There is no doubt that 2013 was a standout year for films that portrayed various aspects of the Black experience, and this has proved to sit well with African-American cinema goers.

There was a 13 percent increase in African-American viewership at theaters in 2013, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. Last year, more than 170 million African-Americans went to the movies compared to roughly 150 million in 2012, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The MPAA chairman and CEO Chris Dodd and National Association of Theatre Owners chairman/president John Fithian believe the jump in African-American cinema goers comes with the increase of diverse films. 

"...More movies in 2013 featured more black actors in important roles that drove more patrons to the theaters. That's why we saw substantial growth in moviegoing for African-Americans and other minorities," Fithian said during CinemaCon, an annual convention for theater owners. 
The long-list of African-American feature presentations that were shown on the big screen in 2013 include the Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, The Best Man Holiday,The Butler, Fruitvale Station, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Black Nativity.

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