In order to understand the importance of these significant events that become celebrations, we must look to history to truly see how far things have progressed. Long before I even knew or could think about these things, I had never seen a black superhero, until high school. What’s even more shocking is that it was not until a few years ago the first black woman won the Eisner award, although the awards ceremony has been going on for twenty five years acknowledging creative achievements within American comic book culture. Sheena C. Howard and Ronald L. Jackson II wrote a comic called Black Comics: Politics and Representation, which focused on how little black comics were studied or published and strived to justify why these comics were necessary, instead of truly studying them. This was just two years ago, although comics have been around for ages. (Frank, Cinema Journal 55) The battle for black comics to hit mass media or to become mainstream has been a struggle, which is why Luke Cage has now become a huge celebration for the black community. Often times black superheroes are only sidekicks, or often overlooked for shows, but the fact that Cage was front and center as the lead for his own show is amazing. 

Also, the social commentary it added to such a troubling time with gun violence only made it so much more powerful. In the opening scene, where Luke emerges as the hero his city needs, he is seen wearing a black hoodie and bulletproof. To others it may just appear that being bulletproof is his gift, but it reminded the black community of Trayvon Martin, a young man who was shot and murdered for looking suspicious walking through around with a black hoodie on, skittles in one hand, and an Arizona tea in the other. Sadly, Martin isn’t the only black man who has lost his life to gun violence/police brutality, but so have many other black males, each becoming martyrs for protests and hashtags to be made known around the world. Our society has made it clear that black male lives do not matter, and it’s apparent through the long list of black men that have lost their lives over senseless shooting by non blacks and the police. These shootings and deaths have sadly become so common, that street artists have started creating murals to help people understand the rights they have and how to get justice if the police treat them unjustly. Garnette Cadogan, a black man, could have been taken to jail or lost his life all for running. He was late to meet with friends and started to jog to get to them sooner, but as he was running he was stopped by cops, hounded with questions, and handcuffed. Even though he stated why he was running and had a good alibi to back it up, they chose to let their fear of the color of his skin determine their decisions. After uncuffing him they told him they had been on the lookout for a black man who had stabbed someone a few blocks away. Although, they were trying to look out for the community, they let their fear block them from thinking logically. He had no blood on him, was not sweating, and had an alibi they continued to ignore. (Cadogan 129-144) Black men are constantly seen as a threat and cast into one common stereotype: A Criminal. Luke Cage is more than a superhero, the complete juxtaposition that some people hold of black men, but he represents what many black men in this day and age wish they could be: Bulletproof.

The images depicted of black men can be extremely troubling, and the same can be said with black women. During an interview with Edie Falco, Viola Davis talked about her experiences as a black female actor. She mentioned how black women are often sexualized, placed in less important roles, and their wardrobe and makeup are created to meet european standards of beauty, something that is impossible for black women to achieve. (Davis) I will never forget one episode of How To Get Away With Murder, where Annalise Keating (played by Viola Davis) took off her straight hair wig, wiped off her makeup, and let her natural hair free. It may just seem like a part of the script, but it was so much more. She was taking off the standards placed on her and admiring her own true natural self. For years, People have seen natural hair as a bold statement or a protest to beauty standards when in all actuality it’s self-love and beauty; two standards I have struggled with since I was a young girl. During an interview with Viola Davis she mentioned how as a little girl white boys would chase her around shouting “ugly black nigger”. (Davis) Although I’ve never had that same exact experience, that story is something I could relate too. During middle school guys wouldn’t date me and when asked why, they claimed it was because “I wasn’t their type or I wasn’t pretty”. However, they made a point to talk about how big my butt was or how amazing my body was. That kind of sexualization continued with guys all throughout my life, and seems to be more common now that I’m in college. In Where Do We Go From Here about how to move forward since the Civil Rights Movement Isabel Wilkerson wrote “We must love ourselves, even if - and perhaps especially if - others do not.” (Wilkerson 61) This quote stuck out to me, because it’s advice that I think all black people, especially women should learn. It’s important to love every aspect of ourselves, even the parts people tell us aren’t beautiful (natural hair, facial features, and bodies). Shows like How To Get Away With Murder and actors like Viola Davis remind black women that self-love and natural beauty are important lessons to hold within their hearts. 

 Despite being completely different from other people within the black community, some of the things I experienced are highly relatable. I went to a predominately white school where eighty three percent of the population was caucasian. Taking honors classes also limited the pool of people I could talk to on a day to day basis. I can recall only having met six black people since elementary school that I shared classes with. In elementary school, I remember getting an answer wrong and this kid saying,  “You know why you got it wrong right? Because you’re black.” and followed with “I’m just kidding.” In high school, everyone looked to me for answers about black people. The first topic of conversation was almost always my hair. After that I was asked to answer questions about black people as a whole, even things I had never done or said, which often times confused me and lead to people claiming I wasn’t black. I was always considered an Oreo: White on the inside and black on the outside because I didn’t fit into the stereotypical view of black females. I could handle being called an Oreo, but there were times when people seemed to forget that I was a real human being.  One incident that still hits me hard was when someone I considered a friend asked if I showered everyday, and another girl said “Of course, she’s not really an ape.” What was even more shocking was the laughter that followed from numerous people around me who thought nothing wrong with anything that happened. Just last year someone asked if I was the first to go to college and after I replied he turned to his friend and goes “See, black people don’t go to college.” It was hard to feel smart or beautiful, or even important when people constantly told me otherwise. Can you imagine growing up in a world where your skin is a threat and you are told that your worth is less than what you truly are? In Queries of Unrest, Clint Smith wrote:

Maybe that because when I was a kid

A white boy told me I was marginalized

And all I could think of was the edge

Of a sheet of paper, how empty it is -

The abyss I was told never to write into

I find that through way too many of my interactions with people of other races I have constantly been told that I did not matter or shouldn’t try. In high school, most black people weren’t in significant leadership roles. I remember watching a black senior win the Pageant as a freshman, and I decided that I wanted to be like her. I saw a black girl as the president of FCA, and it made me realize that I could lead an organization. I heard about a black girl who was salutatorian. Those roles made me realize that I could be a beautiful, intelligent leader. The voices of people who tried to marginalize me were silenced and I found my place. 

That is exactly why shows like Luke Cage and How To Get Away With Murder are huge celebrations for the black community. They unapologetically represent what it means to be black. Luke Cage takes a stand against police brutality, reverses the stereotype of black men, and gives little black boys the idea that they can be great too. How To Get Away With Murder shows that black women can be smart, beautiful, loving, and strong, all while embracing their natural beauty. Without representation like this, the black community would have no clue where they fit in in this society or the potential they could reach. I still don’t have a complete definition of what is means to be black, but I do know what it isn’t. It is not a choice, a bunch of facts to memorize, or a feeling. (Young 105-106, 109) Often times it’s living in a constant state of fear and mourning, which is why these little victories are so important. (Rankine 146) They remind people that being black is not always a scary thing. It means that you are a part of a strong, intelligent, creative, beautiful and amazing community of people who are capable of any and everything. They indicate a more promising future, in which you get to completely narrate your story, instead of allowing those around to write it for you. When life gets hard and you slowly start to forget just how powerful you are, they serve as signs of hope and glimpses of the power you have. These celebrations are and always will be...still deciding how to word this
