A Hometown Hero to Anderson, South Carolina

In a town of about 28,000 residents, Boseman started his life growing up in Anderson until getting into acting - first on stage and then to the big screen. This past Thursday, September 3rd, the town came together to honor the life of Boseman in a memorial ceremony. In an outdoor gathering, some of his work was played on a screen while people took to the stage to share their memorable experiences with the actor. Anderson's Mayor, Terence Roberts, explained how Boseman was always destined for greatness:

"You know, he was always reading and always trying to get better. So from a work ethic point of view, it just doesn't happen overnight. He showed us that we've got to hone our skills and just persevere."

Deanna Brown-Thomas Shares Her Kind Words

In the 2014 film Get on Up, Boseman portrays musician James Brown. Through filming, Boseman learned a lot from Brown's daughter, Deanna Brown-Thomas. She was present during the memorial and described how Boseman "wasn't Hollywood, and that's what I loved about him," and adding that "he is the epitome of black excellence." She also talked about Boseman's visit to talk with Brown's family in Georgia, and how they joked about him being too tall to play her father but aside from that, being perfect to play the late musician.

Pastor Sam Neely also said a few words about Boseman, having seen him grow up and baptizing him when he was a baby. He saw Boseman like his own child, saying:

"Even though he plays these different people, I still see the person I knew as a child. When I see him, it's almost like seeing my own child. He's still Chad."