Evidence from a Sample of Youth of Color That the Film ‘Black Panther’ Can Effect Youth Well-Being and Empowerment Via Increased Ethnic Identity

In a sample of academically successful, racially diverse youths, the investigators measured ethnic identity, empowerment, and well-being before and after the study subjects saw the film “Black Panther”. Participants’ level of pre-film ethnic identity predicted their post-viewing well-being and empowerment. Although viewers’ identification with the film’s hero was uniformly high, and the effect of film exposure on well-being and empowerment was positive for non-white participants, it was statistically significant only for the Black/African American participants. Well-being decreased among White viewers but the changes were not significant.