By Shannon McLeish.
Chadwick Boseman speaking at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Black Panther", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo by Gage Skidmore; Wikipedia.
Chadwick Boseman, who will forever be known as one of the first African-American superheroes, died on Friday, Aug. 28, at age 43. His cause of death was colon cancer, which mainly affects African-American men and women. Many of Boseman’s friends and family did not know he was battling this disease. Boseman was not only an actor but also a son, brother, friend, and husband.
Although Boseman is most widely known for his role as Black Panther, he has played many roles. His breakthrough role was in 42 (2013), in which he played the lead role of baseball player Jackie Robinson. He played many historical figures such as James Brown in Get on Up (2014) and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017). His role as King T’Challa was significant in his career, as well as for people of color.
Chadwick Boseman’s work doesn’t stop there. Only two weeks before his passing, he became an executive producer on a limited series about the Little Rock Nine, which is based on the Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. Board of Education.
Boseman kept his colon cancer diagnosis private and continued to work during treatments. Even Black Panther Director Ryan Coogler was unaware of his diagnosis. In Ryan Coogler's tribute, he wrote: “Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity, and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering.”
Despite his disease, Boseman worked to the very end. His final film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, is scheduled to be released posthumously. Boseman wasn’t just a superhero in the Marvel cinematic universe; he was a superhero in real life.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chadwick_Boseman https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/seth-macfarlane-chadwick-boseman-little-rock-nine-series-1234738639/ https://deadline.com/2020/08/black-panther-director-ryan-coogler-on-chadwick-boseman-black-panther-caretaker-a-leader-and-a-man-of-faith-dignity-and-pride-he-shielded-his-collaborators-from-his-suffering-1203027062/ https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer.html Cancer Whether you or someone you love has cancer, knowing what to expect can help you cope. From basic information about cancer and its causes to in-depth information on specific cancer types – including risk factors, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options – you’ll find it here. www.cancer.org