Wakanda was the word of the day at a crowd-funded Detroit student screening of box-office blockbuster ‘Black Panther’
“Listen up! What’s the word for today?” said Dorian Evans to a group of young people waiting to enter the lobby of the Bel Air Luxury Cinema in Detroit.
“Wakanda!” answered the students, who were from Detroit’s Western International High School, in unison.
On Tuesday morning, an audience of about 180, mostly Detroit students along with some chaperones, gathered at the multiplex for a free screening of “Black Panther,” the superhero movie that continues to make news as a box-office and pop-culture phenomenon.
It was the culmination of a crowd-funding campaign launched by Evans, a resource teacher for Detroit Public Schools, on GoFundMe.com and named the #DetroitBlackPantherChallenge. Along with a movie ticket, the kids got a bag of popcorn, a soft drink and a plastic wristband commemorating the day.
“Black Panther,” the Marvel superhero movie starring a predominantly black cast and set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, has earned both spectacular reviews and remarkable opening-weekend numbers.
With $242 million raked in domestically, “Black Panther” is now in second place for the biggest four-day opening weekend ever, according to the Hollywood Reporter. It’s surpassed only by 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” with roughly $288 million.
Internationally, the movie has earned more than $426 million — more than enough to put an end to the tired Hollywood misperception that films with black casts don’t sell well overseas.
The movie has inspired numerous fund-raising drives to take African-American teens and children to what is being hailed as a landmark moment for big-screen inclusion.
An online movement started in New York City by Frederick Joseph and his #BlackPantherChallenge has spread across America and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in total. Lansing, Flint and Ypsilanti, among other cities, have been the site of fund-raising efforts.
On Feb. 28,900 kids will be seeing “Black Panther” at the Emagine Royal Oak Theatre, an idea that began with a tweet from Jemele Hill of ESPN/”The Undefeated” that got the attention of Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley. Big Sean and Eminem have joined the Free Press, the Detroit Lions and the Ford Fund in helping make the trip happen.
As Riley wrote on Sunday, “People are taking kids to see a film that can not only affirm their heritage but encourage them to reach for greatness.”
The Tuesday screening was the result of a GoFundMe.com campaign started by Evans with assistance from her friends Mershira Oliver of Detroit Public Schools and Randa Davis of United Airlines, and the help of several other Detroit Public Schools staffers.
The goal was to raise $1,600. In the end, donations climbed to more than $2,600.
Davis came to the screening wearing facial paint that echoed that of Letitia Wright’s character in “Black Panther,” science whiz Shuri.
“I tried to bring my inner Wakanda,” said Davis, who hopes the movie will leave students “empowered and wanting to do something positive.”
The students were from several schools, including Western High, Cody High School and Davison Elementary/Middle School.
Devon Anucinski, 17, was the first Western student to turn in his permission slip for the event. “I really wanted to see it, because it’s the first African American with his own superhero movie to come out,” he said.
Idris Ali, 17, of Cody has been following “Black Panther” on social media. He said hearing about scenes with meaningful messages have made him eager to see the movie. “I don’t feel like it’s a superhero movie. I feel like it’s a cultural movie.”
Western High teacher Wynona Thomas, who was among the chaperones, said “Black Panther” is exciting on two fronts. “No. 1, we can go see a movie that looks like us. No. 2, it’s a well-presented film anyway. It’s not just about us. It’s connecting with everyone, all races, cultures and ages.”
Thomas joked that she was more than ready for the “Black Panther” screening. “I’m the last one in my family to see it, and it’s only Tuesday,” she said with a laugh.
Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture writer Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.
