Since the passing of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman last week amid ongoing unrest across the world in response to anti-Black racism and police brutality, one fan has launched a petition to replace a Confederate monument with a tribute to Boseman in the actor's hometown of Anderson, SC.
DeAndre Weaver has set up a Change.org petition in order to gather signatures in support of replacing the Anderson statue with the actor who "spent his life uplifting the stories of Black Americans both real and fictional."
Since its launch two days ago, the petition has garnered over 10,000 signatures of its 15,000-signature goal.
"Mr. Boseman is without question an American treasure and his accolades go on and on. It is only fitting that his work is honoured in the same place that birthed him," Weaver wrote of the movement.
The current monument — erected in 1902 — depicts a Confederate soldier and was vandalized back in June in response to a growing call to remove racist memorials across the States.
"As we are moving towards change, people must be given the opportunity to change their communities," Weaver added. "It is unfair and undemocratic that the residents of Anderson County cannot even assemble to vote on whether or not this statue should remain."
Boseman's death sent shockwaves through Hollywood, as well as the Black community, after news of his death surfaced on Friday (August 28). Yesterday, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler penned an emotional tribute to the late actor.
"I haven't grieved a loss this acute before," he wrote in the tribute published by The Hollywood Reporter. "I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren't destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won't be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take."
Boseman was most noted for his starring role in Black Panther and most recently appeared in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. His final performance will be seen later this year in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
See the petition to replace the Anderson Confederate monument here.
DeAndre Weaver has set up a Change.org petition in order to gather signatures in support of replacing the Anderson statue with the actor who "spent his life uplifting the stories of Black Americans both real and fictional."
Since its launch two days ago, the petition has garnered over 10,000 signatures of its 15,000-signature goal.
"Mr. Boseman is without question an American treasure and his accolades go on and on. It is only fitting that his work is honoured in the same place that birthed him," Weaver wrote of the movement.
The current monument — erected in 1902 — depicts a Confederate soldier and was vandalized back in June in response to a growing call to remove racist memorials across the States.
"As we are moving towards change, people must be given the opportunity to change their communities," Weaver added. "It is unfair and undemocratic that the residents of Anderson County cannot even assemble to vote on whether or not this statue should remain."
Boseman's death sent shockwaves through Hollywood, as well as the Black community, after news of his death surfaced on Friday (August 28). Yesterday, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler penned an emotional tribute to the late actor.
"I haven't grieved a loss this acute before," he wrote in the tribute published by The Hollywood Reporter. "I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren't destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won't be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take."
Boseman was most noted for his starring role in Black Panther and most recently appeared in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. His final performance will be seen later this year in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
See the petition to replace the Anderson Confederate monument here.
