1 / 16

Precious/Push - Precious was based on the hit novel Push by Saphire. The book's style progressed as its narrator and main character, Precious, went from functionally illiterate to proud writer. (Photo: Lionsgate)

2 / 16

The Spook That Sat by the Door - The Spook That Sat by the Door was a book by Sam Greenlee that became a movie in 1973. The movie was about an African-American CIA agent who uses his training to start an uprising against the police. (Photo: United Artists Pictures)

Photo By Photo: United Artists Pictures

3 / 16

Cotton Comes to Harlem - Cotton Comes to Harlem was based on the Chester Hines novel of the same name. The movie told the story of two detectives investigating a corrupt preacher who was exploiting the people of Harlem. Ossie Davis directed the movie and Red Foxx had a comedic role. (Photo: Formosa Productions)

Photo By Photo: Formosa Productions

4 / 16

Roots - Roots was an epic TV series based on Alex Haley's historically based novel of the same title. Haley researched his family lineage to Africa in order to research the book, which went on to be one of the most watched mini-series of all time. (Photo: Warner Bros. Television)

5 / 16

Malcolm X - Spike Lee's Malcolm X was based on Malcolm's autobiography written with Alex Haley. The movie, like the book, told the story of Malcolm's journey from poverty to crime to civil rights leader. (Photo: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)

6 / 16

Think Like a Man - Kevin Hart's hit comedy Think Like A Man was based on Steve Harvey's advice book Think Like a Woman, Act Like a Man. The film took scenarios and advice from the book and turned them into a story. (Photo: Screen Gems)

7 / 16

The Color Purple - Alice Walker's The Color Purple was made into a movie with Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey. The movie captured the hardships and abuse of the Jim Crow South. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

8 / 16

Devil in a Blue Dress - Denzel Washington starred as Easy Rawlins in Devil in a Blue Dress, which was originally a detective book by Walter Mosley, which started a whole series of books. (Photo: TriStar Pictures)

9 / 16

Miracle at St. Anna - Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna was based on the novel of the same title by James McBride. The movie tells the story of a group of Black soldiers who travel to Italy in WWII and find a treasure. (Photo: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)

10 / 16

Native Son - Richard Wright's epic novel Native Son managed to capture the intensity and harshness of poverty and segregation. The PBS movie featured Oprah Winfrey. (Photo: American Playhouse) 

11 / 16

What's Love Got to Do With It? - What's Love Got to Do With It? was based on Tina Turner's autobiography, I Tina. The movie told Tina's life story, her struggles as a singer, her volatile relationship with husband Ike and her road back to success. (Photo: Touchstone Pictures)

12 / 16

Never Die Alone - Never Die Alone was based on Donald Goines' book with the same title. The movie starred DMX as a drug dealer and Reagan Gomez-Preston as his girlfriend. (Photo: ContentFilms)

Photo By Photo: 20th Century Fox

13 / 16

Three Musketeers - The Three Musketeers was written by Black French writer Alexander Dumas and was made into several different movies. All movies were about three sword-fighting French heroes. (Photo: Impact Pictures)

14 / 16

Beloved - Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey starred in Beloved, which was based on Toni Morrison's novel of the same name. The movie tells the story of two slaves who escaped Kentucky to flee to the free state of Ohio. (Photo: Harpo Productions)

15 / 16

Trick Baby - Trick Baby is based on a novel by Iceberg Slim. The movie tells the story of White Folks, a biracial con man who looks white. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

16 / 16

Lady Sings the Blues - Lady Sings the Blues starred Diana Ross as Billie Holiday and was based on Billie's autobiography with the same title. Both the book and movie deal with Billie's triumphs in music and struggles with segregation and drug abuse. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)