On August 28th, the world lost a beacon of hope when Chadwick Boseman passed away after a four year battle with colon cancer. To many of us fans his passing was sudden and unexpected as Boseman chose to keep his personal struggles with sickness completely private.
In the almost two weeks since I’ve been thinking about his decision to do this. For someone so completely in the public eye, not only as an actor but also as someone who has always seemed to speak openly and publicly about the hope for change surrounding the issues our world is presented with, why would he choose to not speak about his illness? The truth is, whatever his reasonings, his decisions to “not have people fuss over him” is a testament to the strength of his will and character.
However, instead of dwelling on the loss of Boseman, I want to celebrate his accomplishments and the stories of the legendary men he brought to life with his body of work as representation in Black cinema and pop culture.
42 (2013)
In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers changed history when Jackie Robinson was signed as the first ever African American player in Major League Baseball. Over his ten year professional career, Robinson won Rookie of the Year in 1947, was an All-Star from 1949 through 1954, and won the National League MVP Award in 1949. Robinson was also the first professional athlete to have his uniform number (#42) retired across all major league teams 25 years after his passing in 1972 at the age of 53.
Alongside Harrison Ford and Alan Tudyk, Boseman acts beautifully and expressively (even when portraying a man who was forced to keep his true emotions inside) in this film encompassing the adversity Robinson dealt with not only from fans, but his teammates and coaches.
Get on Up (2014)
While far from a perfect film (sometimes it’s just not a good choice to break the fourth wall), Get on Up tells the story of legendary Godfather of Soul James Brown. The biopic nonlinearly follows Brown’s life from childhood, performing in gospel choir, to adulthood, when he wrote civil rights anthems, a bit haphazardly. But, what else is to be expected when attempting to frame the life of a man who was larger than life himself?
Though the film acts like a bit of a greatest hits album, Boseman is so convincingly James Brown. From his swagger, to his speech, to his ability to stun the audience with some dance moves of his own. Watching Boseman disappear into Brown is the best part of the entire film.
Marshall (2017)
With a cast that includes Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, James Cromwell, and Sterling K. Brown, if you haven’t watched Marshall, what have you been watching?
The film follows Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice nominated by Lyndon B. Johnson. Prior to serving the Supreme Court, Marshall argued several cases including Smith v. Allwright (racial segregation and voting rights in primary elections), Shelley v. Kraemer (prohibiting racially restictive housing covenants), and Brown v. Board of Education (racial segregation in public education).
Marshall specifically follows the trial of Joseph Spell, the State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell, where Spell (played by Sterling K. Brown) was represented by Marshall, at the time a NAACP attorney, in a 1940 legal case where Spell was accused of raping a wealthy white woman named Eleanor Strubing.
This entire movie is so brilliantly performed and a must see.
Black Panther (2018)
Okay, sure, T’Challa, otherwise known as Black Panther within the Marvel Universe, may not be a real person; however, that in no way diminishes the impact that a film like Black Panther and the representation of a Black superhero had on modern pop culture. For many, especially in the younger generation, this was the first time seeing a powerful minority character on the big screen. Though some may argue that, I strongly suggest looking at the popularity of characters like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Spiderman and the many other White “powered” heroes we’ve all grown up loving.
Black Panther is important for many reasons, which only start at the representation of African and African American cultures within the choices made in the plot of the movie and the casting of characters. It is also one of the highest grossing films in history to have a Black director and predominantly Black cast. It is a film of Black power.
If you’re like me, someone who devours all things relating to pop culture (and comics), you remember the photos from the premiere of Lupita Nyong’o in royal purple with her natural hair proudly displayed, Boseman in colorful Afrocentric patterns, and Daniel Kaluuya in a kanzu from Uganda. It was a moment forever burned into my memory for its beauty that was groundbreaking to Hollywood.
Boseman’s portrayal of Black Panther will never be forgotten, “let them try.”
Keep the conversation going and tell me your favorite Chadwick Boseman quotes and/or movies in the comments below. Or you can reach me directly on Twitter at @desertbiblio and Instagram at @desertbibliophile.