When Icons Fall...
David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.... He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. ~1 Chronicles 29:26
The first time I saw Black Panther was at the movies. That may not seem unusual to you, but it had been a long time since I'd sat in a theater. But for this movie, I could not settle for cable. I wanted the full effect. I sat in that dark room and drank up every drop, dissecting and celebrating the whole experience with a million mental notes whirling around in my mind.
It was beautiful.
Yet, with all its splendor, there was one scene that literally took my breath away...
General Okoye and King T'Challa are returning home with the spy Nakia from battle. They transition into awe-inspiring airspace; this glorious metropolis called Wakanda.
Okoye softly speaks... "We're home."
I was overwhelmed with the thought that someone could conceive such beauty, such technology - a destiny wrapped in history. The fact that someone had a vision like this for people who's skin had been kissed by nature's sun like mine left me speechless.
I welled up with tears... just like now.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. revealed our dream. Chadwick Boseman lived it, and like King David to Solomon he now leaves the dream behind for us to fulfill.
That's what a good icon does. When icons fall, their legacy breathes life into your dreams. Their words silence the doubt in your mind. Their swagger transcends impossibility.
When icons fall, they leave a void and a responsibility.
As much as T'Challa is the king of Wakanda, so Chadwick Boseman is the king of our potential.
Young. Gifted. Black.
And now, like David, he leaves the charge to us.
In January of this year, Chadwick posted a video excerpt from a speech by Dr. King encouraging the audience to consider their life's blueprint: