Black Cinema Costume Party

As an African American, Halloween was always the same! Every year my parents would buy me the same standard superman or batman superhero costume just to fit in with the other kids. But as I grew up, and was more aware of myself in terms of black culture, and excellence, I started to wonder…where are all the black character costume ideas for Halloween?

The year the Black Panther movie made its way into theater was the day African American witnessed a superhero they could truly relate to and cherish as one of their own. It was not just about the superhero, it was about what it represented — black culture, excellence, empowerment, wealth, tradition, and ownership. That same year was also the year millions of African American children traded in their novel Halloween Super Man and Batman masks for a Black Panther mask.

Our celebration of black superheroes does not have to end there. Africa Americans have made great contributions to many areas of life and that should be celebrated proudly.