The week before the Black Panther movie came out, there was a meme making its way around the internet. A liberal-minded, white ?ally? really wanted to see Black Panther, but didn?t buy tickets for the opening weekend because she ?did not want to be the white person sucking Black joy out of the theatre.? This completely considerate, if overly responsive, token of allyship gave many Black folk a good laugh, because, of course you can buy tickets to an opening of a movie, even if you are white?and you should, especially if the movie is a cultural phenomenon steeped in Black excellence and Black empowerment.
This is what I am reminded of every time I hear someone ask if it?s OK for a child who?s not Black to go as Black Panther for Halloween. The answer is yes, but there?s an important caveat: there can be absolutely no Blackface. If you have even the slightest inclination of taking your child?s costume to the next level by adding a Chadwick Boseman low afro wig, or grabbing some brown body paint to tint your child?s hands or face, don?t do it. Dressing as Black Panther for Halloween is fine. Blackface, the act of using make-up or a costume to impersonate a Black person, is not.  .related-article-block{display:inline-block;width:300px;padding:0.5rem;margin-left:0.5rem;float:right;border:1px solid #ccc}@media (max-width: 525px){.related-article-block{float:none;display:block;width:280px;margin:0 auto 2rem}}

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