Three things I learned from Chadwick Boseman
In my senior year of high school, I received my first glimpse of Mr. Boseman. I was a scrawny, black left-handed pitcher for a Baltimore city baseball team that was on pace to win a city championship. 42, the film about the life of Jackie Robinson, started to show in theaters and my coach surprised us with tickets after the practice. As an aspiring professional baseball player, the film inspired the dreams that occupied my mind at that time, but as a black man it ran deeper into the bones of my existence. More than baseball, Chadwick educated me in persistence, intentionality, and a passion for the art that I create in every season of my life from a distance.
My goal was to meet him personally one day. To shake his hand with a grip that communicated how much his work inspired me. I know his road to fame had detours and times of doubt. In his quest to produce lasting art, there had to be times of discouragement, but he persisted. From turning down roles that did not accurately represent him or his culture to being denied certain opportunities due to the color of his skin, he persevered through it all to play some of the most iconic black figures in history. He did not believe that he has to sacrifice what he believed for a role, but believed that you can be persistent without sacrificing intentionality.
Chadwick Boseman seemed to have a deep want for accurate representation of the black community. He did not sell his soul to increase his status and riches, but gave his all to show a disadvantaged people that we can make it. From James Brown to King T’Challa, he exemplified a royalty in his character that made him a fit for every role he pursued. He did not have to muster up enough acting chops to play these characters because these were his own characteristics and qualities. My eyes were always happy to watch him on the big screen because I could see the passion for what he was doing and the impact that it would have on the world.
In his battle with Stage 4 colon cancer, his persistence, intentionality, and passion were clear because he continued to work even in the midst of his suffering, support his community, speak on the injustices of our nation, and give hope even in his pain. As for me, his example will always be with me. Though he has transitioned, his legacy will live on in those that he inspired and poured into. My dream of being a major league baseball player has changed, but the pride that I have as a black man is permanent due to his art and influence in my life. Thank you, Chadwick Boseman for being who God called you to be before He called you home.
