Chadwick Boseman fans want to replace Confederate statue with memorial
Over the weekend, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman‘s family announced that the actor died after a 4-year long battle with colon cancer.
Now, his fans have launched a petition asking his hometown of Anderson, South Carolina to replace a Confederate statue with a memorial of the late actor.
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Family, friends and fans are still mourning the sudden loss of Boseman over the weekend. On Aug. 28, the actor’s family revealed that he passed away following a 4-year battle with colon cancer. Boseman was first diagnosed in 2016 with Stage III colon cancer. As time progressed, however, the diagnosis became Stage IV.
Now, following his passing, Boseman’s fans want a memorial to be created in his honor. Like many cities in the South, Anderson has a Confederate statue. In light of Black Lives Matter and recent events where Confederate monuments have been removed, Boseman’s fans are asking his hometown to do the same.
A new petition has launched which asks the city of Anderson to replace the Confederate statue with a memorial of Boseman. Since its launch, the petition has earned over 12,000 signatures.
The 118-year-old monument in Anderson is dedicated to the Confederate veterans of Anderson county. It includes the inscription “the world shall yet decide in truth’s clear far off light, that the soldiers who wore the gray and died with Lee were in the right.” Back in June, the statue was vandalized, but it still remains standing in the South Carolina town.
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The new petition asks that Section 10-1-165 be repealed. The law makes it illegal “to remove or alter monuments dedicated to confederate war efforts in the state of South Carolina.” As well, the petition calls for a statue of Boseman to replace the Confederate monument.
“Upon the release of his film Black Panther, Mr. Boseman took it upon himself to rent out a theatre in his home town of Anderson South Carolina to show the film for free,” the petition says. “So that young boys and girls could be inspired by the film without the financial barrier. Mr. Boseman is without question an American treasure and his accolades go on and on. It is only fitting that his work is honored in the same place that birthed him.”
Head here to sign the petition.
Basketball and Space Jam 2 star LeBron James paid tribute to Boseman this week. Before the Lakers game, James gave the Wakanda Forever salute while kneeling during the national anthem.
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Other stars are speaking out following the news of Boseman’s death over the weekend. Boseman received a lot of ill-intended comments and bullying after one of his last public appearances.
Due to his cancer battle, Boseman became very thin, altering the appearance onlookers are used to seeing. This led to a slew of negative comments about the late actor’s looks and weight loss.
Now, fans, admirers and friends are bringing attention to the fact that we often don’t know what others are going through. Kyle Kuzma and Bas are just a few to bring light to the situation.
— kuz (@kylekuzma) August 31, 2020
our entire social media culture needs to heed this message. https://t.co/tnzLKIcRZj
— Bas (@Bas) August 31, 2020
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) August 29, 2020
Do you think Chadwick Boseman’s hometown should remove the Confederate statue and create a memorial of the late actor instead? Let us know in the comments below.
