This week marks the premier of Marvel’s Black Panther, but this is not just any other Marvel movie. This marks major milestones in the movie industry. Before we look at how this movie is making an impact, do you know the origins of Black Panther?
Who are the Black Panthers?
Also known as the Black Panther Party, were a political party founded in 1966 to challenge police brutality against the African-American community in the United States. Black Panther Party founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panthers in the wake of the assassination of black nationalist Malcolm X and after police in San Francisco shot and killed an unarmed black teen named Matthew Johnson.
Why were they so important to African-American history in America?
The Black Panthers were part of the larger Black Power movement, which emphasized black pride, community control and unification for civil rights. The Black Panthers started a number of popular community social programs, including free breakfast programs for school children and free health clinics in 13 African American communities across the United States. The Black Panther Party officially dissolved in 1982.
Why is the Black Panther movie making in impact?
It’s a movie about what it means to be black in both America and Africa—and, more broadly, in the world. This also is also a movie featuring an African-American director as well as a predominately black cast. Its themes challenge institutional bias and its narrative includes prismatic perspectives on black life and tradition.
Are you going to see the Black Panther movie? What are your thoughts?
Learn more from the resources below:
The Black Panthers: Revolutionaries, Free Breakfast Pioneers
The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther