Earlier in his career, Mr Boseman played black icons Jackie Robinson in"42" - today, ironically, was Jackie Robinson Day in the US - and James Brown in"Get on Up.""The true power of @chadwickboseman was bigger than anything we saw on screen," wrote Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden."From the Black Panther to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want - even super heroes.
Leading US civil rights organisation the NAACP praised Mr Boseman for"showing us how to conquer adversity with grace" and"to walk as a King, without losing the common touch".Mr Boseman had recently appeared in Spike Lee's Vietnam War-set"Da 5 Bloods," and was set to appear in a sequel to"Black Panther" due in 2022.
His character T'Challa, king and protector of technologically advanced Wakanda, was the first black superhero in mainstream American comics, having been featured in"The Fantastic Four" in 1966. Mr Boseman shrugged off doubters who tried to convince him not to give the superhero an African accent.