Chadwick Boseman was hailed as a hero on and off screen. Now, thousands of fans are calling for him to be honored with a statue in his hometown of Anderson, South Carolina.
A petition titled “Replace The Confederate Monument in Downtown Anderson With a Statue of Chadwick Boseman” has garnered over 5,000 signatures since it was created last Friday (Aug. 28). The petition calls for a statue of Boseman to replace a confederate statue that is currently standing in front of the town’s courthouse.
The world was shocked when the news broke that the Black Panther star had passed away. He was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer back in 2016 and silently fought the disease while filming multiple projects.
“I believe the community should come together to honor someone from Anderson, South Carolina [who] was able to change the movie industry,” the petition reads. “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 also called for the confederate monument to be placed in a local museum. “The old statue need not be destroyed; however, with the engravings on the base, it is beyond time for its retirement.
“The Anderson County Museum should be the permanent home to the Confederate Monument. It should be accompanied by the history of the monument and the reasoning for its relocation,” the petition continued. “It should preserve history, but not honor the ideals for which the Confederacy stood.”
CNN reached out to Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and they have not responded to the outlet’s request for comment.
If you would like to sign the petition, click here.