Get notified

An Afrofuturistic Celebration of Black Creativity. Culture. Heroes. Excellence. Technology. Entertainment.

Come find your tribe.

Chicago, 2018 and 2019

Watch the filmSee 2019See 2018

Wakandacon is a 3-day Afro-Futuristic celebration for comic nerds, pop culture buffs, big thinkers, techies, creatives, storytellers, gamers, science geeks, dreamers, makers, movers, shakers and anyone contributing to the culture!

Thanks to our Partners and Sponsors

  • Black and white prints of illustrated faces stand in bins on a vendor table. 2019
  • A woman in the audience stands at a microphone and gestures as she asks a question. 2018
  • A table of bottles, jars and print fabrics under purple drapes. 2019
  • Seated attendees in a hotel meeting room, one in a pink jacket in the foreground. 2018
  • A vendor in a yellow head wrap stands behind displays of beaded jewellery. 2019
  • A man in a fur-trimmed armoured costume sits at a panel table with a microphone. 2018
  • Two men in print shirts stand in front of a wall of colourful paintings. 2019
  • A man in a grey and black superhero suit with glasses speaks into a microphone at a panel. 2018
  • Shoppers stand at booths under a tall wall of comic prints. 2019
  • Five panelists sit on a raised stage in front of a purple WakandaCon backdrop. 2018
  • A vendor talks with visitors under an orange Bronzeville banner. 2019
  • Three men sit at a panel table with microphones and water bottles. 2018
  • A vendor stands beside his display of caps and T-shirts. 2019
  • Three panelists sit in front of the purple backdrop with a pink She Funny logo. 2018
  • Five panelists sit at a draped table with microphones and water glasses. 2019
  • Three women sit at a long panel table in front of the purple backdrop while the audience watches. 2018
  • An audience faces a screen and a panel table in a large convention room. 2019
  • A packed room seen from the back, rows of attendees facing a screen. 2018
  • Three panelists speak at a blue draped table, seen over the heads of the audience. 2019
  • A panelist with a microphone smiles at a long table in a hotel meeting room. 2018
  • A wide view of a convention room filled with attendees facing a panel. 2019
  • A cosplayer in a long purple and gold robe with a staff walks past the cheering crowd. 2018
  • A panelist speaks at a table while a man films with a camera rig. 2019
  • A woman in a shimmering purple gown spreads her cape wide. 2018
  • Panelists in costume sit at a draped table under a projected slide. 2019
  • A cosplayer walks between rows of seated, cheering attendees. 2018
  • Attendees watch a panel with a slide on the screen. 2019
  • Three performers on a wooden stage, one pointing up mid-joke. 2018

Find your people

Wakandacon is something new!

It's an inclusive place where you can be a nerd about anything – pop culture, gaming, tech, womanhood, politics, or your own beautiful Blackness. Wakandacon is a fan-driven convention made to celebrate Black nerds and all of their creativity and passions.

We're building a new kind of cultural event.

Wakandacon is a place where we can dress up, dance, connect, support each other, and celebrate the entire diaspora looking past the present and into our future. While our event is targeted towards establishing a positive and supportive space for black people, Wakandacon is inclusive and all are welcome to come celebrate together.

An artist in white face paint and a red shawl sits behind his table of prints.
Two women in red hug and laugh at the blue W backdrop.

Celebrating heroes of all types.

  • Aja McClanahan
    Aja McClanahan
  • Allison Manswell
    Allison Manswell
  • Angela Cobb
    Angela Cobb
  • Anita Nicole Brown
    Anita Nicole Brown
  • Billy Almon
    Billy Almon
  • Billy Tuggle
    Billy Tuggle
  • Carla M. Kupe-Arion, Esq.
    Carla M. Kupe-Arion, Esq.
  • Chelsea Frazier
    Chelsea Frazier
  • Chloe C. Mimms
    Chloe C. Mimms
  • Christopher Adams
    Christopher Adams
  • Clarence Hogan
    Clarence Hogan
  • Cynda Williams
    Cynda Williams
  • Darryl Frierson
    Darryl Frierson
  • Dena Cherry-Brown
    Dena Cherry-Brown
  • Dr. Jessica Esquivel
    Dr. Jessica Esquivel
  • Dr. Letitia Wright
    Dr. Letitia Wright
  • Eric Lane
    Eric Lane
  • Erika Alexander
    Erika Alexander
  • Eris Eady
    Eris Eady
  • Geoffrey Grier
    Geoffrey Grier
  • Jabari Exum
    Jabari Exum
  • Jabril Power
    Jabril Power
  • Jeff Carroll
    Jeff Carroll
  • Jesse J. Holland
    Jesse J. Holland
  • Keisha Howard
    Keisha Howard
  • Kenyatta Forbes
    Kenyatta Forbes
  • Lando Tosaya
    Lando Tosaya
  • Lawrence Lee Wallace
    Lawrence Lee Wallace
  • Leslie Mac
    Leslie Mac
  • Lisa Beasley
    Lisa Beasley
  • Marseille Allen
    Marseille Allen
  • Maurice D. Proffit
    Maurice D. Proffit
  • Nancy E. Douyon
    Nancy E. Douyon
  • Professor Anthony Jackson
    Professor Anthony Jackson
  • Sami Schalk
    Sami Schalk
Three young men in dashikis and print shirts cross their arms and grin.
2018

Wakandacon creates a supportive space for black-identified people to come together, educate each other, cultivate positivity, celebrate the beauty of Blackness and the future of the entire diaspora!

Two weekends in Chicago

On the programme

  • Decolonizing Comedy: The Official Wakandacon Comedy Show
  • Friday Opener - Welcome to Wakandacon
  • Black Panther & Biomimicry: How to Innovate like Wakandans through Nature Inspired Design
  • Design Process: Game Industry
  • Flipping the Table: Entrepreneurs Who Do More than Bring a Seat to the Table
  • Illustrating Wakanda
  • Kids Gaming
  • Wakandaprov Friday
  • Dreaming of Black Ecologies
  • Jabari Stunt Workshop with Mark Willis
  • Sisterhood through the Wakandan Lens: Nakia & Okoye & Nettie & Celie
  • STEM Panel Hosted by Negro Justice League
  • STEM, Entrepreneurship & Wealth in the Black Community
  • Games as Social Justice
  • Imagining Inclusive Futures
  • Life as a Physicist: Studying the World's Most Elusive Particles
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tournament
  • Using the Spirit of Black Panther to Promote Peace in the Hood
  • Next Big Thing
  • The Mysteries of Electricity
  • Saturday Opener - Welcome to Wakandacon
  • Design Process: Film Industry
  • T'Challa vs. Killmonger: Exploring the Differences between the Diaspora and the African-American Experiences
  • The Shuri Project by the Henry Williams Love Foundation
  • Wakandaprov Saturday
  • Write to the Future
  • Queerkanda
  • The Monster Panel
  • Second City Writing
  • Representation In Media: How Serious is Hollywood about Diversity & Inclusion
  • The Lando Calrissian Experience Podcast
  • Welcome to Wacoinda: Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Freedom
  • 3Peat: Paying To Play
  • Concrete Park's ‘Color the Future’ Presentation and Panel
  • 99 Problems but a Pitch Ain't One
  • Black Filmmaking Today
  • Contexture Media Virtual Reality (VR)
  • Smash Bros. 4
  • Turning your Geek Passion into Your Profession
  • Hang with the Founders
  • Black Women Entrepreneurs in the Gaming Industry
  • Concept Design for Entertainment, ft. artists from Black Panther
  • Cosplaying While Black
  • The Future of Black Directors
  • Dragonball Fighter Z Tournament
  • Paradigm Grey
  • Uppity Negress Podcast
  • Wakandacon Cards Hour
  • 'Keep it Colorful' Workshop with Erika Alexander
  • Geekset Podcast
  • Trading Races Gameplay
  • Acoustic Drumming and Storytelling by Jabari Exum, Choreographer for the movie "Black Panther"
  • SF Recovery Theatre with Geoffrey Grier
  • Wakandacon Cosplay Contest
  • Cosplay Parade
  • Board Gaming with Bonus Round Café
  • Crowdfunding Wakanda
  • Get Yo' Mind Right - Reconnecting with Ancestral Breath and Mindfulness thru Kemetic Yoga
  • Leveraging Your Blackness to Scale Products for Future Growth
  • Live Art Demo: Featuring Marco Nelor
  • She Funny: Inspiring Black Women In Comedy
  • Black Tech Across the Planet
  • Flint, Michigan: Making Environmental Justice Part of the Black Lives Matter Agenda
  • Maintaining Pre Colonial Culture in Modern Times
  • My Family And Me: Mini-Wakandan Networking Hour
  • Super Street Fighter II Tournament
  • Black Girls Can Fly!
  • Recreating Wakanda: Leveraging the Black Panther Movie as a Community Building Tool
  • Working in Wakanda: Embracing Gender Equality in STEM
  • Black Panther: Community, Culture, and Change
  • Who is Black Panther?
  • Closer
  • Beta Party Presented by Live Loop
  • Brainstorming Techniques for Women of Invention
  • Through the Eyes of Artists
  • Trauma: Find Out How it Could Be Impacting You and Your Community – Presented by One Hope United
  • What’s the Future of Queer Black Womyn + Femmes in Nightlife?
  • Toni Preckwinkle Appearance
  • It Takes a Village to Build Vibranium: The Academy Group
  • Microsoft Philanthropies Presents: Realizing the Promise of AI
  • Black women in astrochemistry and planetary science! Sponsored by The Adler Planetarium
  • Intuitive Self Care (A Hip-Hop Perspective): An Interactive Physical Rehabilitation Workshop with Jabari Exum, Drummer and Choreographer for the film, Black Panther
  • Melanin and Mental Health – A Casual Conversation with The Hyde Park Therapist
  • Rockwell Automation Presents: Cereal Doesn’t Grow on Trees!
  • Wakandacon Cards Hour – Friday
  • Geekset Podcast Live Recording
  • Navigating Your Career Journey
  • Global Black Excellence
  • Modern day Wakandians: Vibranium Wielders @ Fermilab
  • Second City Writing Workshop
  • A Panel with Akron Watson, currently as Aaron Burr in Hamilton
  • On Our Backs: The Political Power of Black Women
  • Shuri’s Room: The Official Wakandacon Code-a-thon
  • Black Film Critics in Chicagoland
  • Jabari Warrior Stunt Workshop with Mark Willis (Under 16)
  • Queerkanda
  • Decolonizing AI: How We Can Redesign a More Equitable Future
  • Growing an Online Following: Black Women and Our Imagery
  • Building Robots for Kids with the Cousins Empowered Optimist Club of Chicago
  • “Marvel & DC, We Got Next!” A Conversation With The Creative Extreme
  • Afro-Latinx in the Mix
  • Matt Damon Improv Workshop for Kids
  • Cosplaying While Black
  • Wakandacon’s Cosplay Contest
  • Wakandacon Cosplay Parade
  • Jabari Hands: Music Therapy with Jabari Exum, Drummer and Choreographer for the film, Black Panther
  • Jabari Warrior Stunt Workshop with Mark Willis (Over 16)
  • The Creative Extreme presents: Creating Your Own Universe
  • At The Intersection of Social Media and Black Creativity
  • Representation in Media – Reclaiming Our Narrative with Patrick Lucas Austin from TIME Magazine
  • Lab 99: Why Are We Here?
  • The Ethics of Love in Wakanda: Black Polyamory & Queer Kinship
  • Wakandacon Cards Hour – Saturday
  • Fan Fiction for Black Girls when Reader Inserts Ain’t Enuf
  • Color Farm Q&A with Erika Alexander
  • Diaspora Dialogues – Stories That Connect Us
  • Rhythms of Wakanda – Esctatic Dance
  • Taking Black Magic to New Heights: Diversifying the Space Industry
  • Writing While Black
  • Ancient Black Tech: Kemetic Yoga as a Vehicle for Self and Community Healing
  • Beyond Representation
  • Worldbuilding for Black Fantasy: How black writers are challenging the status quo and expanding the genre
  • Mass Incarceration is Too Real
  • The Influence of People of Color in Pro Wrestling
  • In Conversation with Time Magazine’s International Art Director
  • The State of Women of Color in the Entertainment Industry
  • Tiny Time – Improv for Small Children and their Parents
  • Black Social Media Workshop
  • The Power of Creating Your Own with Erika Alexander
  • Closing Panel with the Founders
The 2018 programmeThe 2019 programme

Come find your tribe.

Keeping with the Wakandan theme, we have identified seven areas of focus for the event. No matter who you are, there is a place for you and your voice at Wakandacon. We welcome you to find your tribe.

Wakandacon will be the biggest family reunion for all black people – a place where we can all come together and learn more about our sisters and brothers in the diaspora.

Everyone who took the stage

We believe that our stories are for everyone. From cosplayers to scientists to actors - come meet and celebrate the people who are doing amazing work in our own communities.

106 presenters · 74 organisations and partners

Everyone, A to Z

Three people pose against a warm orange wall.
2019

So, dress up, dance, connect, support each other, and celebrate our people of the diaspora who are looking forward. Wakandacon forever!

Our products, our prosperity.

In 2018, 70 minority-owned vendors set up in Salon D on the Hilton's lower level. In 2019 the Marketplace was in Hall S100, on Level 1 of McCormick Place South.

If there is not a seat at the table, we will bring our own. If there’s not a table, we will build one ourselves. In crafting our Wakandacon Marketplace, we hope to do our small part to stimulate an economy that’s built on celebrating black excellence and giving back to the community.
A crowd of shoppers fills the aisles between vendor booths with purple drapes.
The Marketplace hall, McCormick Place, 2019.
A crowd in bright prints gathers around a vendor's table, phones out, everyone talking.
The Marketplace on the Hilton's lower level, 2018.
Five decorated masks in gold, silver and bronze rest on stands over deep red cloth.
Hand-made masks on stands in the Marketplace, McCormick Place, 2019.
A woman in a print jumpsuit and a carved mask stands beside a lattice screen at her booth.
A vendor in mask and print, Hilton Chicago, 2018.
A vendor smiles behind a table of comics and a prize wheel.
A comics booth, McCormick Place, 2019.
A young man stands between two mannequins dressed in yellow and red wax-print outfits.
A clothing designer at his booth in the Marketplace, 2018.
A man with curly hair sits behind a table of superhero prints.
An artist at his prints, McCormick Place, 2019.
Shoppers lean over a table of handmade jewellery.
Jewellery for sale in the Marketplace, Hilton Chicago, 2018.
Two artists stand in front of a wall of their own colourful comic prints.
Penpaperflava's booth in the Marketplace, McCormick Place, 2019.
Shoppers browse tables of books, comics and art.
Browsing the Marketplace, Hilton Chicago, 2018.
A smiling vendor spreads her arms behind a table of toys and shirts.
A vendor at Lady Rose, McCormick Place, 2019.
A man in a red scarf smiles behind a table of illustrated prints.
An artist at his table, Hilton Chicago, 2018.

One minute of WakandaCon

Both weekends in pictures

All 147 photos

Amazing! Just the feel of home. Something that was ours. Freeing! It was like a convention, block party, and cultural event all in one, but it was ours!

Wakandacon Guest

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this real?

Yes! Wakandacon is happening. Please sign up to our email list for the latest updates.

Y'all black?

We sure are!

Do I have to be black to come to WAKANDACON?

Our event is open to everyone! We hope that people of all backgrounds will come and have fun at Wakandacon! We do want to note that almost all of the content will be focusing on the Black experience and will be from the point of view of almost exclusively Black people. There will be political and cultural conversations that are centering Black voices. Hearing some of those conversations will probably be eye-opening and very enlightening if those conversations aren't regularly happening in your circle. For some of those conversations and discussions, there may not be many non-Black people in the room. Any non-Black attendees should be aware that their voices may not be centered and much of the experience might not speak directly to them. It should go without saying but sometimes it still must be said - we hope that all attendees of any background or race will be respectful and come with an open mind. We welcome everyone, and hope that everyone will learn something new and share ideas.

This event is racist! My feelings!

lol u mad?

"It's so weird going to a con and seeing so many people with... hair like you... Skin like you... Not giving you weird looks. I don't feel like an outsider. I need more of this."

Mikki Kendall, Chicago Reader

    As WakandaCon published it.

    There's More To Come... Stay Tuned!

    Sign up and don’t miss a thing

    We will keep you filled in on the latest developments with Wakandacon and more! We promise to never sell or share your email with anyone else.