Marvel Studio’s “Black Panther” addresses the topic of race “head-on with the issues affecting modern-day black life” (Smith). Marvel has taken issues from African society and America and made a movie addressing the issue. The issue is “about what it means to be black in both America and Africa” (Smith). In America, African Americans have had a long and rough history. It all started after being kidnapped from Africa and brought to America as slaves. As time went on, society in the northern states was against slavery, which brought on the civil war. After being freed from slavery, many African Americans were still forced to work for former slave owners because of the discrimination they faced from other white Americans. Fast forward to today, we have just experienced the Black Lives Matter movement protesting over one of the biggest issues that African Americans face today which is police brutality. “Structural racism has been and continues to be the primary impediment to upward mobility for African Americans throughout the country. This form of racism explains how race and racism permeate both public and private institutions to create unequal outcomes in all facets of life” (Ajilore 2019). African Americans have faced and continue to face issues based on their race. Another struggle that African Americans face is living in poverty. “The movie opens with a bunch of kids playing basketball in a poor neighborhood, and their basketball net has been replaced by an everyday basket, further emphasizing the poverty in which they live” (Trieu 2018). The movie shows bits and pieces of the struggles of being black in America. “Black Panther” also address the issues that African’s face in their society. One big issue that is focused on is their want to aid and support other black people who are facing struggles based on their race. “the biggest take-home message that “Black Panther” brings is political: it promotes global cooperation” (Trieu 2018). Although, “Africa is typically thought to contain only third-world countries,” in the movie Wakanda is wealthy and questions its involvement in non-African societies (Trieu 2018). Many countries in Africa face this issue, they feel that it is their duty to provide their support to other black people who are facing injustices in their own country. Just because “Black Panther” is a fictional movie does not mean that it does not serve a purpose. The movie is made to show “What it means to be black in both America and Africa” by showing the struggles of black people around the world (Smith).
Works Cited:
Ajilore, Olugbenga. “3 Ways to Improve the Outcomes for African Americans in the Rural South.” Center for American Progress, 6 Aug. 2019, www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2019/08/06/470913/3-ways-improve-outcomes-african-americans-rural-south/.
Smith, Jamil. The Revolutionary Power Of Black Panther: Marvel’s New Movie Marks a Major Milestone. time.com/black-panther/.
Trieu, Cat. ‘Black Panther’ Shows Social Issues through Science Fiction. 9 Aug. 2018, www.utdailybeacon.com/arts_and_culture/entertainment/black-panther-shows-social-issues-through-science-fiction/article_1af7d136-14f6-11e8-821c-5b6604767e71.html.
Yes, I fully agree and like the statement/purpose of the movie being what it means to be both black in both Africa and America. I think the movie touched base on both of meanings and did a great job of portraying the similarities and differences. Although I think they could have done more (in some aspects) I think they also wanted to appeal to the comic book (superhero) moviegoers seeing Black Panther, but again the movie did a great job!
This was a great post this week! Tow.8 I agree with you on the movie touching base on both the cultural background and also the racial background as well, the movie did a great job showing contrast in both and giving the audience some education while watching the film.
This is a great post! I agree with you that even though Black Panther is a fictional movie its purpose is very relevant for today’s society. The movie does a great job of showing the struggles that African Americans face in different societies, and how various people perceive these challenges. Today, the Black Lives Matter movement is doing a great job at raising awareness of the struggles African Americans are facing due to injustice. I believe Black Panther was very beneficial to the movement and helped uplift the Black community.
Great post! I agree that marvels approach with this movie wasn’t just to entertain its audience with amazing fight scenes and plot but also to send a message. The difference and similarities presented throughout the movie of the treatment of African Americans in America and Africa sends a deep message to the audience. At the time this movie was created America was going through change socially as the fight for change in policing was gaining steam. Today this fight still continues with the BLM movements and like you mentioned showing the difference in scenery and treatment of the characters as they travel between countries can send a soft but apparent message in the movie. This only adds to the main character being African American which is different from most marvel movies. Ultimately I believe the film celebrates black culture while sending a message that more change needs to come in America.
I loved how you decided your context presentation on this part of Black Panther. It is my favorite of the Marvel films because it had a great plot line that also followed a deeper meaning. I think it came out at such a critical time in America as we were then and continue to fight the racist system. I think it was so important to show the idea of the perspective of being black both in America and Africa to show audiences an experience they might not understand. It made such a statement through its representation of race while simultaneously making an amazing action pact film that impacts you emotionally.
This is a fantastic article! Even though Black Panther is a fictional film, I believe that its message is authentic in today’s society. The film does an excellent job of depicting the problems that African Americans face in diverse cultures and how different individuals see these challenges. Today, the Black Lives Matter campaign is doing an excellent job raising the consciousness of the injustices that African Americans face. Black Panther, I agree, was extremely useful to the cause and contributed to the upliftment of the Black community and racial minorities in the US.
I completely agree with you connection of Black Panther’s imagery with tackling real-world issues regardless of its fictional origins. Highlighting the fact that Wakanda is a wealthy African nation when Americans are constantly fed the idea that Africa (as a whole) is a poor, desolate, and unforgiving part of the world where basic infrastructure is non existent. This is seen through jokes made in day-to-day life about being, “as hungry/thirsty as an African child”. Black Panther challenges these ideas by showing an advanced nation (the most advanced in the marvel world) in the heart of Africa.