Black is King: Compiled Companion Guide

On July 31st, Beyonce released “Black is King” on Disney+. A project that gathered a diverse group of actors, directors and creatives to reimagine the story of “Lion King.”

“My hope is that it shifts the global perception of the word black, which has always meant inspiration, love, strength and beauty to me. “Black is King” means Black is regal, rich in history, purpose and lineage.” — Beyonce on the project’s intention

I am a major fan of Beyonce and remain inspired by her love of black people and the diaspora. I enjoy learning as much about the diaspora as possible from culture to people to history. I thought the best way I could contribute is to compile some of the existing resources from others and to put in a few days of my own research to bring you more information on the folks who were behind the scenes from directors to writers to choreographers (find me on Cash App). I focused my research on members of the diaspora given limited time (no disrespect intended).

My hope is that you and the young black people in the diaspora see themselves in front of and behind the camera for a work that was clearly a massive endeavor. View their pictures, follow them on Instagram and read about their other works. The cities listed are their hometowns, but I encourage you to research more about them to find their specific connections to the diaspora if the names or linked articles don’t make it 100% clear.