Aug 31

Aug 31 Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy Is Born

Gone Too Soon, The Actor Joins A Pantheon of Cultural Heroes

Commentary By Raoul Dennis

Chadwick Boseman broke cinematic and cultural records by breaking cinematic and cultural standards. And that is why his legacy is born – even as death has embraced him.

Of course, it’s more complex than that. The road to becoming a part of Hollywood iconography and setting a global cultural footprint isn’t easily accomplished – especially before the age of 50.

Even during his days at Howard University, the early choices that Boseman made began to etch his road to creating a body of work that is clearly synchronic with his character. By the time he embarked upon his professional career, Boseman focused on roles that uplifted the image of the African American community without compromise.

Like Bruce Lee or James Dean before him, Chadwick Boseman pushed his craft, the industry and the audience to witness the voice of a new genre. They introduced the established industry to a new generation that was ready to go beyond merely participating in filmmaking but to lead in evolving the form to new heights, broader audiences and previously unheard filmmakers. Like Bruce and Dean (and an argument could be made for rap’s Tupac Shakur), Boseman will be forever young and indelible to the ravages of time.

Black Panther’s $1.3 billion box office success made it one of the highest-grossing films in history (Star Wars and Avengers: Endgame surpassed it a year later). Globally, it remains in the top 15 highest-grossing films of all time. His performances in “Get On Up,” “42” and “Marshall” are ironclad in film as testaments to B’s deeper drive to master his craft through the demands of the biopic format. Angela Bassett’s Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got To Do With It and Jamie Foxx’ stellar performance channeling Ray Charles in Ray (2004), set the bar – and the financial stage - for more stories of black artists, entertainers and cultural icons.

But beyond the successes of the work that put him in the spotlight, Boseman’s message to his generation will cement his legacy as a cultural icon. His public work and its consistency with his own personal story lifts the young actor above the hypocrisy and distractions affiliated with social media clickbait and tabloid scandals. Over coming months and years, Boseman’s philanthropy, personal code and story will become more established. Buildings, scholarships, events will be named in his honor. The South Carolinian will be celebrated by cast mates, family and colleagues who will honor him for his work and contributions.

Much of this will come as a result of the most notable of Chadwick’s contributions to the human story. Most notable will be the personal drive and profoundly spiritual strength that it must have taken for Boseman to fight terminal cancer lingering over his head as he took on the work and personal life without ever hinting that he faced a fight that he may lose. Courage is doing what one must do in spite of one’s fear. Heroism is doing what’s necessary when one isn’t likely to survive at all. This is where Boseman’s highest honors will be shared over time and rightly so. It’s no coincidence that he played so many heroes in his films. He was walking in the path he planned to leave for the rest of us.