Ry’n Good
Staff Writer
“I think you realize how much you need to have people that you love. It’s not as much about them loving you – it’s about you needing to love people,” said Chadwick Boseman.
Boseman quickly became a household name as he stepped into the filming industry embodying several iconic figures that were well known in the African-American community, including Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, James Brown and even the fictional Black Panther.
News of his death on Aug. 28 stunned fans around the world and at Jackson State University.
Mikey Taylor, a senior theater major from Chicago, Ill. said, “I first saw Chadwick Boseman in film when I watched the movie “42”. The film came out in April of 2013 I believe. After watching the movie as a kid, I immediately thought to myself ‘who is this guy playing Jackie, he’s really good!’”
The South Carolina native studied fine arts at Howard University, then jumped started his career doing everything from acting, playwriting, directing and teaching in New York. He was known for always staying chilled, classy, with an amazing smile, and according to Vulture online magazine, Boseman was always the “unanimous” choice to play the astonishing Black Panther.
“Black Panther” is the first major superhero film that revolved around a black superhero. It was extremely understood that this was what the African-American culture needed, that this was what young black kings and queens needed to see.
Ryan Coogler, “Black Panther” director, and Boseman collaborated on the character, bringing T’Challa to life. When the two were finished, Boseman not only became King T’Challa, but he remained a King to everyone in reality. The Black Panther became symbolic in the black community.
“Chadwick Boseman represents the epitome of a raw talent actor. Finding out that he had been dealing with colon cancer for a while, and his fans never knew was shocking news to me. He kept going despite a major setback and for that, I have to respect that,”said MADDRAMA member and senior theater major from Chicago, Ill. Michael Taylor. “I think he’s a huge impact to the black community. Even though the film “Black Panther” is fictional, it gave us the chance to finally get our black superhero. When Black Panther came out it was huge. For me, that’s when Chadwick became my hero.”
Aliyah Atkins, a senior business administrations major from Terry, Miss. expressed reverence for the actor.
“Chadwick Boseman represents honor. When I see him, I see myself, I see my brothers, it’s something that I strive to be. So well respected, down to earth, and just an overall beautiful person. Chadwick became a large impact on the African community. When he played black panther he made me even more proud to be black. Growing up, I never heard about many black superheroes and honestly every movie Chadwick played in he was a hero. Chadwick was and will always be remembered as a hero and that’s what he impacted onto our culture, that we are heroes.”
Sydni Harris, a senior management major from Detroit, Mich. was also deeply impacted by Boseman.
“Chadwick Boseman used his art and what he loved to complete the mission that he was given by God. He made sure he told stories the black community enjoyed and understood the importance of what he was doing. It makes me take my purpose more seriously. Do what you were born to do, and do it to the best of your ability. You might not live to see your impact so make sure you leave a legacy.”
Harris continued, “Through Chadwick’s impact, the black community learned that we can be anything we want to be; an athlete, a lawyer, an actor, a superhero, and most importantly a King.”
Boseman continued to make an impact with his roles after “Black Panther” with the film that was recently released called “Da 5 Bloods”. The late actor will also star posthumously in the upcoming film that will be released on Netflix called “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”.
The actor passed at the age of 43 after a private bout with colon cancer.
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