20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Captain America

16. His Series Introduced Marvel's First African-American Superhero

There had been black superheroes before The Falcon was introduced in the pages of Captain America #117 in 1969 (Black Panther for example), but Sam Wilson was actually Marvel's first ever African-American superhero. Despite initially clashing with Cap, Sam was talked into becoming Steve's new partner, and the two fought side by side for years. They still do actually, and The Falcon has become Cap's best friend and closest confidant. His introduction also opened the door to some relevant political themed stories at the time, especially as America was finally beginning to embrace equal rights for minorities.