The Cultural Impact of “Black Panther”
By: Dania Yamout — March 14, 2018
On March 13, 2018, a panel of experts discussed Black Panther’s global influence at the American University of Beirut’s (AUB) West Hall. The Black Panther Roundtable discussion was hosted by AUB’s English department and African Cultural Club, they discussed issues concerning Afrofuturism, Blackness and Representation.
As of March 11, 2018, Marvel’s superhero film Black Panther has grossed over $1 billion dollars at the global box office. Black Panther made film history as it became the 33rd movie ever to do so; joining the ranks of other movie classics such as The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park, Avatar and Titanic.
Black Panther also broke the Twitter record for the most-tweeted about movie of 2018, with over five million tweets as of February 12.
Panelist Malak Jaafar, a Media Studies graduate student at AUB, had this to say: “Black Panther cannot be dismissed as just another blockbuster Hollywood film or comic book film. It has so much to offer especially in terms of representation of blacks and people of color on the big screen.” As for how Malak sees Black Panther’s influence in Lebanon, she had this to say: ”Racism is unfortunately well and alive in this country. The conversation on race and racism hasn’t reached a national level and hasn’t been tackled in the same manner as it is in the US and Europe. We have a long way to go in Lebanon, nonetheless but to expect this film to trigger a mass conversation on racism in the country would be expecting too much. “
However internationally it is a different story.
The cultural impact of Black Panther has been huge. Black Panther’s phenomenal reach has done the impossible: it has put Hollywood to shame with its poor record in the representation of ethnic minorities. The issue of representation is important, especially for minorities so that they feel that they can be seen and understood for who they are in a cultural as well as social context.
Black Panther is directed by Ryan Coogler, and stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, who is both king of the beautiful and technologically-advanced fictional African nation of Wakanda, and the superhero Black Panther; who uses his superpowers to fight injustice.
Black Panther boasts an amazing award-winning supporting cast that includes Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Forrest Whitaker, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, and Angela Bassett. The film stands out, particularly with its powerful female characters. Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, and newcomer Letitia Wright, all give fantastic performances in this talented ensemble cast.
According to Jamil Smith, journalist for Time magazine, Black Panther is a “movie about what it means to be black in both America and Africa… rather than dodge complicated themes about race and identity, the film grapples head-on with the issues affecting modern day black life.” Smith adds that we are in “the midst of a regressive cultural and political movement fueled in part by the white-nativist movement, the very existence of Black Panther feels like resistance. Its themes challenge institutional bias, its characters take unsubtle digs at oppressors, and its narrative includes prismatic perspectives on black life and tradition.”
While Black Panther is not the first film to discuss these important issues, it is without a doubt, the most high-profile movie in years to discuss these long overdue problems.
Black Panther is also discussed extensively on social media through some popular hashtags that include #WakandaHereToSlay and #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe. “Wakanda Forever” a rallying cry from the movie, has also become a popular culture catchphrase.
Black Panther has also influenced fashion, music, and popular culture becoming an overnight sensation. It proudly celebrates black culture from its African roots to its modern day American hip-hop. The soundtrack to the movie, Black Panther: The Album debuted at №1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Disney Consumer Products even organized a “Welcome to Wakanda: Fashion for the Black Panther Era” aimed at the movie’s female fans, which debuted during New York Fashion Week. This fashion show included work by several designers were inspired by characters and themes from the movie.
This also started a style movement, with fans are also getting inspired, by wearing African prints with a futuristic flare, and tagging their new style with #WakandaHereToSlay all over social media. Fashion-forward African clothing sales have also increased in the U.S, as fans try to recreate the styles that they’ve seen from the movie.
Douriean Fletcher, the L.A. jewelry designer created the beautiful Afro-futuristic jewelry for the Black Panther movie, including neckpieces, belts and anklets by hand. As a result of the popularity of the movie, she has partnered up with Marvel and Disney to create a special licensed line of “Black Panther” jewelry for the movie’s fans.
Black Panther has inspired a global movement in style, music, and storytelling since its release on February 16, 2018. It has broken through barriers, and inspired millions with its themes of empowerment and revolution. One can only wonder how much further Black Panther will go from here.
