REALITY TV
TV
MOVIES
MUSIC
CELEBRITY
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Accuracy & Fairness Corrections & Clarifications Ethics Code Your Ad Choices
© MEAWW All rights reserved
MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Chadwick Boseman’s statue should replace Confederate monument in his hometown, more than 100K sign petitions

Two petitions seeking the same said that Boseman through his art opened the world for many young Black people
PUBLISHED SEP 3, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Thousands of fans of late star Chadwick Boseman have demanded a statue of him in his hometown Anderson, South Carolina, in place of a 118-year-old Confederate monument. Boseman died on August 28 after suffering from colon cancer. One of the petitions on Change.org has gained more than 50,000 signatures, and the goal of which is 75,000. It has requested Mayor of Anderson, Terence Roberts, to remove the Confederate statue from the Anderson County Court House and place Boseman’s there.

The message on the petition page read: “With Chadwick Boseman’s early passing, it is important that we honor a true local legend my immortalizing him in stone in front of the courthouse. The Confederate Monument belongs in a museum, but has no right to be displayed there. I believe the community should come together to honor someone from Anderson, South Carolina that was able to change the movie industry. He opened many doors for many young black people with his leading roles in movies such as Black Panther or Marshall.

“It is only natural that his hometown honors what he did. There is no need for political controversy in this decision. The old statue need not be destroyed; however, with the engravings on the base, it is beyond time for its retirement. The Anderson County Museum should be the permanent home to the Confederate Monument. It should be accompanied by the history of the monument and the reasoning for its relocation. It should preserve history, but not honor the ideals for which the Confederacy stood. I suggest that the Anderson City Council decide to replace the statue as soon as they possibly can.”

While another petition started by DeAndre Weaver has received over 60,000 signatures. “Mr. Boseman spent his life uplifting the stories of Black Americans both real and fictional. Throughout his career, he has brought to life such historical figures as James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall. However, most notably he was known for playing T'Challa the King of Wakanda also know as the Black Panther. This film, along with his entire body of work, has uplifted and inspired many Black Americans especially during the turbulent times our nation is going through. In addition to his illustrious film career, Mr. Boseman made it a mission to give back to his community. Not only with his appearances at his alma mater Howard University but financially as well,” the message read.

It added: “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. 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.”

The Confederate monument is in the heart of downtown Anderson. On top of the monument, a Confederate soldier stands, depicting the likeness of William Wirt Humphreys. Humphreys was a lawyer and newspaper editor. He was also an officer who was responsible for leading a company of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. After his death in 1893, the monument and statue were built in 1901 and unveiled in January 1902.

One of the inscriptions written over it read, “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.”

POPULAR ON MEAWW
MORE ON MEAWW