Chadwick Boseman’s iconic Black Panther suit will be on full display at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Everyone’s favorite superhero suit will be a part of the museum’s newest exhibit: “Afrofuturism A History of Black Futures.”
“From the enslaved looking to the cosmos for freedom to popular sci-fi stories inspiring Black astronauts, to the musical influence of Sun Ra, OutKast, P-Funk, and more, this exhibition covers the broad and impactful spectrum of Afrofuturism,” curators announced in a news release.
Highlighting Black Panther
Remember that feeling when you watched Black Panther for the first time and witnessed Black royalty and Black power on the big screen? It was a powerful moment for people of color as we watched the first superhero of African descent appear in mainstream American comics.
Exploring Black Liberation & Social Equality
The 4,300 square-foot-temporary exhibitions will explore other objects from what curators call “Afrofuturism pioneers,” including Octavia Butler’s typewriter, Nichelle Nichols’ Star Trek uniform as the character Lt. Nyoto Uhura, and Nona Hendryx’s spacesuit-inspired costume worn while performing with LaBelle.
Trayvon Martin’s flight suit from Experience Aviation. His suit will be used to explore Black liberation and social equality.
“Trayvon Martin’s flight suit tells the story of a dream of space flight ended tragically by earthbound violence,” Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the NMAAHC, stated. “We are honored to tell more of Trayvon’s story, exploring his love of flight and mechanics and his fondness for science and technology. Afrofuturism charts the joy of a rich, imagined future, often in the face of injustice.”
You can view the new exhibit starting March 24, 2023, through March 2014. It will be displayed in the museum’s Ban of America Special Exhibitions Gallery.
For more information, click here to visit the museum’s Afrofuturism website.
