The Power of Art
By Alissa Rivera
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- Black Panther 2018
African Americans have been devalued and pushed around like animals. The color of their skin scares white people. White Americans will never understand what it means to be black. African Americans continue to struggle to fit into American society because of their skin color and hair texture. They are not seen as humans but as objects. They contribute to the wealth of this country with sweat and tears hoping that one day they won’t be stopped on the streets because they “fit the description.”
White Americans have been well represented through the media. They are reflected as doctors, leaders, soldiers, and so on. American society has shown white people that their possibilities are endless. In contrast to colored people they have trouble seeking representation of themselves in media and in life. They also struggle to find representation that shows that their humanity is multifaceted.
Below is an image of racial bias within violent crimes. Both racial groups were asserted under the same circumstances yet the media headline for the white group is “Three University of Iowa wrestlers arrested; burglary charges pending” with school pictures attached meanwhile the headline for black people is “Coralville police arrest four in burglary investigation” with their mugshots. The representation of white people will always be praised meanwhile the representation for black people will only show the worst side of them making black people believe they are worthless and incapable of change.
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- Lisa Wade June 14, 2017
Black representation is important for the black community but most importantly it’s for others to be able to see and understand the black experience. Black Panther a movie that is predominantly black cast and has an African- American director has been able to make aware that movies made about black lives ensure that Black people matter and are seen.
In the movie T’Challa is born into wealth. He knows who he is and what he is to others and himself. His father died which meant he was the future Wakandan King. He intentionally intended to maintain Wakanda’s traditional isolations. He says “ The problem with refugees is they bring their problems with them.” T’Challa has been raised without knowledge or exposure of pain that Killmonger has encountered. Killmonger’s father was killed by T’Challa’s dad and was forced to grow up as an orphan. He was living in poverty therefore he joined the army. Killmonger experienced America’s systemic oppression of Black Americans. These experiences have caused him to be full of rage and fight the injustice in American society. This is seen in the movie when he wins the title of King in a ritual combat, he says “There are about 2 billion people who look like us who have been put through hell, while you have sat here comfortable. All of this is going to change. Right now.”
Intentionally everyone in Wakanda including T’Challa was against Killmonger and Nakia’s motivations to help those suffering from America’s systemic oppression in America. However T’Challa was moved by Killmonger’s last words “ Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors, who jumped from slave ships because they knew that death was better than a life of bondage.” He references his ancestors to show that he understands them and shares the same pain with them. Killmonger’s pain also represents the pain of many African’s in America. T’Challa realizes that he has to use his resources with the world and put an end to the systemic oppression in America.
Bringing this film to the attention of America while having a white president in office is truly significant in African history because it shows the need of improvement that is opposed by those in power. Dr. Molefi Kete Asante would have enjoyed Black Panther because the movie is directed by an African American who tells the African American experience from the African perspective. This is important because African history has been told from a white perspective with no knowledge or experience of what it means to be African American. Dr. Molefi Kete Asante stated in his article “ Afrocentricity” that “when black people view themselves as centered and they see themselves as agents, actors, and participants rather than as marginals on the periphery of political or economic experience.” This is absolutely true because when Africans watch Black Panther they see a reflection of themselves in America and in Africa. This reminds them of the value of their roots and potential that they lose and are oppressed of once they are in America. They see themselves as powerful human beings who are capable of fighting for change. The African experience in Black Panther is not only the one sided version we are accustomed to; it is the multiple experiences that African Americans.
Based on the film Black Panther we are able to see how much a film can do. Different emotions and ideas are revealed which help us better understand the political culture and history of African Americans. In freedom songs, 1960 the following lyrics from the song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round” reflect Killmonger “ Ain’t gonna let no jailhouse turn me ‘round, I’m gonna keep on a walkin’, keep on talkin’, Marching up to freedom land.” ( pg 374) These words reflect Killmonger because when he was free of the jailhouse in America and became King of Wakanda he did not just forget about the injustice in America however his plan was to help those around the world be free from systematic oppression. The following lyrics from “ We Shall Overcome” (pg 273) “We shall all be free, we shall all be free, we shall all be free someday, oh, in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday” can connect to the last part of Black Panther because T’Challa helps deliver this message to the public when he decides to share his resources with the world to help fight the oppression many African Americans face. He is giving the African community a sense of hope that together they will stop and be free from the injustice faced in American society.
Black Panther has made a drastic change in African American life and history. Together as African American’s everyone should be willing to fight for change because if you just watch your doing more harm than good.
Works cited
Asante, Molefi, K. “Afrocentricity.” 13 April 2009
http://www.asante.net/articles/1/afrocentricity/
Director Ryan Coogler – Black Panther 2018
Lisa Wade. “ Racial Bias and How The Media Perpetuates it with Coverage of Violent Crime”
Updates: June 14, 2017 Original: April 17,2015
Marable, Manning, and Leith Mullings. “Let Nobody Turn Us around Voices of Resistance,
Reform, and Renewal: an African American Anthology Rowman & Littlefield, 2009.
