Unveiling Wakanda
How & Why The Alfred Street Baptist Church Hosted Mass Screening Of The New Black Panther Movie
By Raoul Dennis
Amir Stoudamire provided additional reporting for this article. Photography Provided Courtesy Alfred Street Baptist Church
“Whenever we have a blockbuster movie like this come out, one that defines us as family and faith, we come together---outside the church, not simply inside,” says Alfred Street Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley. The church rented eight theaters for the first opening weekend of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the second installment of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther franchise. “We bought all eight theaters, a little under 800 seats and sold out in thirty minutes.”
In an extraordinary demonstration of support for Black culture, Alfred Street acquired all eight (8) theaters equaling the rental purchase of 784 seats at the IPIC Theater in North Bethesda for its members-only private viewing of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The event took place on November 11.
When asked about the connection between the highly popular film, its characters and the Christian faith, Wesley immediately deferred to another expert.
“If you want to know about the theological, you gotta read Rev. Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams – she is a lover of Marvel and the Bible and putting it together,” he replied. “I also want to celebrate the culture. You know there are some people who criticize this as historically inaccurate. But this isn’t historical, it’s cultural. Marvel Comics is a multibillion dollar [brand] and they recognize the need to highlight black culture with a black superhero that reminds our children that they can be anything. So this movie is about so much more than just Wakanda, it’s about empowering messages to black people.”
The event took place just three days after the midterm elections that was heavily impacted by young voters. During the screening event, Pastor Wesley was asked if he thought there was a connection between the movie and black youth participation in the election process.
“I think Black Panther leaves us an empowering message that reminds us we have the ability to affect and shape the world,” he said. “In the real world, not the Marvel Universe, it’s through our vote. So I’m hopeful that this generates that positive energy that would encourage both young and old to go out and vote. We need to realize we have the chance to be our own superheroes every time we cast a ballot.”
