By Ian Shaiyen, Staff Writer

Excitement in the air was palpable last Thursday as Morehouse College welcomed “Captain America: Brave New World” star Anthony Mackie to the Bank Of America Auditorium for a brief Q&A. 

Louisiana-born Mackie is a long-standing Hollywood veteran, and has starred in numerous films such as “8-Mile” and “Real Steel”. His catalog spans multiple decades, where he exhibited show stopping performances as Sam Wilson and Papa Doc.

The introduction of his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Sam Wilson was a monumental one. He first appeared in the MCU as the winged hero Falcon in the movie, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in 2014.

In his interview with FlyguyDC, Mackie discussed the significance of his character in breaking the negative racial stereotypes that often dominate the Hollywood landscape.

“When Sam Wilson was created, he was a street hustler from Harlem, because all of the Black movie characters at the time were street hustlers,” Mackie said. “However When Sam Wilson was re-introduced, Stan introduced him as a war veteran, and as a hero.”

Creator Stan Lee’s move was met with immense positive reception, with many young comic readers expressing their appreciation of Marvel’s longtime commitment to new and diverse narratives.

This sentiment echoes the thoughts of Alpha Diallo, Morehouse 24’ Business Marketing major. 

“I’ve been a lifelong Marvel fan and Anthony Mackie has been a very critical part of the Marvel community,” Diallo said. “He’s always been such a great role model to young black men and that was great to see at an early age.”

This characterization is something that holds central to the moral code of Wilson’s Captain America, which was first explored in Disney+ TV series “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”.  

The series explored themes of racism and identity, and was praised by critics as Marvel’s most politically charged project to date.

Speaking to the crowd, Mackie addressed the significance of his role as Captain America, revealing that his perspective on Wilson’s burden is strongly rooted in the racism his community faced throughout his own upbringing.

“For me, this is the American dream,” Mackie said. “When I grew up, New Orleans was the murder capital of the world. My grandfather was a sharecropper, and my father used to wake up early to pick cotton with my grandfather. And I’m Captain America.”

Mackie’s commitment to the African American Community extends far beyond his work on screen. The AUC and Mackie have had a longtime relationship, which has been further expounded upon by CTEMS assistant professor Avery O. Williams ‘86.

“We are very excited that Anthony Mackie has returned to Morehouse because our engagement with him extends over several years,” Williams said. “In fact, two of our CTEMS students worked on The Winter Soldier. He hired them as his production assistants to work directly with him.”

Mackie’s work is a testament to both his artistry and his character.  His identity and his commitment to the betterment of future generations is paramount, and the AUC was honored to host his presence.

Copy edited by: Freddrell Green, A&E/Opinions Editor