About
Chadwick Aaron Boseman was born on November 29, 1976, in Anderson, South Carolina. After graduating from Howard University in 2000, he began his career as a playwright and director before moving into screen acting. He portrayed Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013), James Brown in Get on Up (2014), and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017). He achieved international fame as T'Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, notably in Black Panther (2018). He died on August 28, 2020, in Los Angeles from colon cancer, diagnosed in 2016. His final role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) earned him a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
* 1976-11-28 — † 2020-08-28
Major works
- 42 (2013)film
- Get on Up (2014)film
- Marshall (2017)film
- Black Panther (2018)film
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)film
Key milestones
- 2016Diagnosed with stage III colon cancer, he kept his illness private.
- 2018Received an honorary doctorate from Howard University and delivered the commencement speech.
- 2021Howard University renamed its College of Fine Arts in honor of Chadwick A. Boseman.
Themes
African American heroesBlack representation on screenPerseverance in the face of adversiLegacy and remembranceDignity and grace
Sources: id.loc.gov · britannica.com · thedig.howard.edu