There are currently no active, titular, or lead characters in the MCU that are male and black save The Black Panther. This character has an extensive, rich history and character arc like none other in modern literature. Whether by design or coincidence T’Challa is a classical dynamic character that is reminiscent of those that Alexandre Dumas wrote about and modeled after a Black man. 

At this point, The Black Panther is more than just a fictional character. He is modern mythos that is inspiring many people of all ethnicities while serving as a role model for young black and brown men. Those young men make up more than 60% of the target audience while drawing in other demographics in the process. 

Chadwick Boseman did an incredible job of portraying T’Challa and was a great ambassador for Marvel Studios. His death was tragic on multiple levels and has left many (such as myself) feeling very sad. His body of work will live on for many years to come. And while his portrayal of The Black Panther should be considered the “gold standard”, replacing him with another character who is not T’Challa would not honor his memory.

Additionally, recasting the Black Panther as someone other than a black man would be a slap in the face to all who loved that character and an insult to the target audience of men of color. So, it is my humble request that the character of T’Challa remains as the Black Panther or that any new character be a black man.