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“ The connection between what we experienced— we, African Americans, forcibly torn from the African continent and placed in the Americas— and the experience of the Irish people forced to work a land of immense abundance but from which they were deprived... the connections between the two cultures are truly evident.”
But American history is more complicated.“ The mobility of certain immigrants, the ability to‘ become white’— the Irish became white. And what did that cost in terms of camaraderie with us? A decision had to be made,” says Coogler.“ When you make a film about the American blues, the Irish have to have a place in it. They were there.”
Flashmag! Issue 169 February 2026
The Chinese history that nobody knows
“ Sinners” also includes Chinese-American grocers who run two stores— one on the white side of the street, one on the black side. The story of their presence in Mississippi was revealed to Coogler unexpectedly..
“ My wife’ s African American father took a DNA test. His X chromosome came back as West African. Guess what his Y chromosome came back as? Chinese. Han Chinese.” The man, now in his eighties, was born in Chicago. His parents? From Mississippi.“ We started digging,” Coogler said.“ The erasure. They were there. The only thing that’ s not true in this movie are the vampires.”
Le blues: mémoire et survie
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Blues is the soul of the film. For Coogler, it’ s also a personal story.“ My uncle James introduced me to blues,” he says.“ He listened to Albert King, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Koko Taylor, John Lee Hooker. All of them.” As a child of the 80s and 90s, young Ryan didn’ t understand.“ I thought blues was for old Black people and white people,” he says with a laugh.“ I listened to Tupac.