Contrary to the belief of some idiots on social media, Marvel’s Black Panther has nothing to do with the Black Panther Party. The first appearance of the Black Panther character in a comic book was in July of 1966, roughly five months before Bobby Seale and Huey Newton founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. That doesn’t mean Marvel’s Black Panther character and the Black Panther Party didn’t hold some of the same beliefs; hell, T’Challa has a history of kicking white supremacist ass. Still, let’s get this straight: what Ryan Coogler and company are bringing to the silver screen with Black Panther isn’t a reimagining of the Black Panther Party.
That said, there have been a number of films and documentaries that have examined what the Black Panther Party stood for during their run, which went from the fall of 1966 to some time in 1982. Their movement still lives on, but their impact on today’s society isn’t as massive as it was in their heyday. For those who can’t wait to see Black Panther but also want to learn more about the Black Panther Party (as one should do, especially during Black History Month), here’s a look at some of greatest stories from the Black Panther Party that were told on the silver screen.
The Murder of Fred Hampton
Year: 1971
Star(s): Fred Hampton
How to watch: You can purchase the DVD via Facets.
What started out as a documentary on Fred Hampton and the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party turned into an examination of his tragic murder. For those who were unaware, Hampton emerged as one of the most important voices in the Civil Rights movement in America; that prompted a pair of filmmakers to start documenting his life for what they felt would be a portrait of Hampton in action. After his untimely death in December of 1969, the documentary shifted into an investigation of the killing. For fans of the true crime podcasts and series of today, you can look to The Murder of Fred Hampton as a true look at what can happen when independent media is allowed to thrive. . .
via 6 Movies About the Real Black Panthers to Watch After ‘Black Panther’
The Most Revolutionary Act 
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Personally speaking, I would rather watch the 6 movies about the “REAL BLACK PANTHERS!!” I have no need to see some fictional garbage about a fictional kingdom in Africa that has nothing whatsoever to do with reality or with me.
First off, I am NOT African and so why the hell would I get all excited about a film about a non-existent ‘kingdom’ in Africa? I am so damn tired of hearing about those kings and queens and kingdoms of Africa when we ALL know that millions of people are dying there thanks to the fact of rampant corruption of African leaders. They’re not acting like real leaders of their own people should act; not when they are selling out Africa’s people, her riches and everything that’s not nailed down.
I do understand that the media portrays Africa in the most negative light possible, but still, even when I do my own research, what I find is not uplifting. And for Black people to pay to see a dream is too foolish for words, especially since I’ve learned that they are even dressing in African garb to attend this movie. How ridiculous is that? It is both ridiculous and ludicrous.
Black people in America are lost and so they need something to identify with and so a movie about a ‘kingdom’ that doesn’t even exist in Africa is just the thing. Too pathetic for words is what it is.
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Shelby, you are going to have to educate me here, as I haven’t been following the publicity about Black Panther. Somehow I naively assumed the movie Black Panther related in some way to the Black Panther Party and simply misconstrued what they were about. And now I understood you to say that it only relates to a fictional kingdom in Africa? I also didn’t realize until I saw this article it was produced by Marvel. Now the penny drops. Just another distraction to steal Black people’s money and prevent them from identifying and organizing against genuine oppression.
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Dr. Bramhall, there is no way in hell that racist ass Disney would release a movie that was based on the REAL Black Panthers. This movie is based on a cartoon character, ‘Black Panther’. They may as well be watching Wonder Woman, only it’s a ‘Wonder Man’ who happens to be Black and the prince of some ficticious kingdom in Africa that’s got riches galore and one set of folks want to keep all of ‘Wakanda’s'(that’s the name of the ficticious African kingdom) riches for Wakanda while the other side wants to spread or share the wealth with other African kingdoms that are already wealthy and the guy who didn’t want to share the wealth was given two choices, imprisonment or death. He chose death. And of course, they had to put a white man in a movie that is supposed to be ALL about Africans and so they created a ‘white’ CIA character. Rich, ain’t it?
I haven’t seen the movie and I will not but on my reader, since I subscribe to Black blogs, this is all I see and so I can’t help but find out what this movie is about.
One blog even tells of how the blogger and friends purchased African garb and head wear to wear to the movie and also purchased advance tickets. And every Black blogger, so far, even the ones who saw through the bullshit in this movie, are telling Black people that they should go to see this because it is a real uplifting and “feel good about yourself,” movie. For the love of!!!! Those REAL Africans over in Africa, if we were on fire, wouldn’t spit on us to help put a fire out on our ass and I know what I’m talking about because I went out with a Nigerian when I lived in Minnesota and what I was treated to, you have no idea. I’ll just say that another of those African savages had better not ever darken my doorstep, EVER!
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It is nothing more than Blaxplotation from the 1970’s rehashed and repackaged to dumb down our people and especially our children that were were no taught better. Panther love
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Exactly moorbey!
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Your words are true. Many tribes like mine fought against the Portuguese and British. But others betrayed us for favor from the invaders. Today their kids are the rich and corrupt elite in Nigeria. Read my lastest post and follow the Wiki link for details. Or skip and research about The Great Benin Expedition.
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Thanks for the links, Iriowen. I will check them out.
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You are welcome
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Oh I can’t wait to watch these!
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Same here, SociologicalMail. I had exactly the same reaction. I’ve already started watching them.
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Likewise now 🙂
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For many Black children growing up in and around my age bracket comic books werd read widely and traded. Black Panther was the only comic book that had a hero that looked like us and came from the motherland and was not a half dressed and spoke in some unknown language, Truth be told it is now nothing more than a ploy to try and sucker punch Black people to forget what the Black Panther Party (BPP) to uplift and bring pride and honour to amerika’s Black inhabitants.
And yes it can fall under Blaxplotation since it was not written bya Person of Colour (POC). Had it been written by someone Black it would have been considered Afrofutureism a fantasy
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Thanks, moorbey, for enlightening me. There’s something about the blatant exploitation of releasing this particular movie at this particular time that leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.
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It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as well, Dr. Bramhall. It was released at exactly the ‘right’ time to make the most money; during Black History Month and on a 3-day weekend, thanks to President’s Day. And these fools always rush in and hand over their money and next week, they’ll be screaming and yelling about how we keep giving our money to the white man when the Black community has nothing to show for itself because no money stays in the Black community. I throw my damn hands up!
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Fam we are on the same damn page. Blaxplotation at it’s best and our people feel for it once again
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They always have and they always will and that is a sad ass fact. And believe me, I’m not braggin’, I’m just saying. We never, ever learn. More’s the damn pity!
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Black History (Our-story) Month was the perfect time to release Black Panther to take away away the month long celebration and lull the majority of the Black community with a fantasy world, and that they are equal. that is a muthfucken lie cause nothing has changed since the european came in contact with People of Colour (POC) the world over.
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Stuart, good list of films about the Black Panthers. I’ve seen two of them, the Huey P Newton Story, and Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution and they were excellent. BTW, I’ve sent you a FB link from my friend Sonya about an occupy movement in Brazil. She works at Firelight Media, the company that produced Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution. I look fwd to our next discussion – even though we don’t always agree, I have respect for you and your position.
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Thank you so much for your comment, Elaine. And for seeking out my blog. I will check out the FB link you sent.
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