“To be young, gifted and black… We know what it’s like to be told that there’s not a screen for you to be featured on,” Boseman said during his 2019 SAG (Screen Actors Guild) acceptance speech. Chadwick Boseman was an African American actor born on November 29, 1976, in Anderson, South Carolina, and passed away on August 28, 2020, in Los Angeles, California due to colon cancer.

Boseman played the iconic role of King T’challa/Black Panther in the 2018 blockbuster movie “Black Panther.” According to the Box Office, this film sold 72 million tickets and made 1.344 billion dollars. “It was a cultural movement that changed everything,” Robin Roberts said on ABC News, during a Chadwick Boseman tribute. Vox Journalism persists that the film isn’t just about the journey of a superhero, but the journey of black culture. Time.com states, “The film grapples head-on with the issues affecting modern-day black life.” 

BBC.com/news describes that Boseman played a very authentic black character, hoping he would inspire young African Americans.

King T’challa wasn’t the only game-changing role Boseman played. Along with Black Panther, Chadwick played two other iconic roles as Jackie Robinson and James Brown. They based these two roles on real-life black heroes. “The Butler Collegian,”  a journalism website, describes the importance of Chadwick’s roles. This is important because it teaches young Africans what their history is like and inspires them to do anything.

“What a man and what an immense talent. Brother, you were one of the all-time greats, and your greatness was only beginning. Lord love ya. Rest in power, King,” added actor Mark Ruffalo.