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Tributes have been pouring in for Chadwick Boseman, a gifted actor and humble humanitarian who brilliantly played so many iconic Black figures: Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall, and, of course, the fictional King T’Challa/ Black Panther. When my wife shared with me the news on Friday, I felt almost numb. His loss felt incomprehensible. Perhaps my reaction was in part because I knew that Boseman and I are the same age, but I also felt my own defense mechanisms kick in. This season of inescapable Black death has been on a traumatizing repeat cycle — from the disproportionate toll of COVID-19 on our community to the senseless and brutal deaths at the hands of police violence — so in that moment my mind and spirit couldn’t process or take another loss, particularly of a Black man who embodied such regal strength and aspirational hope.
It wasn’t until three days later as I watched a powerful tribute to Boseman that the dam of emotion finally broke and my tears began to flow. When we broke the tragic news to our 7- and 9-year-old sons, who both idolize Black Panther, my older son Joshua responded, “I hate colon cancer.” This poignant response was his way of processing a life cut tragically short, recognizing that even our most beloved superheroes can be lost. I hate colon cancer too, as it proved to be the super villain that ended a life and career of a man who, as Oprah so aptly described, “felt like a shooting star.”
Boseman’s life was a profile in humility, service, and quiet activism. While playing such iconic Black figures, Boseman brought to life their humanity and resilient courage in breaking down racial barriers and injustice. Ta-Nehisi Coates, a friend of Boseman's from their time at Howard University, gave tribute to his brother, describing how he communicated “Black humanity through Black heroism.” I’m amazed that he was able to keep his battle with colon cancer private for so long and filmed the majority of these roles amid this fight. This attests to his personal character, his grit, and his grace.
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