The 'Black Panther' Premiere Had Theaters Sprinkled With 'Coming To America' Realness
When it came to last night's Black Panther movie release, black people didn't just do it for the 'gram, they did it for the culture.
Today, Marvel's Black Panther officially hits theaters, but all this week, select guests and fans alike had the pleasure of taking in advanced screenings and of course, last night's late show.
Since the release of the official trailer back in fall, as promised, the Black Twitter conglomerate was sure to dress in their finest African-inspired attire and pop culture cosplay (Coming to America was clearly the popular costume choice!).
Check out some of our favorite looks below:
1. Yvonne Orji ("All Black Attack")
Pow, tadow, watch out now! Nigerian-American actress Yvonne Orji put the "war" in wardrobe in this all black fit, equipped with a high heels and a high kick. You can tell she was ready!
2. June Ambrose (Couture Come-Thru)
So fur real! Celebrity Stylist June Ambrose is where couture and culture meets with this royal look equipped with detailed fur. Fancy!
3. Cosplay Slay — Get into These Lion Kings
Oh, you thought the Black Panther royal slayage was limited to just women? Nope— the men came out to play too, equipped with faux lion fur and all. The popular Coming to America characters of choice to impersonate where none-other-than King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones) and Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy).
4. Prince Akeem and His Team with the Royal Flyness
We repeat, the men did not come to play on this unofficial holiday known as the Black Panther movie premiere. This attendee also tapped into Coming to America for style inspiration, and came equipped with rose-bearers and all.
5. Walking to Wakanda
#SquadGoals and #StrollGoals! Talk about stepping up your game. This group of friends were spotted at the Magic Johnson theatre in Harlem, New York and did not merely walk into the theatre, they strutted in for the win.
6. Vintage Black Panther
Sometimes less is more — and that's definitely the case with this fashion statement. This movie-goer may have opted out of rocking elaborate Afrocentric attire, but he embodied this classic "Black Panther Party" activist look, and channelled his inner Huey P. Newton by accessorizing with a power fist and beret. Power to the people.. and the panther!
7. Real Queens Wear Crowns #IssaWrap
On top of the bomb clothing choices of fans, we lived for the girlies who rocked multiple head wraps and pieces to the premiere, including this movie-goer, who flawlessly matched hers with her outfit.
8. Royal Crown Showdown
Get you a friend who will hold your veil, train, cape thingy whatever! This movie-goer gave us all types of "Black Female Superhero" goals with this one!
9. Going Hard in the Paint
This woman was sure to go beyond a winged liner, and slayed her beat face with some tribal-inspired accents added to her makeup look. Get into the dress, wrap and accent fur though. Yes!
10. Sista-Sista
Double the dopeness! When you and your bestie link up to slay Black Panther. Go off ladies.
11. It's a Black Panther... Party!
I mean, people not only made statements with their fashion, but they were sure to make a statement with their actions too. Check out this amazing entrance up the steps to their seats. We live!!
It's safe to say that last night, theaters were head to toe, wall to wall #BlackFolkMagic, and the numbers proved it. Not only did Black Panther bring in over $25 million opening night, it's slated to rake in an outstanding $180 million to $200 million this weekend alone, putting it on track to be one of the highest grossing Marvel films in history.
However, Black Panther is more than a movie, it's a movement. Thanks to director Ryan Coogler, Black Panther is made by us and is for us, and couldn't have come at a better time, given the current climate of our community and country.
Whether it's the news or social media, we are constantly seeing Black people fall victim to police brutality, gun violence, and the injustice that follows even after our deaths. In a time when we feel dispensable and invisible, it's important we're portrayed as invincible.
For once, we are not the victims, but the victors.
And while one might argue that Black Panther is, in the end, merely a fictional superhero flick, the sense of inspiration and hope it provides to its viewers, is all too real.
So yes, get dressed in your very best and go see Black Panther for both the customs, and the culture. #ForeverWakanda
A modest goddess who keeps it humble between mumbles. I'm a journalism graduate with a HERstory in digital media, print and radio. Roll the credits: Power 96, VH1, xoNecole, EBONY, SOHH. Deemed "Top 20 Women in Media" by Power 105. Bronx made me, Broward raised me.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Elaine Welteroth Recalls The ‘Humbling’ Hospital Experience That Sparked Her Maternal Advocacy
Elaine Welteroth is shedding light on the traumatic doctor’s experience that pushed her to advocate for expecting mothers of color.
In an interview with PEOPLE, the former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue gave a transparent recount of her experience navigating the medical system as a first-time mom.
“I think pregnancy is the most vulnerable time for any woman,” Welteroth said. “I came into childbirth and pregnancy really naive. I was kind of shocked by how little I knew about birth and navigating the medical system.”
She adds, “I thought, I've done hard things in my life. How hard could it be to have a baby? You find a doctor, you go to the hospital, you get the epidural, you have the baby.”
Upon relocating to Los Angeles with her husband, Jonathan Singletary, Welteroth was met with “humbling” encounters with medical professionals while in search of a doctor.
She recalls one occasion with a doctor who cut her off during questioning, enforcing a limit on inquiries per visit. “I had one doctor literally stand up in the middle of a question I was asking, and cut me off and tell me that I exceeded their two to three question max per visit,” she says. “And she walked out on me, and this was the eighth doctor I’d met with.”
“I was asking very straightforward questions like, what's your intervention rate? What's your C-section rate? These are questions every birthing person should be asking of their care provider. I was asking, could I eat or drink water during labor.”
Shockingly, “The doctor literally laughed at me and said, ‘What do you think this is? You can't just walk into a hospital, pop a squat, and have a baby,’ and dismissively walked out of the room.”
Welerorth’s is just one of the many examples of Black women’s growing plea for support and advocacy during pregnancy and childbirth.
According to a 2021 study by the CDC, “the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White women.” The NLM also reports that “Black women in the United States (U.S.) disproportionately experience adverse pregnancy outcomes, including maternal mortality, compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups.”
To combat this disparity, Welteroth has launched the BirthFund initiative to help provide midwifery care and support for families and address the alarming maternal mortality rates in the United States, particularly among Black women.
Welteroth’s dream team of “founding funders” include Savannah James, Kelly Rowland, Serena Williams, Ayesha Curry, and more.
“The beauty of this initiative is that it really does meet people where they're at. It’s a grassroots fundraising effort,” she says. “These are women and privileged folks who understand how broken this system is because of their own personal experiences, and we all come together and agree that we need a change.”
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Featured image by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for The 2024 MAKERS Conference