Movies

• Poitier's Walter Lee (2018) as Self (archive footage)
• Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee (2014) as Self
• Betty and Coretta (2013) as Narrator
• Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal (2013) as Self
• A Thousand Words (2012) as Annie McCall
• Video Girl (2011) as Valerie
• Politics of Love (2011)
• The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2011) as Miss Candy
• A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School (2009) as Narrator (voice)
• America (2009) as Mrs. Harper
• Steam (2007) as Doris
• American Gangster (2007) as Mama Lucas
• All About Us (2007) as Ms. Ella
• In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema (2007) as Herself
• Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson (2007) as Self
• Discovering William Greaves (2006) as Self
• The Way Back Home (2006) as Maude
• No. 2 (2006) as Nanna Maria
• Their Eyes Were Watching God (2005) as Nanny
• Beah: A Black Woman Speaks (2004) as Self
• TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004) as (archive footage)
• Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives (2003)
• Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun' (2002) as Self
• Taking Back Our Town (2001) as Emelda West
• Feast of All Saints (2001) as Elsie Claviere
• Finding Buck McHenry (2000) as Mrs. Henry
• A Storm in Summer (2000) as Grandmother
• The Unfinished Journey (1999) as Narrator (voice)
• Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999) as Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
• Baby Geniuses (1999) as Margo
• Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999) as Self
• Passing Glory (1999) as Mommit Porter
• A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner (1998) as Narrator
• The Wall (1998) as Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")
• Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood (1998) as Self
• A Simple Wish (1997) as Hortence
• Sports on the Silver Screen (1997) as Self (archive footage)
• Captive Heart: The James Mink Story (1996) as Indigo
• Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996) as Sophia
• Just Cause (1995) as Evangeline Ferguson

TV Shows

• Hollywood Black (2024) as Self (archive footage)
• Iconoclasts (2005) as Self
• Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years (2002) as Narrator
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) as Mary Wilson
• Little Bill (1999)
• Christianity: The First 1000 Years (1998) as Herself - Narrator
• Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) as Grandma (voice)
• Touched by an Angel (1994) as LaBelle Springbelt
• The Stand (1994) as Mother Abagail Freemantle
• Middle Ages (1992) as Estelle Williams
• American Experience (1988) as Narrator (voice)
• China Beach (1988)
• Lincoln (1988) as Elizabeth Keckley
• Spenser: For Hire (1985)
• The Golden Girls (1985) as Mammy Watkins
• The Atlanta Child Murders (1985) as Faye Williams
• Reading Rainbow (1983) as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Roots: The Next Generations (1979) as Queen Haley
• The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self
• Police Woman (1974)
• Great Performances (1971) as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
• The Great Adventure (1963) as Harriet Tubman
• The Fugitive (1963) as Laura Smith
• The Defenders (1961) as Catherine Collins
• Armchair Theatre (1956) as Vicky Kingsbury
• The Oscars (1953) as Self
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Rowena Finch