Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman privately fought colon cancer for four years. But even as the acclaimed actor battled for his own life, he spent his final months advocating for social justice and trying to protect front-line workers from COVID-19.
Boseman died at age 43 on August 28th, 2020, but his final social media messages capture the character of a man who served as a superhero both on and off the screen.
In a video posted to Boseman’s Instagram on April 15th, 2020, Jackie Robinson Day, many fans were shocked by the actor’s gaunt appearance. Boseman had not talked publicly about his cancer diagnosis, and he didn’t address it in that stirring video either. Instead, Boseman focused the spotlight on the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on essential workers, particularly minority communities.
Dismayed by the lack of equipment to keep essential workers safe, Boseman sought to raise awareness and funds through his friend’s charity, producer Thomas Tull’s “Operation 42” – a cause with added significance because it simultaneously paid tribute to the baseball legend Boseman brought to life in 2013’s movie 42.
But Boseman’s activism didn’t stop there.
In the weeks before his death, Boseman harnessed his A-list status to bring the Black Lives Matter movement to Hollywood. He used his social media platforms to promote BLD PWR a nonprofit for, quote, “harnessing the power of narrative activism”.
On June 19th, 2020, also known as Juneteenth, Boseman harnessed his celebrity status again, calling on everyone to, quote, “support Black owned businesses. Reach back and mentor.” He suggested organizations to support, and even though the star likely knew his future was uncertain, his social media messages promoted hope, saying,
“155 years later, let’s all try to learn from our past so we can create a better future together. Not just today. Everyday.”. Keep watching the video to see Chadwick Boseman’s final social media posts before passing away.
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