A Quick Dive into the Deeper Meaning of Black Panther
Black Panther broke the box office both nationally and internationally with its release this past week. Audiences flocked to cinemas in order to witness what many are calling a milestone for black America.
After watching the movie, it is easy to deduce that Ryan Coogler’s creation is a modern and relevant exploration of the black diaspora today. It is a semblance of the fantasies that exist within the hearts of all Africans and their descendants: this film represents the seemingly unattainable fantasy of black excellence and the lingering what-ifs that persist within the minds of Africans. Wakanda is that what-if -- it symbolizes the notion of black excellence that would have been possible had Africa not been so aggressively pillaged by European nations.
The beauty of Black Panther is its ability to expose viewers to the roots of the black struggle and the current status of this struggle. The viewer is able to come to the realization of the consequences of European colonialism, how it wholly suspended black achievement, and the subsequent struggles of the black community today as a result of this. It is the juxtaposition of what black excellence could be (represented by Wakanda) versus the current state of the black diaspora (represented by Killmonger) that creates a cognizance of the existing anger and struggle that exists within black and minority communities in the minds of viewers.
The black excellence that is featured in the film is what has made this film so well-received: the film displays African achievements amongst an exceptional cast of black actors in a mainstream spotlight. The fact that a major production studio such as Marvel is casting an all-black cast in such a mainstream and lucrative spotlight has made this a truly monumental moment for the black community and other minority communities. Coogler’s genius is as much an archetype of pride and self-realization for blacks and minorities as it is a film for superhero fanatics, and it is this that is the potency of Black Panther.
