Founded in 1968, California Newsreel produces and distributes social justice films that explore topics central to African American life and history as well as the politics and culture of the African continent. Their films are intended for classroom and home-viewing use, and some of their titles have aired on the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS). Their films and videos encompass a wide range of topics, but can be divided into three primary collections: The Library of African Cinema, African American Perspectives, and Globalization.

The Library of African Cinema includes films from Africa, made by Africans that touch on issues important to the continent, such as the AIDS pandemic. The African American Perspectives collection includes films that touch on the experiences of African Americans and the broader issues of race and prejudice. The Globalization collection includes films that explore issues concerning the global economy and labor.

The California Newsreel collection consists of commercial publications and promotional materials related to African film, including DVDs, posters and poster reproductions, books, pressbooks, catalogs, programs, and journals. Among the programs and journals are programs for FESPACO (Festival panafricain du cinéma à Ouagadougou/Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou) from 1989-2009 and special issues of Le Film African covering FESPACO in 2001, 2005, and 2007.