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Viramontes Chris

Professor Granillo

English 103

22 May 2019

Critical Race Theory & Feminism in Marvel Studios Black Panther

Many african american people are seen as bad or dangerous in many films making it appear that

people of the african american race are negligent. Ryan Coogler's film ​Black Panther s​ hows how

different things really are around the world being african american culture has the upper hand

rather than the US. It uses the fictional nation of Wakanda as a place strongly connected to africa

and tribes. The strong lead of female characters also gives a representation of how strong women

can really be when given the opportunity. ​Black Panther ​is about representation it centers the

story of men and women of color as their representation matters to young people as they become

the future target audience.​ The film establishes critical race theory expanding on the african

culture and Feminism showing women as strong leaders and brilliant scientist.

Marvel studios​ Black Panther​ takes place right after ​Captain America Civil War​ After the death

of his father, T'Challa (Black Panther) returns home to African the home of Wakanda to take his

place as king. The king knows what he must do to protect his country and the people of wakanda.

When a powerful enemy from the nation of wakanda appears (Erik Killmonger), T'Challa's

strength and intelligence is tested as he must protect not only the nation of wakanda but also the

world. Faced with treachery and danger, the new king must bring together his allies and use all

his power of the black panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of wakanda and the world.

When the film was released in 2018 it was known as “The best african american film to date” as
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the film shot up box office records making $1,346.9 worldwide. The film had a 95% cast of

african americans being the highest of african american people to be in a film to date. Many

directors and audiences of the african american culture were very impressed to see how a movie

can change the constant thought people have on african americans making them seem like

negligent people.

Black panther breaks the stereotypical bad colored guy who is always played in movies

and does nothing but kill. In Du Boises “Criteria of Negro” mentions that “With the growing

recognition of Negro artists in spite of the severe handicaps, one comforting thing is occurring to

both white and black” (Bois 2). Many people see african american people as dangerous because

of how they are portrayed and represented in films. Marvel studios ​Black Panther​ changes the

attitude towards that belief in negativity making them heroes instead of murders and thieves. The

representation of how african american people are presented in films carries on to minorities

feelings towards themselves and in what they believe in. Most of society is judgemental towards

colored people seeing them as a threat rather than a hero because of how film’s have presented

them for the last three decades. The character black panther changes that belief setting an

extremely well changed future of the african american people giving them a mental strength. The

film presents how mentally strong the african american culture can become. As the film first

opens up it presents the black panther saving a truck filled with women who were kidnaped and

enslaved (Black Panther 00:07:00). The film starts off showing how powerful t'challa really is

and what he will do to protect his people as king. As to many viewers it just appears as a simple

fight scene with action but to minorities it makes them believe in how strong they can be. The

character presents strong thoughts of how african american people can be just as strong as a
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white person in charge of a country or nation. The film creates a way for colored people to bring

their community together being something they can all relate to. Representation matters to the

people of color. Young or adult Black Panther represents a strong message making minorities

believe in themselves producing the belief that they can be whoever they want to be no matter

what color they are.

The film ​Black Panther​ also gives a realistic experience of blacks in america and africa.

In Jasmine B. Gonzalez Rose Article ​Towards a Critical Race Theory of Evidence ​she mentions

that “Racial distinctions are not natural, biological, scientific, or fixed. Rather, race is a

deliberate social construct” (Rose 20). Because many colored people have been treated

differently in society it scars them wondering how protected they really feel in the world. Marvel

studios ​Black Panther ​gives an example of how colored people felt during revolutions against

america wanting to earn their own rights and doing what they believed in. In the film Killmonger

(Enemy of Black Panther) says “You know where I’m from when black folks started revolutions,

they never had the firepower or the resources to fight their oppressors where was wakanda?”

(Black Panther 01:29:50). As Wakanda hid its technology from the world many suffered trying

to fight for their rights to take their place in the world. Killmonger was raised in Oakland

California a well known unsafe place in the 1900s as being a young boy experiencing the world's

collapse towards racism leaving him nothing but being afraid and alone. Many people can relate

to the feeling of killmonger experience wanting to make a difference in society but never having

the power to do so making it difficult to overcome the thoughts america had of separating colors.

People share experiences with the film ​Black Panther h​ aving to be separated from the rest of the

world instead of changing it.

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The film not only showed how beautiful and touching the culture is but also how

important their culture means to them. Although Wakanda is fictional country it examples

african culture by drawing inspiration from real life cultures. In Natoya H. Haskins and

Anneliese Singh ​Critical Race Theory and Counselor Education Pedagogy: Creating Equitable

Training e​ xplains that “Theorists have indicated that educators’ cultural competence

inadequacies relate to their inability to use these competencies to examine their own attitudes and

beliefs and to enhance their cultural knowledge and skills” (Haskins & Singh 4). The belief

african americans have in their tribe produce skills they believe in becoming strong. In marvel

studios ​Black Panther​ Wakanda is what makes the natives strong as they separate themselves

from the outside world. Although Wakanda is a fictional place it still gets the attention of many

african americans feeling like a home they never had and have always wanted. Wakanda

becomes a rewrite of history of what life would have been like in africa if they were given

power. Even the costumes and traditions in the film are influenced by many african tribes. In one

of the scenes of the film T'challa shows up to a casino to stop a deal from being made selling

wakandas most known substance vibranium, the strongest metal on earth. T'challa shows up with

his allies Nakia and Ikoya both wearing bright dresses. As they walk to the casino Nakia is seen

in a green dress as Ikoya appears in a red one standing between them both is T'challa in a full

black suit, all together creating the colors of the pan african flag (Black Panther 00:41:18). As

many people do not notice it at first it creates a very strong and powerful message towards the

african american culture giving the belief that africa is as strong just like T'challa and his allies in

the film. Marvel studios​ Black panther ​does a very successful job expressing the beliefs and

culture of african americans and their home of africa.

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Another issue a part of critical race theory is racism which has been around since the

beginning and will be something that will never disappear no matter how hard people try. In

Andre Slabbert’s writing ​Cross cultural Racism In South Africa Dead or Alive?​ mentions that

“Racism exists in South Africa, as it does in many international societies. It remains an

insidiously destructive force which affects nations, societies, and individuals” (Slabbert 131).

Racism creates a huge issue in today’s society being that it takes place every single day as people

of a different skin color are treated differently than a white person and are judged because of

their skin color. Film is a huge part of racism and created a negative experience as the first film

to feature a black male was made out to make blacks seen as criminals and negligent people.

Racism has been built up because of what people are told from experiences and are shown on

television and movies. Marvel studios ​Black Panther​ expresses racism in a different kind of way.

In the film Erik Killmonger was raised in an environment where colored people still faced

discrimination. Killmongers storyline presents how the treatment of colored people in america

often leads to violence as he becomes nothing but a murder who wants vengeance. In the scene

when killmonger is first introduced we see him in a museum casually looking at artifacts as

security guards surround him at a distance (Black Panther 00:15:25). In killmonger first scene he

becomes relatable as many colored people are always watched and judged before whites. As the

director Ryan Coogler had the opportunity to make a significant statement of racial profiling but

instead he uses the scene for killmonger to take advantage of their false statement towards

colored people and continues to carry on with his museum heist. Many colored people are judged

and watched carefully with what they do no matter what the situation is colored people appear to
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grab more people's attention rather than whites. Racism has been a huge impact towards a

colored person's life and still becomes an issue dealt with today.

Slavery has been a thing known to many as a horror of how blacks were treated in the

past, forced to work under the supervision of whites. In Lois Tyson’s ​critical theory today ​Lois

​ he African past;
gives examples of african american writing’s some of them being about “​ T

surviving the horrors of the middle passage; surviving the ordeal of slavery; the quest for

freedom from slavery and from other forms of oppression” (Tyson 368). As many blacks were

cast aside and thrown like rag dolls in the past america has made a huge change since then

setting slaves free. However, as many may not always think about the mistreatment of blacks

being slaves marvel studios ​Black panther u​ ses a jaw dropping quote from the character

killmonger to remind people of such horror. At the end of the film when killmoger is slowly

dying T'challa offers to save his life however killmonger refuses saying “why? so you can lock

me up? Nah. Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from ships. Cause they

knew death was better than bondage” (Black Panther 01:57:45). Killmonger knows if he was to

take T’challas offer he would do nothing but sit in a jail sail for the rest of his life tied up like his

ancestors. Black Panther gives an oversea look of how slaves were treated and presents it for

people to remember the horrors of what america was like.

Feminism has always been something people of all colors have supported. Feminism also

is seen as another lens in marvel studios ​Black Panther.​ ​Black Panther​ continues to break

stereotypes by having women be in power as Black Panthers army are strong african american

women who protect the nation of wakanda. It creates strong female characters and gets the

attention of women of all color. In Lois Tyson's ​critical theory today p​ oints out that gender is
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something that affects how people are treated in society explaining that “ It’s a assumption that

males are “naturally masculine” and the females are “naturally feminine” (Tyson 103). As many

women are entitled to being not as strong as men many believe that it is nothing but an

assumption. Marvel studios ​Black Panther p​ roves that women can be stronger than men making

women the strongest roll in its film. The film gives women of all ages a strong mentality

proving that any women can kick some ass with a spear. Women are satisfied with how ​Black

Panther h​ as made them seem being strong and powerful leaders. Marvel studios ​Black Panther

gets women of all colors attention and produces nothing but belief in how women can lead

proving that they are just as strong as men or even stronger.

Certain female characters stand out in the film as all female characters are seen as strong

women that represent women of all ages in a powerful way. Lois Tyson's ​critical theory today

says that “A black woman is oppressed by patriarchy, black feminist observe, not just because

she’s a woman but because she’s a black woman, A category that has been defined historically in

America is less valuable than the category of white woman” (Tyson 101). Black women can be

just as smart and successful as men and white women. As many black women to this day are

judged on not being successful many prove otherwise strongly giving their thoughts and

emotions to the outside world sharing their ideas. Women can be just as successful if not more

successful as men and tend to prove it over the past couple of years. In marvel studios ​Black

Panther o​ ne of the characters Shuri (T'challa's little sister) proves women can be the smartest

people on earth. In the MCU it is mostly pointed out that Tony Stark (Iron man) is the smartest

character in the marvel cinematic universe however with Shuri’s representation that fact has now

changed making Shuri the smartest person in the MCU. In one of the scenes in ​Black panther
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Shuri gives a tour of her lab showing all of her inventions she has made not only for her brothers

black panther suit but also for wakanda (Black Panther 00:38:18). The scene proves that not all

men and white women are powerful inventors colored women can be too coming up with some

badass inventions. Shuri sets a powerful role model in the world for colored women even though

she is a fictional character. Shuri gives women of all ages hope that one day they will be just as

successful and outgoing as she is. She is given the opportunity to show how successful and

intelligent black women can be and dominates the film in doing so. There are many strong

female characters that are shown in ​Black Panther ​making it a strong feminist film and

producing nothing but positive aspects of women becoming more than are usually presented in

films.

Marvel studios ​Black Panther​ has made a huge affect in the world to date. Not only it

being a film with the most african american cast but also showing the actions on how powerful

women can really be. ​Black panther ​includes real life issues that are not usually well known and

expresses them throughout the film. The film sheds a new light on the african culture making it

become a huge worldwide impact. Ryan Coogler's film ​Black Panther s​ hows how different

things really are around the world being african american culture has the upper hand rather than

the US. It uses the fictional nation of wakanda as a place strongly connected to africa and tribes.

The film establishes critical race theory expanding on the african culture and Feminism showing

women as strong leaders. ​Black Panther ​is about representation it centers the story of men and

women of color as their representation matters to young people as they become the future target

audience.
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Works Cited

Coogler, Ryan, and Joe Robert Cole. “Black Panther (Movie, 2018) | Cast, Release Date,

Characters.” ​Marvel Entertainment​, 16 Feb. 2018,

www.marvel.com/movies/black-panther​.

Gonzalez Rose , Jasmine B. “Toward a Critical Race Theory of Evidence .” 1 June 2017,

ezproxy.canyons.edu:2170/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=68249a5f-42ed-440f-

b400-a2c15191fae5%40sessionmgr102.

Haskins, Natoya H., and Anneliese Singh. “Critical Race Theory and Counselor Education

Pedagogy: Creating Equitable Training.” 19 May 2014,

ezproxy.canyons.edu:2170/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&sid=426f8295-e6e9-4fa2

-a414-f2d4a4b5d9fb%40pdc-v-sessmgr01.

Slabbert, André. “Cros S-Cultural Racism In South Africa – Dead Or Alive?” ​Social Behavior

and Personality: an International Journal,​ vol. 29, no. 2, 2001, pp. 125–132.,

doi:10.2224/sbp.2001.29.2.125.

Tyson, Lois. ​Critical Theory Today: a User-Friendly Guide​. Routledge, 2015.

“W.E.B. DuBois, ‘Criteria of Negro Art’ for January 27, 2009.” ​Intro to African-American

Literature​, 26 Jan. 2009,

introafamlit.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/web-dubois-criteria-of-negro-art-for-january-27-

2009/.