In the Netflix film, Boseman plays an ambitious trumpeter named Levee who aims to launch himself with his own updated version of the songs of Ma Rainey, the powerhouse blues singer played by Viola Davis.

It was the last of many performances that provided audiences with a series of diverse portrayals of American heroes, and cemented his enduring legacy “as a hero.”

To quote Michelle Obama: “There’s a reason he could play Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and King T’Challa with such captivating depth and honesty. He, too, knew what it meant to truly persevere. He, too, knew that real strength starts inside. And he, too, belongs right there with them as a hero – for Black kids and for all of our kids.

“There’s no better gift with which to grace our world.”

Golden Globes 2021: Chadwick Boseman’s wife delivers emotional acceptance speech on late actor’s behalf