Anthony Mackie is the 1st Black on-screen 'Captain America.' Why his historic role is controversial.
Anthony Mackie taking on the role of Captain America, a fictional comic book character initially portrayed as a white man with blond hair and blue eyes, isn’t groundbreaking to comic books fans.
Anthony Mackie taking on the role of Captain America, a fictional comic book character initially portrayed as a white man with blond hair and blue eyes, isn’t groundbreaking to comic books fans.
The idea of a Black man as the patriotic superhero was introduced in 1998 by writer Mark Waid in the comic book “Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty,” where, according to Waid, Sam Wilson first “picked up the costume and took on the identity of Captain America.”
Over two decades after Sam Wilson became Cap in the comics, a Black Captain America in the movie adaptations has turned into a contentious topic.
The issue of a Black Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe first arose after Chris Evans, who portrayed Cap on-screen for eight years, passed the mantle on to Mackie’s Falcon in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” Fans were upset with Evans’ departure and some felt Mackie wasn’t capable of taking on the superpowered role.
Though some eventually warmed up to the idea after seeing him in the 2021 critically acclaimed Disney+ series, “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” where Mackie’s Falcon grapples with the complicated notion of what it means for a Black man to be Captain America, the vitriol against actor ramped back up during his press run for “Captain America: Brave New World.”
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