Anderson, South Carolina, plans to honor hometown hero and late actor Chadwick Boseman in his home state with a statue, but they won’t tear down a confederate monument to do it.

A spokesperson from Mayor Terence Roberts' office confirmed that an artist is already working on ideas that will eventually get proposed to the public, according to TMZ. However, the plan is not for it to replace a Confederate statue.

READ: Will Chadwick Boseman Win An Oscar Posthumously?

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there is a memorial called Our Confederate Dead at the courthouse, which was erected in 1901. There are also several streets, including Beauregard Avenue and Bonham Court, which honor the confederacy.

A Change.org petition has over 50,000 signatures calling for Boseman’s memorial to replace the courthouse’s confederate monument. “With help from the signers of this petition, I hope that it becomes apparent how popular this idea is. It is time to unify Anderson around a true local hero and time to honor all South Carolinians, not just the ideals of a few,” the anonymous petition starter wrote.

In any case, Anderson alone is not allowed to decide to pull down a confederate monument. The Heritage Act dictates that two-thirds of the state legislature must vote in support of a Confederate monument’s removal in South Carolina.

Boseman died on Aug. 28 after battling colon cancer for four years. The news came as a shock to many because the 43-year-old actor didn’t publicly reveal his illness. He filmed “Black Panther” and two “Avengers” films while fighting cancer and receiving chemotherapy and undergoing surgeries. He did not inform anyone involved with the productions, not wanting anyone to fuss over his health.

Chadwick Boseman Black Panther premiere
Chadwick Boseman is pictured at the world premiere of Marvel's "Black Panther" on Jan. 29, 2018 in Hollywood, California Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images
RELATED STORIES