Barack and Michelle Obama honored the memory of Chadwick Boseman as a Black 'hero' with tributes to his powerful performances
- Barack and Michelle Obama posted moving tributes on social media to late actor Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday at age 43.
- "You could tell right away that he was blessed," Barack Obama wrote of Boseman, recalling meeting the actor at the White House.
- "Chadwick's brilliance on screen was matched by a warmth and sincerity in person," Michelle Obama wrote on Instagram.
- The Obamas join a number of other fans, celebrities, and public figures to honor the memory of the late "Black Panther" star.
The Obamas honored the late actor Chadwick Boseman with touching tributes on social media.
Boseman, who starred in "Black Panther" and portrayed Jackie Robinson in "42," died on Friday at age 43 after battling colon cancer. The actor was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and never spoke publicly about it.
On Saturday, former President Barack Obama posted tributes via Twitter and Instagram, recalling how Boseman brought joy to others even while he was in pain.
"Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed," the former President wrote.
"To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain – what a use of his years," he captioned both posts.
On Saturday, former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted a message calling Boseman a hero for Black children.
"Only Chadwick could embody Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and T'Challa. He, too, knew what it meant to persevere. To summon real strength. And he belongs right there with them as a hero—for Black kids and for all our kids. There's no better gift to give our world," she wrote.
The former first lady shared a similar post on Instagram, adding details about meeting Boseman in person at the White House and remembering his warm demeanor.
"I'll always remember watching Chadwick in '42.' Barack and I were alone in the White House, on a weekend night with the girls away. I was so profoundly moved by the rawness and emotion in the barrier-breaking story," the former first lady wrote.
"And not long after, when he came to meet with young people in the State Dining Room, I saw that Chadwick's brilliance on screen was matched by a warmth and sincerity in person," she added.
The Obamas joined a number of other public figures and celebrities who paid tribute to Boseman, including Denzel Washington, John Legend, and Boseman's former Marvel castmates.
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