Created in the 1940s and popularized by the Marvel Cinematic Universe , actor Chris Evans’ Captain America — also known as Steve Rogers — is one of the most popular Marvel superheroes today. Wielding his signature shield and sporting a red, white and blue suit, the “America” in his title speaks for itself. The character was created to represent ideals that American citizens should have, not necessarily what they already had. Captain America was intended to be a symbol of peace, especially since his comic debuted in the middle of World War II.
After Rogers retired, the Captain America mantle was passed on to Sam Wilson, who was formerly known as Falcon, the second Black superhero. The MCU adapted this, so Anthony Mackie, the actor who portrays Sam Wilson, now carries the super soldier’s former title.
When Mackie was asked what Captain America represents to him, he responded, “Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity.”
Anthony Mackie is correct and shows a proper understanding of the character. Captain America represents the American dream, which a lot of Americans struggle to grasp in the first place. He believes in the ideas of what the U.S. claims it stands for — not the hundreds of years of discrimination and bigotry that plague its history. Despite this, Mackie’s statement started quite the discussion on social media, specifically, X.
X is notorious for having an obscene amount of nazi and racist content posted by users of the platform ever since Elon Musk — the man who threw out a Nazi salute at the president’s inauguration — purchased it in 2022. Therefore, it is no surprise that Mackie, being a Black man, garnered controversy on the website for his statement.
Some people responded claiming Sam Wilson is Falcon and will never be Captain America. This is a tired argument people have been making for years when it comes to Black heroes taking over the mantle of white superheroes. Most notably, Miles Morales as Spider-Man.
It is even more telling when Evans, a white man, said the same thing about Captain America, yet he received no backlash. This is a fairly self-explanatory situation.
To emphasize Mackie’s point even further, in Amazing Spider-Man issue #537, Captain America says, “Doesn’t matter what the press says, doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say, doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world, ‘No, you move.’.”
Despite what his name might bring to mind, Captain America is not some propaganda-spewing mouthpiece. He does not represent what America is; he represents what America should be. So if America chooses to become Captain America’s enemy, they should expect he will fight like he always has.
