Denzel Washington Fullfilled a Promise with "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Why We Need to Preserve Legacies
Variety's article posted on March 26th, 2021 written by Tim Gray highlights Denzel Washington's promise he intends to fulfill to a deceased legend.
Death is an inevitable part of our reality but does death mean the end? Should everything we have worked for in our lives die with us? It shouldn't so long as we have people like Denzel Washington who is making it a point to honor a promise he intends to fulfill. Mr. Washington has set out to pay homage to the late and great playwright August Wilson by bringing 10 of Wilson's plays into film adaptations. Wilson had a goal of writing 10 plays with each covering a decade in the 2oth Century.
Denzel Washington started his goal producing the film adaptation of "Fences" in 2016 and his most recent was critically acclaimed, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" available on Netflix. Needless to say, Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman gave us two amazing performances.
With the passing of beloved figures such as Chadwick Boseman, Cicely Tyson, Cloris Leachman, DMX and many others, the subject of legacy has been heavy on my mind. Our icons are dying but how will we remember them? It is our responsibility to ensure they live on as we honor their work, good character and major influenced. Michael Jackson and Prince are long gone but rest assured my children and grandchildren's grandchildren will know who they are and what they have accomplished.
History has a tendency to repeat itself. Sometimes for good and sometimes for the bad. This is why it is so important to study the history has been made by those who came before us and made an impact. We can learn from the example these people have set while they were still around.
I must say, Chadwick Boseman's death as well as the death of DMX really hit me hard. How is it possible that men that I have never met have affected me in such a visceral way? Well, we're human and these humans had substance. While I didn't know them personally, I know what they accomplished or at the very least tried to by their actions.
While it is beautiful and we must continue to honor those that passed by giving them their flowers, the best way to honor them is by making better choices while we are still alive. Let's make sure we carry out the positive wishes our icons had for a better society. When we do that our legends will never die!