Chadwick Boseman’s widow accepts his NAACP Image Award with a tearful speech

Late American actor Chadwick Boseman was posthumously awarded at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards.

The honour was accepted by the deceased Black Panther star’s widow Simone Ledward Boseman for his performance in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Delivering an emotional speech, she said: "As always, he would give all honor and glory to the most high God. He would thank his mom and dad, and he would give honor to the ancestors as we now honor him. Thank you NAACP Image Awards for always giving him his flowers.”

“He was an uncommon artist and an even more uncommon person. But the manner in which we lost him is not uncommon at all. Not in our community,” she said.

"Black people in this country are 20 percent more likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer and 40 percent more likely to die from it. The age for routine screening has recently been lowered to 45 so if you are 45 years of age or older, please get screened. Don't put it off any longer, please get screened," she continued.

"This disease is beatable if you catch it in its early stages so you don't have any time to waste even if you have no family history and even if you think nothing is wrong. And if you are younger than 45, please be proactive about your health. Know the signs, know the science, listen to your body. If you need more information and for a full list of colon cancer symptoms you can visit standuptocancer.org/coloncancersymptoms,” she said.

"Please, you are so needed and you are so loved. Please take your health into your own hands. Thank you,” she added.