As a Black American living in Nigeria, watching Ryan Coogler’s Sinners on the big screen was a proud and emotional moment. The film connected me with my family’s past while evoking the spiritual presence of my African ancestors. Sinners was also an opportunity for Black Hollywood directors to showcase Black stories and history on the global stage. Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan, directed by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, tells the story of twin brothers who flee Chicago in the 1930s  to their hometown in rural Mississippi. The twins open a blues juke joint only to discover that evil vampires await them in the heart of Jim Crow South.

Sinners provided me a rare glimpse of life in 1930s Clarksdale, Mississippi, where my family has been deeply rooted for over 100 years. While my grandparents never scared me with vampire stories and hoodoo magic, my family shared the horror stories of living under segregation and the back-breaking labor of picking cotton. “We made 10 cents an hour,” my grandmother would say, shaking her head in disgrace. My aunts often bickered and joked at family gatherings about who picked the most cotton, using humor to soothe painful memories.  For them, their Christian faith and church community were essential to surviving the evil of white supremacy.

Sinners offers a desperately needed history lesson for African moviegoers on Black American blues history and culture in rural Mississippi—history that’s often missing from African libraries and bookstores. At a time when Black History is under attack in the US, historical movies and African American literature are not only welcomed in Africa—they’re celebrated.

The sold-out theaters across Nigeria during the second opening weekend confirms that African moviegoers support movies from Black Hollywood and that Black-centered stories in America can thrive internationally. Nigerians gasped, laughed, and shouted at all the right moments, bringing the theater to life just like home. Nairametroxs, meanwhile, reported that Sinners made N269.9 million in its first nine days.  With a population of roughly 227 million and 90 movie theaters nationwide, that’s a major milestone.”

With the global impact of films like Sinners and Black Panther, it’s time for Black Hollywood directors and historians to be more intentional in promoting their work and doing business on the continent. Sinners would have earned even more in international sales across the African diaspora if it had invested in a strong media campaign. Most Nigerians heard about the movie through TV ads, social media, and word of mouth. The Sinners cast could have had a premiere in Abidjan, especially since Ivorian Zaouli dancers performed in the movie. The cast could have had a public screening in South Africa or Kenya and a press conference with African journalists and influencers on local radio and TV.

The abrupt closure of the US Agency for International Development, which had committed US$3.5 million to the creative industries in Nigeria, provides another opportunity for Black American producers to invest in the next generation of African storytellers. Black Hollywood could build film and acting schools, movie theaters, student film and art exchanges, and studios on the continent. This would create more jobs for African youth and business opportunities for both creators across the Atlantic.

As anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies continue to threaten Black progress in the US, Black entertainment leaders must invest now, share stories, and strengthen connections on the continent and across the diaspora.