Halloween Horror Heroes: Black Characters That Saved The Day

Source: Columbia Pictures / Getty

Happy Halloween, family!

Whether trick-or-treating with the kids or party-hopping with the kinfolk, tonight is about letting your spooky side shine. Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with calling it a night by staying in with a good horror movie marathon playing at the crib. if that’s the route you’re going in, might we suggest a few films where the person who saves the day at the end actually looks like one of us?

RELATED: 10 Most Memorable Black Sci-Fi Movie Characters

When it comes down to it, Black people haven’t always had the best of luck when it comes to the horror genre. More often that not, we usually either end up getting killed off first or made to be the comic relief — still killed off, too! On a rare occasion though, you may catch a handful of us making it to the end. If we’re lucky, you might even get a Black protagonist that ends up being the one to solve the mystery or even karate chop the killer — more on that later!

In short, we thought it would be a good idea this Halloween to pay some homage to those select few that made horror movie history when it comes to heroic Black representation. While there’s definitely still a lot of work that Hollywood needs to do in order to even out the survivor rate, these 10 fictional heroes and heroines proved to moviegoers everywhere that Black people aren’t just good for jokes or adding to the body count.

Snuggle up, check under the bed and make sure you put both locks on the door! Take a look below at 10 Black horror movie survivors  — ‘Halloween heroes,’ if you will — that not only made it to the end but played a key role in taking out the killer overall:

• Halloween Heroes: 10 Black Characters That Saved The Day In Horror Films
• Halloween 2020: Which Celeb Nailed Their Costumes? [PHOTOS]
• 2 Indianapolis Students Given Cocaine Laced Halloween Candy

1. Ben, 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968)

Played by: Duane Jones

An OG to the genre that definitely deserved a better fate.

2. Roland Kincaid, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors' (1987)

Played by: Ken Sagoes

Although he eventually bites the dust, the good homie  Kincaid definitely made us proud in Dream Warriors.

3. Poindexter "Fool" Williams, 'The People Under the Stairs' (1991)

Played by: Brandon Adams

Fool had too many close calls, but props to his street smarts for getting him out from under those steps in the end.

4. Jeryline, 'Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight' (1995)

Played by: Jada Pinkett-Smith

We wonder how the new Demon Knight is doing…

5. Danny Rich, 'Anaconda' (1997)

Played by: Ice Cube

Respect to his bravery, because Jenny from the Block would’ve been boa food if it was any of us normal folk in his position!

6. Reece Wilson, 'Urban Legends: Final Cut' (2000)

Played by: Loretta Divine

Ok, so we made an argument against being the comic relief earlier, but Loretta Divine lived up to her last name in this campy sequel from the slasher film era.

7. Freddie Harris, 'Halloween: Resurrection' (2002)

Played by: Busta Rhymes

Say what you want about the film, or even this fight scene, but someone’s got to give Busta Bus credit for putting the kung-pow paws on Michael Myers!

8. Alexa Woods, 'Alien vs. Predator' (2004)

Played by: Sanaa Lathan

Not just a survivor but the survivor of this film. Final Girl, ftw!

9. Dante Bishop, 'The Purge: Election Year' (2016)

Played by: Edwin Hodge

Bishop’s progression throughout the first three Purge films was actually inspiring to watch. Yet another one who deserved a better fate though.

10. Chris Washington, 'Get Out' (2017)

Played by: Daniel Kaluuya

As one of the recent Black scary movie saviors, his journey of survival was the spookiest of all for the most real of reasons. Still gives us chills!