“Purpose is the essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill.”

Actor and Howard University alumnus Chadwick Boseman, or shall we say DR. BOSEMAN, imparted heartfelt words of wisdom and inspiration to the Class of 2018 during Howard University’s 150th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 12th in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Howard with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2000. The South Carolina native went on to attend Oxford University, and launched an acting career through an emotional journey.

He spoke of one of his first gigs in a soap opera, where he challenged the stereotypical narrative of the Black character he was playing.

“I found myself conflicted. The role seemed to be wrapped up in assumptions about us as black folk – hardly any positivity.”

He noted that after voicing the concerns to the show’s producers, he had been fired.

“What do you do when the principles and standards that were instilled in you here at Howard close the doors in front of you? Sometimes you need to get knocked down before you can really figure out what your fight is.”

After nearly giving up on acting (we are so glad that he did not), he went on to play leading roles as Jackie Robinson, James Brown, T’Challa in Black Panther (Wakanda Forever), and Thurgood Marshall, where he transformed completed into the very essence of these characters. When Boseman steps on to the big screen, we believe him every time.

Listen as he shares his own personal gems to a crowd of hopeful graduates as they head out to put their education into utility throughout adulthood. During the ceremony, Howard University also awarded Boseman with the university’s highest honor – an honorary doctorate degree, Doctor of Humane Letters. Boseman then announced that he will lead a campaign to create a separate college of fine arts at the university as, currently, Howard only has a division of fine arts.

“Take the harder way, the more complicated one, the one with more failures at first than successes. Then, you will not regret it.”

Boseman recounted his very own experience with campus activism as he addressed the university’s recent public financial aid scandal head-on, and congratulated the student activists and school leadership for making progress towards resolution.