Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Talks ‘Black Panther’ with Ryan Coogler: “If You’re Black, You’ll Leave With a Straighter Walk, a Gratitude For Your African Heritage, and a Superhero Whom Black Children Can Relate To”

 – blogged by: @ashleytearra
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‘Black Panther’ isn’t just another film; it’s a moment of cultural celebration and appreciation, especially for the mainstream representation of blacks in Hollywood.
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Here you have a traditional superhero film spearheaded by a predominantly black cast and Mr. #RyanCoogler, a black man who not only directed, but also co-wrote it.
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That alone speaks volumes, particularly in today’s pop culture climate. It’s innovating, refreshing, revolutionary, and even groundbreaking. This is a milestone for the culture.
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The film—based on Marvel Comics’ fictional character of the same name, debuted on February 16th, breaking worldwide box office records and setting the table for national dialogue.
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One day before its release, Coogler sat down with retired NBA player #KareemAbdulJabbar to share his views on why ‘Black Panther’ is such a big deal and why it could be beneficial for all races.
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“The concept of an African story, with actors of African descent at the forefront—combined with the scale of modern franchise filmmaking, is something that hasn’t really been seen before,” Coogler told Abdul-Jabbar. “You feel like you’re getting the opportunity of seeing something fresh, being a part of something new—which I think all audiences want to experience, regardless of whether they are African descent or not.”
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Later in the Hollywood Reporter piece, Coogler detailed what he strives for viewers to gain from watching ‘Black Panther’.
“I hope they take out of it a sense of enjoyment [but also] something that is not disposable,” he said. “From my perspective, things that are associated with the continent of Africa are often things that are associated with triggering the feeling of shame inside of me when I see them.”
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Abdul-Jabbar added: “If you’re black, you’ll leave with a straighter walk, a gratitude for your African heritage, and a superhero whom black children can relate to.”
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But, although ‘Black Panther’ serves a gateway to progress for actors and actresses of color, Abdul-Jabbar believes that the wait to exhale is still on.
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“While we gather to celebrate, we also are waiting to exhale—to see if this is a phenomenon that, whether successful or not, catapults us ahead or pushes us back to square one. Black audiences have been here before, feeling we are on the edge of being asked to sit at the big house table to tell our stories, only to be told that, despite all the box-office evidence to the contrary, not that many people want to hear our stories.”