even more support for members.