ICYMI: Actor, Chadwick Boseman, has died. Boseman was born in 1977 to Carolyn and Leroy Boseman in Anderson, SC. Boseman was an avid basketball fan and excelled on and off the court.

From South Carolina to Washington, D.C, performing arts was his destiny. As a student at Howard University, he escorted Angela Bassett during the receipt of her honorary degree and was mentored under the tutelage of the incomparable, Phylicia Rashad.

Boseman later graduated from the British American Dramatic Academy at Oxford University at the full expense of Denzel Washington’s wallet. He later attended the Schomburg Center for Research in Harlem, studying African history.

Many of us first met Boseman as he portrayed real-life heroes including Jackie Robinson and James Brown. Unbeknownst to many, his career began in 2003. He was most notably recognized for his role as T’Challa in The Black Panther.

Coincidentally, panthers are naturally adept swimmers & are known for their extraordinary ability to climb. Boseman was no different, he kept swimming and climbed unbelievable heights while navigating chemotherapy & surgeries.

Boseman succumbed to colorectal cancer after a 4-yr battle.
During that 4 year span, Boseman gave us: The Black Panther, Civil War, Infinity War, Endgame, Thurgood Marshall, 21 Bridges, and 5 Bloods.

”The strength of the Black Panther” slaps a little different now, doesn’t it?

I’d be remiss if I didn’t provide a call to action, as Augustus and Ellis (2018), report that Blacks have the highest incidence and death rates of colorectal cancer compared to any other group in the US.

Boseman’s death stings differently because my father was a colorectal cancer survivor; until he wasn’t. Blacks are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier age with more advanced stages of cancer.

Chadwick’s silent battle and sudden death remind us that it could have been us. According to statistics, it is us.

What we do know is, screening reduces cancer incidence. Get screened, keep swimming, keep climbing. Rest well, Chadwick. I’m glad we celebrated you the way we did when we still had the chance.

Black children beamed with pride because they wanted to be you and Black adults are still cackling about Karen putting raisins in the potato salad. Rest well. We love you.