By Akua Deval

October 8, 2020

On Aug. 28, actor Chadwick Boseman, best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise, died of colon cancer at age 43. He was diagnosed four years ago but had not made it known to the public. He died in his home in Los Angeles with his family by his side.

Boseman came to prominence playing real life figures such as baseball icon Jackie Robinson in “42,” and soul singer James Brown in “Get on Up.” However, it was his groundbreaking role as the first Black marvel superhero, T’Challa, where he will be best remembered. As well as winning critical praise and taking more than $1.3 billion US dollars at cinemas worldwide, the film was widely seen as a cultural milestone for having a largely black cast and a black director, Ryan Coogler. Boseman said last year that the film had changed what it means to be "young, gifted and black.”

There has been an outpouring of support from numerous celebrities such as Dwayne Johnson tweeting "Thank you for shining your light and sharing your talent with the world. My love and strength to your family." Former President Barack Obama also added his voice to the tributes, remarking that “you could tell right away that he was blessed.”

Boseman was born in South Carolina and was the son of a nurse and an upholstery entrepreneur. He graduated from Howard University in Washington, DC before becoming an actor. Despite playing roles on television, it wasn't until 2013 that he became a household name in “42.” Boseman opened doors by rejecting the decades of discrimination against Black-led films and gave way to a new era of increased visibility and opportunity for Black people in the entertainment industry.