>>> PURPOSE IS AN ESSENTIAL
>>> PURPOSE IS AN ESSENTIAL
ELEMENT OF YOU.
IT IS THE REASON YOU ARE ON THE
PLANET AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME
IN HISTORY.
>> CHADWICK BOSEMAN FOUND HIS
PURPOSE IN HIS 43 YEARS ON THIS
PLANET.
WE NOW KNOW THAT HE WAS
STRUGGLING WITH COLON CANCER
WHEN HE DELIVERED THAT
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS TO HIS ALMA
MATER, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, TWO
YEARS AGO, EXACTLY THREE MONTHS
AFTER HE HAD BECOME THE BIGGEST
MOVIE STAR IN THE WORLD PLAYING
THE BLACK PANTHER.
>> THE STRUGGLES ALONG THE WAY
ARE ONLY MEANT TO SHAPE YOU FOR
YOUR PURPOSE.
WHEN I DARED TO CHALLENGE THE
SYSTEM THAT WOULD RELEGATE US TO
VICTIMS AND STEREOTYPES WITH NO
CLEAR HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS, NO
HOPES OR TALENTS, WHEN I
REQUESTED THAT METHOD OF
PORTRAYAL, A DIFFERENT PATH
OPENED UP FOR ME.
>> AND THAT PATH LED TO CHADWICK
BOSEMAN PLAYING A FICTIONAL
SUPERHERO FOR WHICH HE BECAME
WORLD FAMOUS AND THE REAL-LIFE
SUPERHERO SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
THURGOOD MARSHALL, A GRADUATE OF
HOWARD UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
>> MR. SPELL, I’M THURGOOD
MARSHAL WITH THE NAACP.
HAVE YOU HEARD OF US?
>> YOU A LAWYER?
>> I AM.
THIS IS SAM FRIEDMAN.
HE’S A LAWYER TOO.
>> YOU CAN GO.
I GOT NO MONEY FOR LAWYERS.
>> ANYBODY ASK YOU FOR MONEY?
DID YOU RAPE THAT WOMAN, JOSEPH?
>> NO.
>> WHY DOES SHE SAY YOU DID?
>> I DON’T KNOW WHY SHE’S SAYIN’
THAT.
>> SHE SAYS YOU RAPED HER AND
TRIED TO KILL HER.
>> SHE LIED.
>> I’M TELLING YOU THIS UP
FRONT.
THE NAACP WILL NOTARE NOT LIKE M
LAWYERS.
WE ONLY REPRESENT INNOCENT
PEOPLE, PEOPLE ACCUSED BECAUSE
OF THEIR RACE.
THAT’S OUR MISSION.
YOU UNDERSTAND?
SO I NEED TO KNOW THIS.
LOOK AT ME NOW.
DID YOU DO WHAT THEY SAID YOU
DID?
>> I NEVER TOUCHED THAT WOMAN.
>> OKAY, JOSEPH.
YOU GOT LAWYERS NOW.
>> IN HIS FINAL WORDS TO THE
HOWARD CLASS OF 2018, CHADWICK
BOSEMAN SPOKE FROM HIS OWN
EXPERIENCE AND FROM THURGOOD
MARSHALL’S EXPERIENCE AND FROM
THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY OTHER
HOWARD GRADUATES WHO FOUND THEIR
PURPOSE.
>> IF YOU’RE WILLING TO TAKE THE
HARDER WAY, THE MORE COMPLICATED
ONE, THE ONE WITH MORE FAILURES
AT FIRST THAN SUCCESSES, THE ONE
THAT HAS ULTIMATELY PROVEN TO
HAVE MORE MEANING, MORE VICTORY,
MORE GLORY, THEN YOU WILL NOT
REGRET IT.
HOWARD’S LEGACY IS NOT WRAPPED
UP IN THE MONEY THAT YOU WILL
MAKE BUT THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU
CHOOSE TO CONFRONT.
AS YOU COMMENCE TO YOUR PATHS,
PRESS ON WITH PRIDE AND PRESS ON
WITH PURPOSE.
GOD BLESS YOU.
I LOVE YOU, HOWARD.
HOWARD FOREVER.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> CHADWICK BOSEMAN FOREVER.
