Something About Change

The First Survivor

In 1968, George A. Romero changed horror forever with Night of the Living Dead. The film introduced the world to flesh‑eating ghouls, boarded‑up farmhouses, and the terrifying idea that the dead could rise and walk among us. But what made this film revolutionary wasn’t just the monsters—it was Ben, played by Duane Jones.

At a time when Black characters in horror were often sidelined, killed early, or reduced to stereotypes, Ben stood at the center of the story. Calm, resourceful, and unflinching, he became the leader in a house full of chaos.

Ben’s Fight

When Barbara stumbles into the farmhouse after her brother’s death, she’s nearly catatonic with fear. Ben arrives soon after, and immediately takes charge. He boards up the windows, organizes defenses, and refuses to let panic dictate survival.

Inside the house, tensions rise. Harry Cooper insists on hiding in the cellar, while Ben argues that survival requires action, not fear. Through the night, Ben fights off hordes of ghouls, keeps order, and outlasts everyone else. By dawn, he’s the last man standing.

The Ending That Changed Everything

And then comes the gut punch. As Ben cautiously emerges from the farmhouse, alive after surviving the night, he’s mistaken for a ghoul by a white posse sweeping the area. Without hesitation, they shoot him. His body is dragged out and burned with the rest.

It’s one of the most shocking endings in horror history—not because of gore, but because of what it says. Ben survived the monsters, but he couldn’t survive America.

Why Ben Matters

* Representation: Duane Jones wasn’t cast because the role was written as Black—he simply gave the best audition. But his presence redefined the film. In 1968, seeing a Black man lead, argue with white characters, and survive the night was radical.

* Cultural Mirror: Released the same year as Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, the ending resonated as a reflection of systemic violence against Black men.

* Legacy: Ben became the blueprint for Black survival in horror—strong, resourceful, but never safe from the world outside the monsters.

Unc Wisdom 

“Ben fought the dead all night and won. But when the sun came up, it wasn’t the monsters that took him—it was the system. That’s the truth of horror, and the truth of history.

And you already know what that means… Cut the check.”