The late actor Chadwick Boseman was known as a hero, both on and off the screen.
And now, thousands of people want to honor him like one, by replacing a Confederate memorial with a statue of Boseman.
The late Black Panther actor was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 3 colon cancer, and for four years it progressed to stage 4, the statement said. The actor kept his cancer diagnosis from the public, and his seemingly sudden death shocked the world.
In the wake of the actor’s death, more than 4,000 people signed an online petition calling on the Anderson Confederate Memorial in Anderson, South Carolina — Boseman’s hometown — to be replaced.
“The Confederate Monument belongs in a museum but has no right to be displayed there,” the petition reads.
“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 petition is addressed to Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts, Gov. Henry McMaster, and local representatives. It implores lawmakers to place the Confederate statue in a museum instead.