Fearless Black Panthers of America

Nicholas D'onofrio
Nov 4 · 3 min read

Marvel movies attract the attention of teenagers across the country, but these main characters tend to be white males. The black community has never had a powerful superhero as the main character in an action movie who is also black until now. Black Panther is the movie that showed young African American men and women that they could achieve anything they want. Black Panther is a Marvel movie about an isolated country in Sub-Saharan Africa, called Wakanda, which shows the advanced technology and society created entirely by black individuals. Because of the positive messages sent about the black community, I believe this piece of media is beneficial and empowers young black children around the country by showing them their race does not define them.
Firstly, T’Challa, or the Black Panther, lives in a thriving country named Wakanda. In this African country, there is an abundant supply of vibranium. The Wakandans used this vibranium to create advanced weaponry and car technology. They also created medicine that is far more advanced than any other country in the world. The Wakandans decide to keep their country hidden because they fear other world powers will try to take over. The majority of black countries are often the least advanced countries in the world, which leads to the stereotype that black people are less hard-working and not as capable of success as whites. T’Challa proves that black individuals can be extraordinarily successful and hold positions of power in society. T’Challa and the other black characters in this move are teaching the young black kids in America that they can achieve any goal they have and should not feel limited by the color of their skin.
Secondly, there are many examples throughout Black Panther that show black individuals should not feel held back when trying to accomplish their goals. Whether it was in Oakland, California, or Wakanda, there was a strong sense of community among the black characters. The movie acknowledges that Oakland is a majority-black, low-income city. There is a lot of violence in Oakland, but a sense of community to combat the violence. From a young age, the black children are friends and protect each other. They look out for each other and hope they can all make it out and succeed in life. On the opposite side of the globe, the Wakandans fight battles together, work together for advancements in their country, and team up to take down bad guys. Even though there are different communities in Wakanda, they all come together for an important cause.
All in all, Black Panther portrays the black community as a brotherhood with a lot of potential for success and technological advancements. This movie empowers black teens to follow their dreams. It sends a cultural transmission that black people can be just as powerful and have an equal or higher chance of success in America as whites. These cultural transmissions reflect the changes in values that are coming about in our society and the media. This movie wants to teach the future of the black community to defy these stereotypes and follow their heart on the path to success.