When your culture is bereft of actual heroes, you will attach that title and veneration to whomever or whatever stands out.
In evidence, I give you Barack Hussein O'damna, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, any of the "gangsta rap" so called artists...
The list goes on and includes Mandela and his murderous wife.
So complete has been the associated brainwashing of this culture that true black heroes like Col. West, Dr. Ben Carson, Supreme Court Justice Thomas and so many others are vilified and denigrated, accused of "acting white."
It is a pernicious evil besetting the black culture in this country. As they are given more for doing less, they want it all for doing nothing. Slavery and the attendant reparations/welfare/coddling have served to produce a hateful underclass that is resentful of any success and does not have the moral fiber to attempt true excellence. So they elevate unexceptional, unqualified, undeserving examples to hero status.
I weep for my nation,
Crusader Rabbit