Fans Petition to Replace Confederate Statue With Chadwick Boseman
Marvel Paid Tribute to Chadwick Boseman with a Moving Video
"You will always be our king."
A petition calling for the removal of a Confederate statue in Anderson, South Carolina, has gathered more than 11,000 signatures in the wake of Chadwick Boseman's death on Friday. Fans are calling for the statue, which stands in the actor's hometown, to be replaced with one of Boseman, People reports. Though many petitions have been circulated, the one with the most signatures on Change.org extolls the actor, who spent "his life uplifting the stories of Black Americans both real and fictional."
"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 reads. "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."
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The petition adds that past efforts have been made to remove the statue, but current South Carolina law (section 10-1-165) state that it is illegal to remove or alter any monuments dedicated to the Confederacy.
"We must move past the tragedies of our past in this nation and celebrate new heroes," the petition adds. "Mr. Boseman is a hero to this nation but more importantly a hero to the town of Anderson. His legacy was one of excellence and equality. As fellow citizens go about their day they should have a face that sees all people as equal."
In addition to T'Challa in Black Panther, Boseman played James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall. The petition calls on the public and local governments to amend the existing laws to reflect efforts made in the Black Lives Matter movement and "celebrate new heroes."
"The function of a government is to serve all of its people. Section 10-1-165 must be repealed," the petition continues. "We must move past the tragedies of our past in this nation and celebrate new heroes. Mr. Boseman is a hero to this nation but more importantly a hero to the town of Anderson."
