Hard as it may be to believe, it’s been five years since the world lost “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman. While the talented actor’s passing is still so hard to come terms with, his presence still feels just as powerful as ever, let social media tell it.
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But while Boseman may have left us all physically, the words he left behind are still inspiring, uplifting and challenge us to live our lives with a greater purpose, intention and awareness. Through his speeches, interviews, and more, Boseman unknowingly left a blueprint and a litany of wisdom that we arguably need to hear now more than ever.
It’s in the memory of his legacy and in honor of the five year anniversary of his death, that we felt it fitting to take a look back on some of his most powerful quotes. Keep reading to get into your feels and into these incomparable gems from a truly incomparable artist.
Boseman on Being Young, Gifted and Black
At the SAG Awards in 2019, Boseman said: “To be young, gifted and Black. We all know what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured. Yet you are young, gifted and Black. We know what it’s like to be told there’s not a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on. We know what it’s like to be the tail and not the head. We know what it’s like to be beneath and not above. That is what we went to work with every day because we knew… that we had something special that we wanted to give the world. That we could be full human beings in the roles that we were playing. That we could create a world that exemplified a world that we wanted to see.”
Boseman on the Importance of Being a Superhero and a Good Person in Real Life
At the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards, Boseman took a minute from receiving his award for Best Hero to acknowledge James Shaw Jr., the man who became famous at the time for fighting off a gunman in a Tennessee Waffle House.
“Receiving an award for playing a superhero is amazing,” Boseman said. “But it’s even greater to acknowledge the heroes that we have in real life.”
Boseman on Choosing Purpose Over a Career
Speaking to to graduating students during his commencement speech at Howard University in 2018, Boseman said: “When you are deciding on next steps, next jobs, next careers, further education, you should rather find purpose than a job or a career.”
Boseman on Cherishing Life While You Still Can
In an interview with the New York Times in 2018, Boseman said: “You have to cherish things in a different way when you know the clock is ticking.”
Boseman on Trusting in Not Always Knowing the “Why” in Life
“Sometimes you don’t always get to know the why. But you trust that there is a purpose behind it all,” Boseman said in a Rolling Stone interview from 2018.
Boseman on Believing in a Higher Power to Guide You
During that same commencement speech at Howard University, Boseman said: “When God has something for you, it doesn’t matter who stands against it. God will move someone that’s holding you back away from a door and put someone there who will open it for you, if it’s meant for you.”
Boseman on Making a Difference In the World Around You
That Howard speech was full of gems with Boseman at one point stressing to students that they ought to seek out being a change maker in the world and not simply going along to better their lives.
“Don’t just aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference,” he said.
Boseman on Pushing Back Against Limiting Systems and Stereotypes
Speaking on why he chose to go after the kinds of roles he took on, Boseman explained: “When I dared to challenge the system that would relegate us to victims and stereotypes with no clear historical backgrounds, no hopes or talents — when I questioned that method of portrayal, a different path opened up for me.”
Black Panther on Embracing Truth Over Mere Possibility
While this quote was said while Boseman was in character as the Black Panther, it’s still a nugget that should make us all think and reflect on making sure truth of a thing prevails over the possibility: “Do not tell me what is possible. Tell me the truth.”
Black Panther on Not Letting Fear Keep You From Doing What’s Right
Yet another fictional but hella relevant quote from Boseman as the Black Panther, this time stressing the fact that fear of showing your true talents and gifts should never be a deterring factor from doing what’s right and helping others.
“We let the fear of our discovery stop us from doing what is right,” he said in the film.
Boseman on The Importance of Taking the Harder Way in Life
“I don’t know what your future is. But if you’re willing to take the harder way, the more complicated one, the one with more failures at first than successes…then you will not regret it,” he said during the Howard speech.
Chadwick on Turning Your Losses into Gains
Touching on the importance of turning your losses into gain through God, Boseman said in 2018: “Sometimes you need to feel the pain and sting of defeat to activate the real passion and purpose that God predestined inside of you.”
Boseman on the Importance of Knowing Your Purpose
In an Instagram post about her dear friend and “Black Panther” costar, Lupita Nyong’o quoted some of Boseman’s wise words on purpose: “Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill.”
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