Petitions call for Chadwick Boseman memorial to replace Confederate monument

Chadwick Boseman's untimely demise shocked the world as he lost his battle to cancer at the age of 43 last week.

After the 'Black Panther' star’s tragic death on Friday, 'Change.org' urged the city of Anderson, South Carolina and state lawmakers to remove the Confederate monument in the city’s downtown area and erect a statue to Boseman.

A large number of people have signed petitions calling for a Confederate monument in Chadwick Boseman’s hometown to be replaced with a memorial for the late actor.

The original monument, dedicated to Confederate veterans, is a likeness of Maj. William Wirt Humphreys, the editor of a local paper and a proponent of slavery who fought in the Civil War.

The petition has been signed by more than 1,000 people so far. A similar petition addressed to Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts had been signed by more than 2500 people.

DeAndre Weaver - the author of the larger petition - said Boseman "spent his life uplifting the stories of Black Americans both real and fictional" and thus was a fitting successor to the divisive monument.

He continued: "His legacy was one of excellence and equality,” Weaver wrote. “As fellow citizens go about their day they should have a face that sees all people as equal."

The other petition, authored by an anonymous user identifying themselves as an Anderson citizen, stated that Boseman was a “true local legend” who broke barriers for Black people with his portrayals of pioneering Black leaders, including the first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, singer James Brown and baseball player Jackie Robinson.

“It is only natural that his hometown honors what he did,” the petition stated. “There is no need for political controversy in this decision.”

Former president of the United States, Barack Obama was one of the many who came forth to express their grief after hearing about the untimely death of the Black Panther star.

The petition also suggested that the old statue be displayed at the Anderson County Museum and accompanied by a description of its history that did not honor the ideals of the Confederacy.