Throughout history, many forms of pop culture have spurred social movements. In addition to powerful songs like Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," several movies have also spurred social change. For example, the 1993 film Schindler's List brought attention to the atrocities of the Holocaust and raised millions of dollars for the Righteous Persons Foundation, which celebrates Jewish culture and makes sure the Holocaust is not forgotten.

Similarly, several documentary films have brought society's attention to pressing issues. For instance, in 2006, former Vice President Al Gore made a documentary called An Inconvenient Truth. This film brought global attention to climate change in a way that nothing had before. Yes, there had been scientific research and environmental policies on the issue for years, but this film finally broke down the severity of the issue for the general public.

Several television shows have also had a huge social impact. For example, in 1977 there was a television miniseries called Roots. It was based on Alex Haley’s 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Televising the story changed entertainment forever, as it was the first time a drama specifically focused on Black characters was on television. The show depicted the horrors of slavery and emphasized the importance of talking about race and racism. Before the show, many people looked at such conversations as taboo, but after the show, people were finally talking about these critical topics. Many colleges even started offering specific courses on slavery and race because of the show.