What did we learn about black people besides what we already knew from countless movies about slavery.
You really expect to learn something about people from a film? Hey, are you looking at this from the other perspective? I.e., do you think that we learned something about white people that we already knew? Is (or isn't) that the real problem?
Afa hope and dignity, Solomon Northrup published "12 years" about 2 years after the most famous book "about" slavery, Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin." People today who haven't read the book, but only know the concept of "Uncle Tom," think that Tom was a weak character. Tsk, tsk, Tom was --and continues to be-- the icon of faith, hope and belief in the future. At the same time, there's more blood and guts in Beecher's novel than in Northrup's autobiography. My point is that even if the characters were hopeful, faithful, cheerful, waiting for their reward in heaven, types, if the "slavery" part were shown, some people would complain. Otoh, if they made a movie of Nat Turner's revolt, that would be a change. I don't think anyone would learn anything more about Black people. I would be surprised if it were nominated for an Oscar. It's not about the type of Black characters that are portrayed.
Anyway, loved Gravity. But, if I considered it a "space" movie, that would be doing the same thing as considering "12 years" a "slave" movie. They're both; they're all, about people. The history is just the context.
"A man is rich when he has time and freewill. How he chooses to invest both will determine the return on his investment."