Just when we thought we'd seen it all from the Black Panther cast and crew, director Ryan Coogler left us in awe once again. During Sunday night's BET Awards, Ryan and Michael B. Jordan accepted the award for best movie, but it was Ryan's moving speech that had the entire crowd applauding. After thanking everyone responsible for the film's immense success and giving a shout-out to Black Twitter, he had one request for his fans.
"If you can travel to Africa, go," he said. "And if you can't go, teach your children about Patrice Lumumba, Jomo Kenyatta, and all the amazing Africans that we attach to still as African Americans here today." Not only is he responsible for one of the most significant movie releases ever, but Ryan wants fans to learn about African history, which is just as important to him as the impact of the movie. Patrice was the first elected prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Jomo Kenyatta was the first-ever elected president of Kenya and both were powerful activists with a lasting impact. Ryan's moving speech is a reminder that Black Panther is so much more than a movie.
