obituary
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Boxing Legend Pernell ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker Dead at 55
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, the former world champion boxer who embarrassed opponents with his elusive defense and crisp counterpunches, has died at the age of 55. The Virginian-Pilot reports that the Norfolk, Va., native was fatally struck by a car while crossing the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road in Virginia Beach, Va. He…
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Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Drummer Lawrence Leathers Dead at 37
Grammy-winning jazz drummer Lawrence Leathers died Sunday in New York City. He was 37. ABC News reports that Leathers was discovered unconscious in a stairwell of his Bronx, NY, apartment building before he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe he was a victim of domestic violence and confirmed that his girlfriend, 41-year-old Lisa…
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Rashida and Kidada Jones Say Goodbye to Mother Peggy Lipton
It was a sad Mother’s Day for Rashida and Kidada Jones after the death of their mother, actress Peggy Lipton, on Saturday, following a battle with cancer. Lipton was 72. Her daughters issued a statement to the Los Angeles Times, writing: “She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side. ……
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Singer Andre Williams, the 'Godfather of Rap', Dead at 82
R&B singer-producer Andre Williams, whose indelible musical journey included collaborative efforts with Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Ray Charles, has died at the age of 82. On Wednesday, Williams’ record label, Pravda Records, announced his passing on Facebook, paying tribute to their fallen star. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of…
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Legendary 'Song Stylist' Nancy Wilson Dies at 81
Nancy Sue Wilson, the award-winning singer who lent her vocal instrument to the world for over five decades, has died at the age of 81. Wilson’s publicist confirmed that the iconic singer died at her home in Pioneertown, Calif., on Thursday following a long illness, according to Deadline. A specific cause of death hasn’t been…
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Charles ‘Chuck’ Harrison, the Most Important Person You Never Heard Of, Dead at 87
The man once called the “Jackie Robinson of design,” who invented so many products that Sears changed its policy on hiring blacks; who created many of the household items you take for granted, has passed away at the age of 87. Charles “Chuck” Harrison is considered the greatest black industrial designer who ever lived, and…
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The Rev. Wyatt T. Walker, MLK’s Right Hand, Dead at 88
The Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, a fierce civil rights advocate and strategist over many generations, died Tuesday at his home in Chester, Va. He was 88 years old. His death was announced by the Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network on Twitter; Walker was the 27-year-old organization’s first board chairman. As with…
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Remembering a Pioneer: Civil Rights Attorney and Activist Frankie Muse Freeman Dies at 101
She was a fearless fighter for our freedom, and one of the first of her kind: She was Frankie Muse Freeman, a brilliant civil rights attorney, activist and icon. She died Friday, Jan. 12, at the age of 101. Born in segregated Virginia in 1916, Freeman was raised in a college-educated family, ultimately attending Hampton…
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In Memoriam: Remembering Those We Lost in 2017
We laid many of our beloved black icons, role models and pioneers to rest in 2017. From legends such as Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Della Reese to modern-day stars like Charlie Murphy and Prodigy; from unsung heroes like civil rights activists and black firsts to men, women and children killed by police, and to…
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Recy Taylor, Catalyst for Anti-Rape Activism in the Jim Crow South, Dead at 97
Recy Taylor, whose story of sexual assault at the hands of six white men in 1944 is featured in the book At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance—A New History of the Civil Rights Movement From Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power, died at a nursing home in…