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Melvin Van Peebles, the Godfather of Black Film, Is Dead at 89
Disgust over the lack of realistic onscreen portrayals of Black people led Van Peebles to make movies—on his terms.
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Cicely Tyson, Who Spent a Lifetime Portraying Positive Black Womanhood on Screen, Dies at 96
Through her graceful presence onstage, in film and on television, actress Cicely Tyson created portrayals of proud, even majestic women that helped break down America’s stereotypes regarding African-American women. The iconic star, who inspired a generation of Black actresses, died Thursday at the age of 96. Tyson was born on Dec. 19, 1924, in New…
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Hammerin’ Hank Aaron, Once Baseball’s Home Run King, Dies at 86
Universally regarded as one of baseball’s greatest players, Hank Aaron became the all-time home run king, a title he would hold for more than 30 years. Aaron, who was also the last of the Negro League players to move to Major League Baseball, died Friday at age 86. His daughter confirmed his death with Atlanta…
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David Dinkins, New York City’s First Black Mayor, Dies at 93
David Dinkins, who became the first Black mayor of the nation’s largest city, died Monday night at his Upper East Side home in Manhattan at age 93, according to the New York Times. His death occurred a little more than a month after his wife, Joyce, who died in October. Many of New York’s top…
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Civil Rights Pioneer Rev. C.T. Vivian Dies at 95
The Rev. Cordy Tindell Vivian—a product of the Midwest who helped make history in the South—died on Friday morning at his home in Atlanta of natural causes at the age of 95, The Associated Press reports. Born July 30, 1924, in Howard County, Mo., as a child he moved with his mother to Macomb, Ill.,…
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Little Richard, a Founder of Rock 'n' Roll, Has Died at 87
“I should be better recognized today for sure,” Little Richard said in an August 2010 interview with the Wall Street Journal. “I am the beginning. I am the originator.” And indeed, the outrageous performer with the wild falsetto and pounding keyboards ushered in a new sound in the 1950s that combined rock ‘n’ roll with…
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Earl G. Graves Sr., Black Enterprise Founder, Dies at 85
The founder and publisher of Black Enterprise, Earl Gilbert Graves Sr., was an internationally recognized authority on black-owned businesses, a guru for African-American entrepreneurs and a tireless advocate for black business and consumer power. Sadly, Graves died Monday night at the age of 85 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, according to his son, current…
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Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison, One of America’s Greatest Writers, Has Died at 88
A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity. —Toni Morrison text In describing the literary greatness of Toni Morrison—winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in literature, the first awarded to an African-American woman—the Nobel Foundation said that Morrison “in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives…
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Joe Jackson, Controversial Patriarch of a Musical Dynasty, Has Died at 89
Joseph Walter Jackson, who aspired to be a musician himself, instead became the mastermind behind the most successful musical family in pop history, attracting much controversy along the way. He died Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. He was 89. Family sources told TMZ that Jackson died of cancer. He was surrounded by…
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Gifted Singer and Actress Della Reese Dead at 86
From the clubs to stages, Della Reese captured audiences with her melodic voice and ballads that crossed many genres, including jazz, blues and gospel. The songstress, who also displayed her talents as a character actress on TV and the big screen, died Sunday evening at age 86, People reports. Born July 6, 1931, Delloreese Patricia…
