Chadwick Boseman Passing; Carrying on the Legacy of the Black Panther

The recent death of Chadwick Boseman had much of the world reeling with the news of this young star actor dying an untimely death.

Many fans of the actor and his roles had no idea he was battling colon cancer during the filming of “Black Panther” or that he was in the latter stages of this cancer. Boseman recently lost his battle with cancer and succumbed to death, but his legacy and what his most famous character, the Black Panther, stood for can live on.

Boseman Spoke Through the Screen

There’s a good chance if you’ve been to a movie in the last several years, you’ve seen at least one with Chadwick Boseman on the screen. The most famous role was that of Black Panther, but he also played Jackie Robinson in “42”, he played Thurgood Marshall in, “Marshall” and he portrayed James Brown in “Get on Up”, to name a few of his significant roles on the screen.

Chadwick Boseman Left an Example and a Legacy

Most of us who were fans of the parts played by Chadwick Boseman never had any idea of the battle he was going through. His fight with cancer and the way he handled it can be an example to us of how we can live for each other and leave our own problems in private to make a greater difference to others.

Perseverance

Our discovery that Boseman battled colon cancer for four years was shocking. More shocking still, was the fact that he not only played Black Panther during that time, he was also staring in other films. During a time when he could have stayed at home, felt sorry for himself, and not bringing his gifts to the world, Chadwick Boseman chose to work and portray some of the most demanding characters of his brief career.

Humility

The diagnosis of colon cancer was kept largely private which game Chadwick a chance to focus on work and on others. He would often visit young cancer patients in the hospital while battling the disease himself. In 2018, he broke down during an interview as he told a story of two boys who were terminally ill and wanted to hold on for the release of “Black Panther.” The boys passed away before the film, which brought Boseman to tears.

Grace

Chadwick Boseman considered himself a caretaker, a leader, a man of faith, a man full of dignity and pride, and he brought that feeling to each role he played and to everyone he touched along the way. Black Panther director Ryan Cooler commented that he lived a beautiful life and made great art for the world to admire and enjoy, even while he was suffering.

Passion

Seeing an actor bring a character to life on the screen is a thing of beauty. Chadwick Boseman did this extremely well. He played several different roles, each with a differing degree of passion in them. It was his idea to have T’Challa speak with an African accent and that it would come off on the screen well. This was just a small part of the passion he had for the work that he was part of.

Love

Whether it was his family, his art, or his fans, Chadwick Boseman never seemed to run out of love to go around. As a thoughtful person, he seemed to find different ways to show his appreciation to his fans wherever he went. Spike Lee, his director in “Da 5 Bloods” remembered Boseman with a quote “God is Love. Love is Chadwick” giving us just a small glimpse into what this man brought to the world.

How Do These Qualities Equate to a Black Panther Legacy?

Chadwick Boseman was an amazing man, and he could have played any role on the screen and we might not have been able to make a connection between his character and the person he is. Several of cinemas greatest villains have been good people, but we don’t want to associate qualities from their characters with a legacy of their lives. That’s not the case when it comes to Chadwick Boseman.

The Black Panther; the Ultimate Leader

During the movie “Black Panther”, T’Challa is faced with several challenges. He has to protect his hidden country of Wakanda from the rest of the world while aiding in the progress of technology and peace around the world. He is faced with trying to be a superhero of right and good, he has to show how to be a good leader, and he is put in the awful position of fighting his own cousin. The struggle throughout the film is easy to see, but the Black Panther remains consistent, calm, and thoughtful throughout.

The Decision to Share Technology

Black Panther reveals that Wakanda is an advanced country with technology well-beyond the rest of the world in relation to healing and weaponry. It takes his sister to convince T’Challa that he needs to share the gifts of the country with the rest of the world and begin to improve the world in many ways. At the end of the movie, the two of them are creating a plan to build a science center in the area where their cousin and uncle once lived.

How Can We Relate the Black Panther Legacy to the Chadwick Boseman Legacy?

The character of the Black Panther may have had superhuman strength and abilities that none of us will likely ever have, but that doesn’t mean we can’t carry ourselves with the same calm leadership and confidence of the Black Panther. While doing this, we can also work to find ways to help others, even when we’re facing our own struggles in our lives. These qualities together, create what can be the legacy that Boseman left for us to carry on.

Action; it’s Time for Action

How are you going to carry on the legacy of a man who lived well and helped others? Maybe you don’t look to Chadwick Boseman for your example, but maybe someone in your own life that led an exemplary life that you can emulate? How are you going to help others, make others feel good in your presence, and be the calm, confident leader that others can look up to?