By Ania V.
Artwork by Emily S.
Chadwick Boseman was a man of many talents. He was funny, caring, and a great actor. Chadwick was born on November 29, 1976. He died on August 28, 2020. He would’ve turned 48 this year. Before his role as Black Panther, he said that he had “prayed to be the Black Panther before he was cast as the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).” He portrayed Black Panther amazingly and his portrayal of the character continues to be one of the greatest MCU characters. Chadwick Boseman was an amazing person and his legacy still lives on.
Chadwick was born and raised in Anderson, South Carolina. His mother, Carolyn Boseman, was a nurse and his father, Leroy Boseman, worked at a textile factory and managed an upholstery business. In the year 1995, Boseman graduated from T.L. Hanna High School. There, he wrote and staged his first play called “Crossroads.” He attended Howard University in Washington D.C. and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing in 2000.
In 1998, Boseman was accepted into the Oxford Summer Program of the British American Drama Academy at Balliol College, Oxford in England. His teacher and mentor, Mrs. Phylicia Rashad, had helped Boseman and his other classmates raise funds to get into the program with the help of her good friend, Denzel Washington. Boseman and his professor Mike Malone traveled to Africa “to preserve and celebrate rituals with performances on a proscenium stage”. Boseman said it was “one of the most significant experiences of his life”.
When he returned to the U.S.A, he graduated from New York City’s Digital Film Academy. In 2002, Boseman won his first award, AUDELCO award, for his role in “Ron Miller's Urban Transitions.” He also played Romeo in Shakepeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” In 2003, Boseman was cast in his first television show Third Watch.”
In 2016, Boseman was cast as Black Panther in the MCU. His first appearance was in “Civil War.” In 2018 and 2019, he came back as Black Panther in “Black Panther,” “Endgame,” and “Infinity War.” His last physical appearance was in “Endgame,” at the scene of Tony’s Stark’s funeral. In 2021, he appeared in Marvel’s animated show, “What If?....”
After his passing, friends and family spoke about the impact Boseman had on their lives. “We are all changed by his work,” Lupita Nyong’o wrote. “His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come. Chadwick Boseman is something that I can neither take in nor take in stride right now. Perhaps with time… I’m going to take my time… and in his honor, I promise not to waste my time. I hope you will do the same.” Lupita Nyong’o was one of Boseman’s coworkers. She spoke of him as if he were her “brother”.
“Chadwick Boseman, the regal actor who embodied a long-held dream of African-American moviegoers as the star of the groundbreaking superhero film “Black Panther,” died on Friday, August 28, 2020, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 43.” Michael Levenson and Reggie Ugwu wrote in their article “Black Panther’ Star Chadwick Boseman Dies of Cancer at 43” in The New York Times. “Chadwick, you were even more of a hero off screen than on. A role model not only to me on set, but to millions of others around the world. You brought joy and happiness to so many and I’m proud to have been able to call you a friend. RIP Chadwick.” Tom Holland wrote on Instagram.
Boseman died of colon cancer at the age of 43. You can see that his family, friends, and fans cared about him in so many different ways. They pay tribute to him everyday through the way they live their lives and the lessons he taught them. Let us celebrate Chadwick Boseman during Black History Month for the person that his fans, family, and friends loved.
Wakanda Forever.
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