Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Afrofuturism and the Promise of Black Excellence
To borrow from the Black Eyed Peas, if you’re still demonizing critical race theory, you’re so 2000 and late, but if your vision takes you to 3008, welcome to the world of Afrofuturism depicted in the highly anticipated blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A love letter to Afrofuturism, inclusivity, and Black excellence, Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and its predecessor Black Panther, paints a bright vision of a future that the short-sighted and corrosive exclusion and racism espoused by many of our business and political leaders cannot tarnish, even with the help of out-of-the-culture mouthpieces like Kanye West and Herschel Walker. Afrofuturism is getting stronger every day — and it can’t be stopped.
Afrofuturism — which combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and African history and culture — has always been about transcending the limited understanding of what’s possible for Black people of the diaspora. It’s about asserting our power to create our own narratives and write our own futures. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a vibrant portrait of Afrofuturism, shows us a future that is strong, beautiful, and unapologetically Black. It reminds us that no one can take that away from us.
Ironically, Black excellence has a history of being both a threat and a promise. Rosewood, Memphis, and Tulsa are just a few names associated with the reality of Black excellence and its destruction at the hands of white Americans who wanted their fellow Black citizens to be not only segregated but desolate. It wasn’t enough to keep us out of the mainstream of American society. American racist structures like redlining, de jure segregation, and white supremacist terrorism actively sought to keep Black Americans from realizing their potential though that potential did not negatively impact the lives and lifestyles of white Americans. Fortunately, human excellence is hard to keep down, especially when the majority of those humans are determined to succeed in the face of such reckless and pointless hate.
That’s why we, and that means all humans, need Afrofuturist stories now more than ever. The surge in white supremacist terrorism, police brutality against people of color, renewed efforts to roll back progress on civil rights, and the attack on women’s freedom around the globe lies in stark contrast to the inclusive world of Wakanda. Wakanda Forever elevates the excellence of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people and places women at the center of social, political, and technological life. Afrofuturist narratives like this serve as an antidote to despair in this climate of fear and upheaval. They offer us a glimpse of a future in which anything is possible — even racial justice and equality.
The film’s depiction of an inclusive society where people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds are welcomed is in stark contrast to the divisive rhetoric we’re hearing from some political and business leaders these days. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever imagines a world where inclusion is not only possible but also thrives as an engine of growth and prosperity. People of all colors are not only tolerated — they’re celebrated for their uniqueness and ability to make a positive contribution to society. This new world may seem scary for some, especially for those who would rather peddle hate than do real work to rise above the inert properties conferred by skin color. But the inclusive world of Wakanda and the vision of excellence it portrays is the kind of world we should all strive for.
It’s no surprise that the rise of Afrofuturism coincides with the demonization of critical race theory. As more and more Black, Brown, and Indigenous people embrace their heritage and celebrate their culture, they also become more aware of the systemic exclusion that has oppressed them for generations. This awareness is leading to calls for change — and Afrofuturism is providing the framework for what that change could look like.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is more than just a movie — it’s a movement. It’s a force for change that is shifting the narrative around race in America. With its depiction of an inclusive society and its celebration of Black excellence, the film shows us what’s possible when we come together and fight for what’s right. Wakanda Forever!
