The cinematographic masterpiece Black Panther hit the theatres this past weekend, crushing box office records and receiving universal acclaim, for good reason. Yes, Black Panther did have stellar performances from Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, and more. Yes, it did have a beautiful musical score and endless breathtaking visuals. Yes, the storyline never had a dull moment, but anyone who has seen it should know that. Black Panther is more than just another good movie; it’s an important one. Black Panther features a mostly black cast in a movie written and directed by black people, in a world where under 10% of the top-grossing movies are directed by people of color (Vulture). Only 2.7% of writers are minorities (Los Angeles Times), and only 28.3% of characters with dialogue were from people of color, despite the fact they make up nearly 40% of the population (National Public Radio). This has to change, and Black Panther might be the battle cry that we need to make it happen. It is important that when children are watching TV or Movies, that they have characters to look up to, characters that they can relate to and be inspired by. But it’s hard for minority children to feel inspired and understood when the hero of the story is always a straight white male. In the words of Michelle Obama, “Congrats to the entire Black Panther Team. Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be the heroes of their own stories.”
The #BlackPantherChallenge is one of the many ways in which Black Panther and its fans are helping to improve society. It was started after New York resident Frederick Joseph raised over $40,000 on GoFundMe to take Harlem children to see Black Panther. He then challenged people across America to raise money in their communities in order to send other children to see the film. There have been over 70 campaigns raising thousands of dollars and helping thousands of children to see Black Panther. Donations have come from all 50 states and 15 countries around the world. It may seem frivolous to raise funds to go see a movie, but for these children, it could be life-changing. According to Frederick Joseph, “All children deserve to believe they can save the world.”