Celebrating Black Panther, Afrofuturism, and black creativity at the first-ever Wakandacon
This weekend, hundreds of Black Panther fans from around the country gathered in Chicago, braving excessive heat and a Michigan Avenue crowded with Lollapalooza hooligans to attend the first ever Wakandacon. Founded by a group Chicago residents—Ali Barthwell, David Barthwell, and Matt Barthwell (you may recognize Ali as a regular A.V. Club contributor), along with entrepreneur Lisa Beasley and producer Taylor Witten—Wakandacon was a beautiful celebration of Afrofuturism, black creativity and innovation, and Black Panther. The A.V. Club was fortunate enough to be on the ground for the three-day event.
four months after the event was officially announced. No doubt, Wakandacon owes some of its success to the popularity of the film, which coincidentally surpassed $700 million at domestic box office this weekend. But more than just being a pop culture convention where fans can come together and talk about the their love for the movie, Wakandacon represented a space where black entrepreneurs, scientists, gamers, activists, and creatives could come together, learn from each other, and work toward building a community.