MadameNoire
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Chadwick Boseman‘s legacy will continue to live on through his alma mater, Howard University. Wednesday, the HBCU announced that their newly reestablished College of Fine Arts will be named after the late Black Panther actor.
“When Chadwick Boseman returned to campus in 2018 to serve as our commencement speaker, he called Howard a magical place. During his visit, I announced our plans to re-establish the College of Fine Arts and he was filled with ideas and plans to support the effort in a powerful way,” said President Wayne A.I. Frederick in a statement.
Howard graduate and actress Phylicia Rashaad will serve as dean of the Chadwick A Boseman College of Fine Arts.
“Chadwick’s love for Howard University was sincere, and although he did not live to see those plans through to fruition, it is my honor to ensure his legacy lives on through the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts with the support of his wife and the Chadwick Boseman Foundation. I’m also elated to have the support of The Walt Disney Company’s Executive Chairman Bob Iger, who has graciously volunteered to lead the fundraising effort to build a state-of-the-art facility and endowment for the college,” Federick went on.
Boseman graduated from Howard in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. He died last August after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
“I am extremely pleased that Howard University has chosen to honor my husband in this way and elated that Ms. Rashad has accepted the role as Dean,” said the actor’s wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman. “Chad was a very proud Bison — both Howard and Ms. Rashad played integral roles in his journey as an artist. The re-establishment of the College of Fine Arts brings this part of his story full-circle and ensures that his legacy will continue to inspire young storytellers for years to come.”
Fundraising efforts for the new facility are still underway. To learn more about contributing, click here.
