Dr Yewande takes us on a journey of exploration to examine Black Panther through an Afrocentric lens

Released to critical acclaim in 2018, Marvel’s Black Panther followed T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) become the rightful king of the Afrikan nation of Wakanda. Besides assuming the role as monarch, T’Challa gets drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the world in danger at the hands of Erik ‘Killmonger’ Stevens (Michael B. Jordan), a challenger to the throne.

The film gave an overdue focus on Afrikan identity and ahead of the release of the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever due for release in November 2022, Lewisham Archives has invited Dr. Yewande Okuleye to examine the film’s legacy on black identity and the role women play as part of a revolutionary sisterhood.

Dr. Okuleye will employ film analysis, autobiography, and poetry to weave narratives of meanings that highlight concepts of home, belonging, ethics and historiography. She invites us to reflect on the roles the Queen Mother, the scientist, and the warrior played in Wakanda, where black autonomy was the norm.

This is a free talk put together by the Lewisham Archives to celebrate Black History Month 2022.