Women’s History Month: Highlighting 6 Black Women Screenwriters in Horror

By: Myriam Akbar

To honor Women’s History Month, I would like to highlight Black women screenwriters who explore the horror genre. In general, I feel that those behind film ideas are less talked about than those behind the camera. I am inspired by and strive to learn from these women as I pursue screenwriting and filmmaking myself. They’ve worked on stand-out films in the genre and we should most definitely keep our eyes out for more of their work. 

1) Akela Cooper

Akela Cooper was raised in Missouri and graduated from Truman State University with a degree in Creative Writing. She also received a MFA from the USC School of Cinema-Televison. Her television filmography is extensive and shows her versatile talent, writing and producing episodes of various genres. In terms of horror films, Cooper wrote Maglinant and M3gan. She also co-wrote Hellfest, M3gan 2.0, and The Nun II. 

2) Nikyatu Jusu

Nikyatu Jusu was born in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Duke University, graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Film/Cinema/Video Studies. She also obtained a Masters of Fine Arts in Film/Cinema/Video Studies at New York University’s Tisch Graduate Film School. Jusu is multi-talented–she’s a writer, director, producer, editor, and assistant professor at George Mason University. Her filmography includes many successful short films and one feature, Nanny, which won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize in the US Dramatic Competition. 

3) Nia DaCosta 

Nia DaCosta was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Harlem. She graduated from New York’s University Tisch School of the Arts and also earned a degree from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is a writer, director, and producer.  Her filmography includes short films, feature films, and television episodes. In terms of horror, DaCosta co-wrote Candyman (2021) alongside Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld. 

                                                                                                                                      

4) Mariama Diallo

Mariam Diallo was born in Roosevelt Island, New York and is known for her directorial debut, Master. She also wrote this 2022 psychological horror thriller. Additionally, her filmography includes the short films Sketch and Hair Wolf. 

5) Kasi Lemmons 

Kasi Lemmons was born in St. Louis, Missouri and received an Honorary Degree from Salem State College. She also attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, UCLA, and The New School Social Research Film Program. Lemmons is an actress, filmmaker, and screenwriter. In terms of horror, she is known for Eve’s Bayou. This was her directorial debut and she also wrote the film. 

6) Tracy Yvonne Oliver 

Tracy Yvonne Oliver is from South Carolina and attended Stanford University, where she double majored in American Studies and Drama. She also obtained a Masters of Fine Arts from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Oliver is a writer, producer, and director with a diverse filmography genre wise. In terms of horror, she co-wrote The Blackening alongside Dewayne Perkins. 

Sources: Wikipedia.com, IMDB.com, and VanityFair.com