[imagesource: Jordan Strauss | Invision | AP]

For more than three years, former US president Barack Obama held the record for posting the most-liked tweet of all time.

On August 13, 2017, Obama posted a quote from Nelson Mandela, in the wake of the deadly Charlottesville attack that left a woman protesting against white supremacy dead.

That tweet has around 4,3 million likes at the time of writing, but has been bumped into second place by the tweet announcing that Chadwick Boseman, of Black Panther fame, passed away this weekend.

Here’s that tweet, which currently has well in excess of 7,3 million likes:

pic.twitter.com/aZ2JzDf5ai

— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020

Twitter confirmed the record with a tweet of their own:

Most liked Tweet ever.

A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever https://t.co/lpyzmnIVoP

— Twitter (@Twitter) August 29, 2020

According to Variety, Twitter also released a statement:

“Fans are coming together on Twitter to celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman, and the tweet sent from his account last night is now the most liked tweet of all time on Twitter,” the company said in a statement.

Twitter also reinstated the “Black Panther” hashtag emoji in the wake of the star’s death.

“Fans are also working to organize ‘Black Panther’ Twitter watch parties using #BlackPanther and #WakandaForever, so Twitter has turned the original #BlackPanther emoji back on so fans can watch and talk about his legacy together,” Twitter said.

The fact that Boseman battled colon cancer for four years with such grace, continuing to star in films along the way, whilst keeping his diagnosis private, clearly touched the greater public.

Even if you weren’t a fan of Black Panther, the movie, there’s no denying the impact that it had on so many, who finally felt represented when watching a Hollywood blockbuster superhero movie.

If you only watch one video in an effort to understand why the movie has become so iconic, make it this one:

[source:variety]