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Chadwick Boseman: How Black Panther inspired children and adults

Getty Images A fan poses with a cosplayer portraying a character from the 2018 US superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character, 'The Black Panther' pose in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi on February 14, 2018Getty Images
Chadwick Boseman and the Black Panther film helped many find their inner superhero

Chadwick Boseman's role as Black Panther delighted children and adults around the world.

Boseman played T'Challa, a superhero and leader of Wakanda, in the film Black Panther - which was praised as a cultural milestone for having a primarily black cast.

The character was seen as an inspiration for young black people in particular - as Black Panther was the first high-profile black Marvel superhero, and Wakanda was a strong country with the most advanced technology on Earth.

As tributes pour in for Boseman, who died of cancer aged 43, many are remembering the impact that his character had on them, and their families.

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Children - and teachers - had even adopted the "Wakanda handshake" after the film first came out.

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The film featured strong female characters, including T'Challa's sister Shuri - an inventor and chief science officer of Wakanda.

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And it wasn't just children who were inspired - the film came at a time when awareness of the importance of diversity and representation on screen was growing - and cosplayers and adult fans were also keen to celebrate the style of Black Panther characters.

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Getty Images Fans dressed as characters from Marvel's Black Panther movie attend Comic-Con International on July 20, 2018 in San Diego, California.Getty Images
Fans dressed as Shuri, T'challa and Okoye

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Getty Images Fans dressed as characters from Marvel's Black Panther movie attend Comic-Con International on July 20, 2018 in San Diego, California.Getty Images
Fans at Comic-Con International in 2018

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