Black Panther superfan finds thousands of pieces of movie memorabilia for epic collection
Covering nearly every spare inch of Tyesha Elam’s (USA) house in Houston, Texas, are images of a King: neatly stacked on shelves, displayed across posters and artwork on her walls, and even staring out at you from mugs and cups in the cupboard.
Yet this King isn’t some political figure, rather, he is a fictional embodiment of the love, culture, and family values that Tyesha admires deeply – and to show off her passion for the character, she has turned her home into a record-breaking sanctuary for fans of Marvel’s Black Panther franchise.
With 2,546 official items, and a full total of over 3,000 pieces, Tyesha is the proud owner of the Guinness World Records title for the largest collection of Black Panther memorabilia in the world.
The superhero superfan has travelled far and wide to fill her collection, and has seen the sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) in seven different countries: Germany, Fiji, New Zealand, Mexico, USA, the UK and Australia. She has so many items that she amassed “a collection of mini-collections”: categories spanning from Funko pops and designer Coach pieces, to movie cups and popcorn buckets from all over the world.
But it all started in February 2018, the first time she saw the Black Panther (2018) movie with her mom.
“I was 46 and my mom was 66, at the time,” said Tyesha. “We hadn't been to the movies together in decades, due to our different tastes in movies.
“Needless to say, we both loved it! I initially started collecting Black Panther items to remind me of that wonderful memory.”
Tyesha and her mom at the movies
Immediately after the pair walked out of the theatre, Tyesha and her mom rushed to a local Toys R’ Us to acquire the first item in her collection – a Black Panther mask.
“Yes, at 46, she took ME to the toy store!” gushed Tyesha. “I was giddy with excitement. She bought me a Nakia doll, a Shuri doll and a Black Panther mask.
“Little did we know, those three items would lead to thousands.”
Tyesha, who now works as a lawyer, used to be an actress in high school – and she loves the arts to this day. But Black Panther was particularly impactful for her, beyond the sentimental experience with her mother.
She instantly felt a strong connection to T’Challa/the Black Panther and the rest of the characters from the film, who love their families, culture, and independence while doing their best to remain steadfast to their morals and make prosperous lives.
“Of all the movies I've seen, Black Panther is the best!” she said. “The virtues and values permeating throughout the storyline resonate with fans across the globe.
“With T'Challa, we fell in love with his entire family. We love his father King T'Chaka, his mother Queen Ramonda and his sister Princess Shuri. We met the heads of many tribes in Wakanda and we love how much they love their King.
“Even in the face of an enemy, like fighting M'Baku or Killmonger, we ultimately learn that T'Challa LOVED them and deep down they loved him too. From Nakia, to the Dora Milaje, T'Challa was the epitome of love.”
Furthermore, Tyesha says that the films mean a lot to her as a Black woman, who rarely saw characters that looked like herself become warriors and superheroes.
“But representation matters,” she said. “It is important for little Black and Brown girls around the world to see themselves as wise as Queen Ramonda, as smart as Shuri, as beautiful as Nakia and as strong as Okoye.”
And thanks to the film, which became the highest-grossing superhero “origin” movie with a worldwide gross of $1,336,494,321 (£961,856,000) as of 11 March 2021, as well as the first superhero movie nominated for a Best Picture Oscar in 2019, Tyesha has witnessed firsthand how proper representation at the box office can lead to success and impactful shared experiences.
She says one of her favourite memories related to her collection was when she went on a cruise on Halloween in 2024, dressed up as Shuri (“complete with my Shuri doll and vibranium gauntlet blasters”), when a little girl tapped her on the leg because she was wearing the exact same costume.
“She didn't say a word, she just looked up and smiled wide,” reminisced Tyesha. “I screamed ‘Hey! Let's take a picture!’ because she was dressed EXACTLY like me!
“She never said a word – probably in shock – but her eyes said #WakandaForever.”
And because of her collection, Tyesha has created tons of invaluable memories as she’s travelled around the globe in the search of more merchandise. She loves going to the Disney Parks – especially because she shares a birthday with Walt Disney, 5 December – and she always buys herself a special birthday gift to celebrate the film.
She also joyfully remembers stumbling upon a dozen pieces in a small resale shop in La Paz, Mexico while on a cruise, an exciting experience that was in stark contrast to when she had to spend 27 days fighting with the Canadian Post office to reclaim her panther package from Montreal.
Read more stories about record-breaking items in our dedicated collection section!
Tyesha in La Paz
“It's impossible to identify a single favorite,” Tyesha said, though she did mention loving her collectable bear purse made by Coach, and a pair of Adidas Mahomes1 Impact FLX Black Panther shoes. She also has a 20 ft x 40 ft (6 m x 12 m) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever billboard hanging on the back of her house!
“Overall, the mini-collection I'm most proud of is my collection of movie cups and popcorn buckets… One of my favorite buckets is the Talon Fighter I bought in Thailand this year. Three years after the movie came out, they are still selling Wakanda Forever cups and popcorn buckets.”
And despite her enthusiasm for the film and her record-breaking collection, above all else, Tyesha wanted to use this occasion to remind everyone that tomorrow is not promised – so we have to look after ourselves now in order to have a long, fulfilling life following our passions.
“We were blessed to enjoy Chadwick Boseman as the Black Panther, but cancer took him away from us prematurely,” said Tyesha. “My very best friend is a survivor of stage III Uterine Cancer. I will forever be grateful to the doctors and nurses who treated her through an incredibly tough and excruciatingly painful battle.
“Please have regular checkups, including cancer screenings. Cancer is a silent killer that impacts all of us around the world. We all should encourage each other to live happier and healthier lives.”
She also added: “If Chadwick Boseman / King T'Challa were here today, they would remind us to love each other. Less war, more peace. I like to believe that a Wakandan is one who Walks Around Kind And Nice During All times.
“Throughout my travels, I love meeting Wakandans from all around the world. Whether it’s Wakanda Por Siempre, Wakanda Pour Toujours, or Wakanda Für Immer, I will greet you with a big smile, arms-crossed, yelling 'WAKANDA FOREVER!'”
So congratulations, Tyesha, on this exciting achievement – you are Officially Amazing!