Following the death of Howard University alum Chadwick Boseman, the university’s president wrote a heartfelt message celebrating the life of the Black Panther star, who lost a four-year battle with colon cancer and died on Aug. 28.
On the Howard University website, Wayne A. I. Frederick left a message for the real-life hero who captivated audiences around the world with his talent. Below is an excerpt from the letter as well as the commencement speech he gave in 2018.
“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of alumnus Chadwick Boseman who passed away last night after a long private battle with colon cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
“It was Boseman’s desire to see the students of Howard achieve greatness. Together, he and I shared many conversations preparing plans for a project that would bring him back to campus, which was very close to being ready to announce. Although now he will not be here to witness the harvest of the seeds he planted, we will continue to water and cultivate them in his memory.
“Although he was only 43, Boseman leaves to us a remarkable body of work portraying Black men of honor, purpose and dignity: Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall (Law ’33), and James Brown. This young man’s incredible talent will forever be immortalized in those performances and through his own personal journey from student to superhero!
“Love is Life and he had an abundance of both. Boseman reminds us that the quality of life is not measured in time, but rather it is measured in how well we live it and what we prioritized. He prioritized his wife, his family, his friends, his craft, and loving others. The characters he portrayed will be celebrated but his greatest gift to us was himself.
“Rest in Power, Chadwick!”