Many people not a part of the black community wonder why Marvel’s Black Panther movie has been receiving so much attention. What is not seen and understood is that the release of this movie is a historical event. Now you may ask, ‘why is this movie so special?’ ‘There are other ‘black movies’ in Hollywood, right?’ Black Panther is different because it is the first mainstream movie that really celebrates black people. This movie captures the essence of African culture, and in turn, the root of all black culture. Throughout history, society has associated Africa with negative images of poverty, uneducated people, etc. In this movie, while Africa is seen this way by outside countries, the viewers see a much different story. Black Panther is the first movie that is not whitewashed to reach a larger audience. The director of the movie, Ryan Coogler, did an amazing job retaining the raw soul and nature of what it is to be black. This is a movie that was relatable, and made black people feel like they could be strongly reflected in media, which is something not usually done in such a positive way. This movie was so powerful, empowering black people across the world. This is the first time a full African – American cast of characters were portrayed as intelligent, equal and more advanced in comparison to their white counterparts. All in all this movie gave black people the ability to see a representation of their race that had not been seen previously. The release of this movie was a historical milestone because it meant something to black people, in a way no other movie has before.
