Obituary
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Bunny Wailer, Founding Member of Iconic Reggae Group, Dies at 73
Bunny Wailer, who was the last remaining founding member of the iconic reggae group The Wailers, has died at 73. The Jamaica Observer confirmed the death of Wailer, whose given name was Neville Livingston, via a statement from his manager, who said he died Tuesday morning. No cause of death was shared, but Wailer had…
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Irv Cross, 1st Black Full-Time Sports Analyst on National Television, Dead at 81
Irv Cross accomplished quite a bit in life. He was a two-time Pro Bowler who spent nine years in the NFL as a defensive back, and while pursuing a broadcasting career after his retirement, he became the first Black man to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television with CBS. Sadly, he’s no…
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Douglas Turner Ward, Co-Founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, Dies at 90
Playwright. Tony-nominated actor. Director. Advocate. Those are just a few words to describe theater great Douglas Turner Ward, who died on Saturday, February 20 as confirmed to The New York Times by his wife. The Times reports that Ward passed away in his Manhattan home at 90 years old. The cause of his death has…
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Prince Markie Dee of Pioneering Hip-Hop Trio The Fat Boys Dead at 52
Prince Markie Dee, one of the founding members of the hip-hop trio The Fat Boys has died at the age of 52. No cause of death has been officially confirmed at this time. “Forever in my Heart. Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends,”…
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Ex-NFL Star Vincent Jackson Found Dead at 38
I don’t think any of us saw this one coming. On Monday, ESPN reports that former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson was found dead in a Florida hotel room. He was 38. His body was discovered at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday at the Homewood Suites in Brandon, Fla. While the cause of death…
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Mary Wilson, Co-Founding Member of The Supremes, Dies at 76
She was a Motown legend, bestselling author, music activist, former U.S. cultural ambassador and co-founding member of The Supremes—of which she was dubbed “the sexy one.” Entertainer Mary Wilson, best known as the longest-running member of the group she made famous alongside Diana Ross and Florence Ballard (and later, Cindy Birdsong) died on Monday night…
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Legendary Boxer and Former Heavyweight Champ Leon Spinks Dies at 67
Boxing legend Leon Spinks—who is most well known for his 1978 upset victory in the ring against Muhammad Ali—died Friday after a long battle with prostate cancer and other ailments. On Feb. 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Spinks, an undersized heavyweight, became the undisputed heavyweight champion after going toe-to-toe with Ali for 15 rounds…
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Dianne Durham, First Black Woman to Win a USA Gymnastics National Championship, Dies at 52
Before Dominique Dawes, Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas there was Dianne Durham. The first Black woman to win a USA Gymnastics national championship died in Chicago Thursday at age 52. According to the Associated Press, Durham’s husband, Tom Drahozal, said that she died of a “short illness” in a Chicago hospital with him and her…