On August 28, 2020, Chadwick Boseman passed away after a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. He has created a lasting impact on the movie industry by helping those who sometimes feel they are different to realize that they are special.
Boseman was born on November 29, 1976, and he got his first TV role in “Third Watch” in 2003. He starred in “All My Children” before being fired for bringing up concerns about racism that was present in the script. He was featured in many other TV shows and directed an off-Broadway play, during which he even considered giving up acting to become a director, when he landed the lead role in the movie “42”.
In 2016, Boseman assumed the role of T’Challa in the Black Panther movies, where he became one of the most treasured actors in our society today. Through his portrayal, he showed the world that superheroes aren’t just white saviors. Rather, they represent and fight for everyone in the world.
After being diagnosed in 2016, Boseman went on to make 7 amazing movies: “Marshall,” “Black Panther,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “21 Bridges,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The vast impact of these films, in light of Boseman’s ongoing treatment, was a testament to his perseverance and dedication.
In every character he portrayed, Boseman showed depth, power and reverence, but especially when it came to depicting real-life heroic men. No matter if it was a superhero, judge, baseball player or singer, Boseman gave each role dignity, nuance and the pride of offering another perspective about what it means to be Black in the world. Boseman used his status as an international star to speak out about the power we have to fight for change, for greater opportunity for people of color and for a better world.
Boseman showed us the real meaning of the word strong. He silently suffered so that we could watch him make history and change the world on the screen. In the final years and especially the last few months of his life, he helped young cancer patients as he privately fought his own battle with cancer.
Boseman highlighted the depth and complexities of Black identity through his work. He used his craft as a vehicle to deliver stories of Black triumph and resilience. In a time when positive Black imagery in mainstream outlets is sparse, Boseman used his gift to educate, empower and change the negative rhetoric around the Black experience.