Why Does Black Culture Care So Much About The Black Panther Film?

I have read numerous articles and posts with folks stating, "I don't understand the reason that black actors, filmmakers, and average people are celebrating the Black Panther Film! We have had black films with heroes before. Why do they care so much? " I will give you three reasons:

1. White Supremacy has always been so strong in books, film, and music that it warped the fantasy of young black children. When your dreams and fantasies are made to be reinforced white stereotypes we have deep problems.

2. The character is not the product of a rape, prison experiment, or fighting other black drug heads in the street. He is also not a servant catering to the white leader and willing to die for a cause that doe does not benefit him or his culture. He is not the new Negro model. We are given a fictional king that is not a product of our racial animus or self-hate.

3. We go to movies to escape the reality that we live in. For two hours or more a young black child can go to a film and see an action movie where a character in charge of a nation looks like him or her. They can feel the joy of knowing their culture is not regulated to crime and death that is perpetuated in the American cinematic narrative.

There are many more points but these are a few reasons that I am happy to see the film. Lastly, Films like Black Panther help to remove the lie that black films only make a certain amount of money throughout the world. It will hopefully allow us to make more films that show real character development not based on stereotypes and accepted lies. Fantasy is a powerful tool for human development. I am happy that we are moving into a realm where our children see a black fantasy hero and not have it tainted by bigoted ignorance.