What Chadwick Boseman taught us about humanity and how we can honor his legacy

Chadwick Boseman was more than just a movie star. We need to only look to the outpouring of grief over his untimely death to know that Boseman was influential beyond the screen. Portraying T’Challa, one of the world’s most beloved Black superheroes, Boseman helped break box office records. But Boseman also came to embody something that people are just now starting to wrap their minds and hearts around in the aftermath of his death.

There can be no denying the symbolism and importance of Boseman and “Black Panther” to African Americans in particular. There are indeed several lessons we can take from Boseman’s life to honor his legacy. There was shock all around to discover that Boseman privately battled colon cancer for four years. Boseman played T’Challa in “Black Panther” in more than one Marvel film during his illness, and now knowing that he was sick, it is almost incomprehensible when you look at the physicality of that role alone, and yet he also starred in other films in that time frame.

Marvel shot 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” back to back soon after filming for “Black Panther” wrapped. Boseman’s personal trainer, Addison Henderson, said that his client spent a year in constant training for the films, rarely stopped moving during their sessions. Boseman and Henderson trained like they were going into the fight of their lives.

Chadwick Boseman kept his diagnosis largely private, focusing on work and shining a light on others.

Boseman visited young cancer patients in the hospital, even as he battled his own disease. Boseman in 2018 broke down during an interview as he told the story of two little boys who were terminally ill and whose parents told him they were trying to hold on for the release of “Black Panther”. Boseman got emotional talking about the boys, who had passed away, and the importance of the film to the Black community because of the representation.

“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler penned a beautiful tribute to Boseman and said even he was unaware that Boseman was ill. Because Boseman was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity, and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. Boseman lived a beautiful life. And Boseman made great art. Boseman played myriad historical figures including Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall, and he gave his all to each and every role.

None more so than his “Black Panther” role, the weight of which he knew would be heavy given what it would mean to fans. Boseman advocated for T’Challa to speak with an African accent in “Black Panther”. Boseman clearly loved his art, those closest to him, and his fans. Watching him surprise some of those fans on an episode of “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” in 2018 feels both devastating and healing.

Because Chadwick Boseman got to hear firsthand what his work meant to people, you could see what that meant to him.

Love is why we grieve so intensely for a star who burned for such a short period of time, but was the brightest. In paying tribute on Instagram, Angela Bassett, who played his mother in “Black Panther” recalled receiving an honorary degree from Howard University in Washington, DC, years ago and Boseman, then a student, was assigned to escort her on campus. Everything about Boseman seems to come back to him being of service via his talent and his grace.

Boseman’s Black Panther co-star Letitia Wright took to social media to recite a vibrant poem she penned in his memory following his tragic death from colon cancer at 43. Wright narrated the moving piece of poetry amid a montage of images related to nature as well as shots of them together. Wright talked about her mourning since getting the unexpected news, as she reached out to him during his health battle, which was not made public.

Wright wished she got to say goodbye. Following the announcement of Boseman’s death, Wright wrote on social media, “This hurts, really hurts.” Boseman, also known for his work in movies like “42”, “Marshall”, “Get On Up”, and “Draft Day”, was diagnosed with stage three cancer in 2016, and underwent countless surgeries and chemotherapy in his battle with the disease.

A true fighter, Chadwick Boseman persevered through it all, and brought fans many of the films they have come to love so much.

It was the honor of Boseman’s career to bring King T’Challa to life in “Black Panther”. The director of Boseman’s most successful film has penned an emotional tribute to him. Ryan Coogler wrote a lengthy statement about Boseman who played T’Challa in the mega successful Marvel film “Black Panther”. Chadwick Boseman played multiple roles, but was most beloved for playing the superhero “Black Panther”, who was also king of the fictitious African nation Wakanda.

Boseman was calm, assured, constantly studying, but also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time. Boseman was a special person. Boseman deeply valued his privacy, he was living with his illness the entire time. That was who Boseman was, he was an epic firework display.

Boseman died at home with his wife and family. In August 2019, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and “Black Panther” director Coogler announced that “Black Panther 2” would be released in May 2022. Boseman had not publicly disclosed his battle with cancer. The governor of South Carolina, where Boseman was born, ordered the Statehouse flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the life, contributions, and memory of a truly extraordinary son of South Carolina.

Chadwick Boseman graduated from Howard University and starred in various television shows in the early 2000s before getting the star role as Jackie Robinson, the first Black person to play in Major League Baseball (MLB), in the 2013 film “42”.

From there, Boseman went on to star as James Brown in the 2014 film “Get On Up”, Andre Davis in the 2019 film “21 Bridges”, and Stormin’ Norman in the 2020 film “Da 5 Bloods”. Boseman’s death came on the day MLB was celebrating Jackie Robinson Day, usually celebrated on April 15th. MLB tweeted that Boseman’s transcendent performance in “42” will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Robinson’s story to audiences for generations to come.

Fans and colleagues shared messages of grief online. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay posted a photo of the Wakanda ancestral plane from “Black Panther”. Marvel Studios tweeted a photo of Boseman dressed in the costume of his iconic role, and also tweeted out a series of photos of him from Marvel sets and with his fellow cast members. Chris Evans, who starred in Marvel’s “Avengers” movies alongside Boseman, tweeted that he is absolutely devastated and that Boseman’s death is beyond heartbreaking.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris tweeted a photo of her and Boseman, saying she is heartbroken. Boseman’s last tweet before his death was a photo of himself and Harris, encouraging people to vote. Boseman left too early but his life made a difference. Each time Boseman stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible.

Chadwick Boseman embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life.

Boseman was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Boseman brought enormous strength, dignity, and depth to his groundbreaking role of “Black Panther”, shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to millions around the world, and inspiring people to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo. For Boseman’s friends and millions of fans, his absence from the screen is only eclipsed by his absence from their lives.

By March 2018, “Black Panther” had become the 12th highest grossing movie of all time and the highest grossing movie of all time directed by a Black director. “Black Panther” was heralded for being one of the first mainstream, big budget superhero films to have a majority Black cast, with Boseman’s performance praised by critics. Boseman was set to reprise his role as King T’Challa in the “Black Panther” sequel, due out in 2022.