38 Black Celebrities Who Died in 2016

Muhammad Ali (Jan. 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) Champion boxer Muhammad Ali, known as "The Greatest of All Time," died at age 74 of respiratory complications. Ali achieved success as a heavyweight fighter and Olympic gold medalist, but he continues to be a role model for athletes who protest against Black oppression. The activist boxer refused to fight in the Vietnam War on religious grounds but also declared the Viet Cong were not the true enemies of Black people. Monte Irvin (Feb. 25, 1919 – Jan. 11, 2016) Known as one of the Negro League's best players, New York Giants outfielder Monte Irvin, who was on tap to integrate Major League Baseball in the 1940s, died of natural causes at age 96. Prince (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) A singer with a decades-long, boundary-defying career, Prince died at 57 of a drug overdose at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota. Known as "The Purple One," the singer earned massive success churning out hits like "Purple Rain," "Kiss," and "1999," but Prince also was an activist. He believed Black lives matter and frequently spoke about Egyptian philosophy and historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke. Prince also supported self-determination. Billy Paul (Dec. 1, 1934 – April 24, 2016) Best known for the single "Me and Mrs. Jones," Billy Paul was 80 years old when he died and had been hospitalized following a recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Kimbo Slice (Feb. 8, 1974 – June 6, 2016) Iconic street and mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice — born Kevin Ferguson — died at 42 of congestive heart failure. Slice, who competed on "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2012, launched his professional career after finding success with viral street fighting videos. He signed to UFC and held a 1-1 record before leaving the company to pursue wrestling. In MMA, the fighter had a 5-2 record with four TKOs. Tray Walker (Aug. 5, 1992 – March 18, 2016) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker was just 23 years old when he died in a motorbike accident after colliding with an SUV. Maurice White (Dec. 19, 1941 – Feb. 3, 2016) Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, died in his sleep at age 74 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. During his tenure with the funk-soul band, they sold over a 100 million records and churned out hits like "Reasons," "September" and "Shining Star." Aside from his work with the band, White carved out an impressive music career behind the scenes, co-producing and co-writing the hit, "Best of My Love" by The Emotions, a group he discovered. Kashif Saleem (Dec. 26, 1959 - Sept. 25, 2016) Singer-songwriter and producer Kashif Saleem, known for his work with the likes of Whitney Houston and George Benson, reportedly died of natural causes at 56 years old. Afeni Shakur (January 10, 1947 – May 2, 2016) Afeni Shakur, activist and mother of rapper Tupac Shakur, passed away at 69 of a heart attack. The former Black Panther — who was arrested and charged with conspiracy to bomb New York City landmarks with other members before her charges were dropped in 1971 — continued to serve the Black community even after her time with the Panther Party ended. Shakur worked as a paralegal to save families from eviction. Until her death, Shakur managed her son's estate after his 1996 murder, giving much of the funds to charity. Sean Rooks (Sept. 9, 1969 – June 7, 2016) Former NBA center and Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Sean Rooks died at 46 of a heart attack after suffering from cardiovascular disease. Youree “Ms. Cleo” Harris (Aug. 12, 1962 – July 26, 2016) Youree Harris, known as the Jamaican TV psychic Ms. Cleo, died of cancer at age 53. Her catchphrase, "Call me now!" was heard on numerous Psychic Readers Network infomercials beginning in the 1990s. After that ended, Harris found voiceover work that included playing a character in "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City." She reprised her psychic role last year in a commercial for French Toast Crunch cereal. Daisy Lewellyn (Jan. 15, 1980 – April 8, 2016) A rare form of cancer claimed the life of Bravo's "Blood, Sweat & Heels," star Daisy Lewellyn at age 36. Journalist and news anchor Gwen Ifill. Photo by Getty Images. Gwen Ifil (Sep. 29, 1955 – Nov. 14, 2016) Cancer lead to the death of famed journalist Gwen Ifill at age 61. Afer beginning her career in newspapers, Ifill ventured into broadcasting with NBC News and ultimately held the anchor spot on PBS' Newshour. The journalist also moderated two vice presidential debates during the 2008 election and earned the John Chancellor Award for journalistic excellence this year. She was due to receive the honor just before her death. James Alan McPherson (Sept. 16, 1943 – July 27, 2016) MacArthur Fellowship recipient and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer James Alan McPherson died of complications from pneumonia at 72. Shawty Lo (March 22, 1976 – Sept. 21, 2016) Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo, born Carlos Walker, died in a car accident at age 40. The MC founded Southern rap group D4L and later, D4L Records, where he produced the hits "Betcha Can't Do It Like Me" and "Laffy Taffy." He also is known for his solo single, "Dey Know." Gugu Zulu ( May 13, 1978 – July 18, 2016) South African rally race car driver Gugu Zulu, known as "the fastest brother in Africa" died at 38 year old as he attempted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. John Saunders (ESPN) John Saunders (Feb. 2, 1955 – Aug. 10, 2016) ESPN commentator John Saunders' death at 61 came unexpectedly and a cause of death was undetermined. But reports suggested diabetes, heart disease and depression were to blame. Still, Saunders enjoyed a lengthy broadcasting career that included hosting the World Series, Stanley Cup playoffs and the MLB All-Star Game. Saunders also anchored several shows on ESPN, including "SportsCenter." Rashaan Salaam (Oct. 8, 1974 – Dec. 5, 2016) Heisman trophy winner Rashaan Salaam was found dead in a Boulder, Colorado, park of an apparent suicide at age 42. Papa Wemba (June 14, 1949 – April 24, 2016) Influential Congolese singer Papa Wemba, known as the King of Rhumba Rock, died at age 66 after collapsing onstage. Wemba helped bring his country's music to a global scale. After forming the group Zaiko Langa Langa in 1969, he wrote such hit songs as "Pauline" and "Liwa Ya Somo" before leaving to form other bands. As a solo artist, his hits include "Analengo" and popular Otis Redding cover "Fa Fa Fa Fa." Known as the Pope of Sape, the musician also cemented himself as a fashion icon with his flamboyant style. Jomo Lord (1975 – 2016) Trinidad and Tobago-born musician Jomo Lord died in his sleep at age 40. His songs included "Lingo" and "Losing Faith." Bill Nunn (Twitter) Bill Nunn (Oct. 20, 1953 – Sept. 24, 2016) Best known for his role as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's 1989 film "Do The Right Thing," Bill Nunn died at age 62 after a long battle with leukemia. The actor went on to star in other Lee films like "Mo’ Better Blues" and also had notable roles in "New Jack City" and "Sister Act." But his work wasn't limited to movies as Nunn also expanded to the theater and opened the Bill Nunn Theatre Outreach Project in 2008 to inspire Black youth to participate in the trade. Odera Owiso (1973 – 2016) Kenyan stage actor Odera Owiso collapsed and died onstage during rehearsal at age 43. He was best known for his role as Papa Tunde on "The Originals" TV series. UPN promo Tommy Ford (Sept. 5, 1964 – Oct. 12, 2016) Thomas Mikal Ford was 52 years old when he died after developing a blood clot and being placed on life support. The actor was best known for his work on the hit 1990s sitcom "Martin." After the show ended, Ford continued acting on shows like "The Jamie Foxx Show" and "The Parkers" but also dove into motivational speaking and filmmaking. He completed work on a documentary called "Through My Lens, Art is Life" about bullying in the Black community and had several films in post-production at the time of his death. Don Marshall (May 2, 1936 – October 30, 2016) Actor Don Marshall, who played Dan Erickson in "Land of the Giants" and starred in "Star Trek" died at 80 of natural causes. Will Smith (July 4, 1981 – April 9, 2016) Retired New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was shot and killed at 34 years old during a road rage incident. Smith spent his entire career with the Louisiana football team and earned a Super Bowl ring with them. In 2006, he became a Pro Bowler and was ranked fourth overall on the team with 67.5 career sacks. One month before his death, a panel elected Smith to the Saints Hall of Fame. Dennis Green (Feb. 17, 1949 – July 21, 2016) Dennis Green was head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals for a combined 13 seasons before his death at age 67 of cardiac arrest complications. Sharon Jones (May 4, 1956 – Nov. 18, 2016) Soul and funk singer Sharon Jones died at age 60 years old after suffering a stroke, but her Dap-King's bandmates blamed the election of Donald Trump for her passing. During her time with the Dap-Kings, the group became known for leading a revival of funk music the way it sounded in the '60s and '70s. The group earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album for "Give the People What They Want." Otis Clay (Feb. 11, 1942 – Jan. 8, 2016) Soul singer Otis Clay died at age 73 after a heart attack. The Blues Hall of Fame inductee's hits included "Trying to Live My Life Without You" and "She's About a Mover." Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images Phife Dawg (Nov. 20, 1970 – March 22, 2016) The sudden death of A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg at age 45 was attributed to complications from Type 2 diabetes. The group's 1991 album "The Low End Theory" included the hit singles "Check the Rhime," "Jazz (We've Got) Buggin' Out" and "Scenario." Known as the Five-Foot Assassin, Phife Dawg was also known for his unique rhymes. He had such a lasting impact, his fans petitioned to have a New York park named after him. Richard “Onion” Horton ( July 5, 1936 – Nov. 24, 2016) Alzheimer’s disease claimed the life of controversial radio personality Richard “Onion” Horton at 80 years old, who was known for his combative, unabashed views on race. Natalie Cole* (Feb. 6, 1950 – Dec. 31, 2015) Although Natalie Cole died on New Year's Eve in 2015, her family did not disclose the news until January of this year. According to a statement, Cole died at age 65 of "complications from ongoing health issues." The singer had a successful career after following in the footsteps of her famous father, Nat "King" Cole. A nine-time Grammy winner, Cole won Album and Record of the Year for her 1991 release, "Unforgettable... with Love," which featured a posthumous duet of "Unforgettable" with her late father. Her other hits include "This Will Be" and "Our Love." Denise "Vanity" Matthews (Jan. 4, 1959 – Feb. 15, 2016) Singer and model Denise Matthews, who performed as Vanity and toured with Prince, died at 57 years old after suffering from kidney-related health problems for years. Attrell Cordes (May 15, 1970 – June 17, 2016) Attrell Cordes, also known as Prince Be of the R&B group PM Dawn, passed away at age 45 of kidney failure. With his brother Jarett, Cordes and PM Dawn achieved major success in the early '90s. The single "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" went to the top of the charts in 1991 pushing the album, "Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience" to gold status. PM Dawn's ballad, "I'd Die Without You" from Eddie Murphy's film "Boomerang" also achieved big success. Bernie Worrell (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) Keyboardist Bernie Worrell rose to fame as the co-founding member of the funk/rock collective Parliament-Funkadelic. He died at age 72 after battling cancer. Dr. Frances Cress Welsing (March 18, 1935 – Jan. 2, 2016) Psychiatrist and scholar Dr. Frances Cress Welsing died at 80 years old of a reported stroke she had days before. Touted as the Queen Mother of Black Consciousness, the author published major writings on racism, including "The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation” and "The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors," the latter of which stirred controversy for its views on whites feeling threatened by Black people. During her time on staff at Howard University, Welsing published "The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism (White Supremacy)," which discussed global white supremacy that feeds oppression out of white fear. Gloria Naylor (Twitter/Associated Press) Gloria Naylor (Jan. 25, 1950 – Sept. 28, 2016) Author Gloria Naylor, who wrote the critically acclaimed novel "The Women of Brewster Place," died of heart failure at 66 years old. Ron Glass (Raven Underwood/Flickr) Ron Glass (July 10, 1945 – Nov. 25, 2016) Known for roles on "Barney Miller" and "Firefly," Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass died of respiratory failure at age 71. Glass got his start on television with guest spots on 1970s sitcoms like "Sanford and Son" and "All in the Family." Later in his career, he had appearances on "The Twilight Zone" and "Family Matters" and completed voice work on the children's series "Rugrats." Glass reprised his "Firefly" role of Shepherd Derrial Book in the film "Serenity" in 2005. George Nauflett (1932 – 2016) Chemist and inventor George Nauflett, who had two dozen patents to his name, died in a house fire at age 84. http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2195268-gun-note-found-near-rashaan-salaams-body/ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/heisman-winner-rashaan-salaam-found-dead-colorado-park-n692806 http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000222373/kenyan-hollywood-star-dies-in-the-us http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/daisy-lewellyn-dies-at-age-36 http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/daisy-lewellyn-dies-at-age-36 http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/arts/music/denise-matthews-pop-singer-vanity-prince.htmlhttp://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/hip-hop/obituary.aspx?nCarlos-Walker-Shawty-Lo&pid181493946&uaT8ieGAnqTKqXUi38LCE7uA%3d%3d http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/hip-hop/obituary.aspx?nCarlos-Walker-Shawty-Lo&pid181493946&uaT8ieGAnqTKqXUi38LCE7uA%3d%3d http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/hip-hop/obituary.aspx?nCarlos-Walker-Shawty-Lo&pid181493946&uaT8ieGAnqTKqXUi38LCE7uA%3d%3d http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/hip-hop/obituary.aspx?nCarlos-Walker-Shawty-Lo&pid181493946&uaT8ieGAnqTKqXUi38LCE7uA%3d%3d http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/18/us/nfl-player-tray-walker-dies/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/us/monte-irvin-baseball-obituary/index.htm lhttp://atlantablackstar.com/2016/05/04/report-prince-died-within-days-of-receiving-help-from-addiction-specialist/ lhttp://atlantablackstar.com/2016/05/04/report-prince-died-within-days-of-receiving-help-from-addiction-specialist/ http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/06/06/muhammad-ali-transcends-race-twitter-isnt-here-for-it-or-piers-morgans-claim-the-boxer-was-more-racist-than-trump/ http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/04/25/legendary-soul-singer-billy-paul-dead/ http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/03/23/phife-dawgs-cause-death-revealed-family-statement/ http://www.legacy.com/news/galleries/celebrity-deaths/gallery/2016-celebrity-deaths/289501 http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bernie-worrell-parliament-funkadelic-keyboardist-dead-at-72-20160624 http://bernieworrell.com/up/biography http://www.legacy.com/news/galleries/celebrity-deaths/gallery/2016-celebrity-deaths/287811 http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/10/04/gloria-naylor-author-explored-themes-black-womanhood-dies-66/ http://people.com/celebrity/attrell-cordes-of-pm-dawn-dies-at-46/ http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/hip-hop/obituary.aspx?nAttrell-Cordes&pid180375757&uajWxMmstE40yavRcJAd1UcA%3d%3d http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/otis-clay-soul-singer-and-blues-hall-of-fame-inductee-dead-at-73-20160109 http://www.legacy.com/memorial-sites/rhythm-and-blues/obituary.aspx?nKashif-Saleem&pid181630420&uaLaRrKnJGbGjq6bISiW3oYg%3d%3d http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/dennis-green-dies-age-67/story?id40802638 http://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/16009900/kimbo-slice-dies-age-42 http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/16031590/sean-rooks-dies-46 http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/01/04/author-psychiatrist-dr-frances-cress-welsing-dies-80/ http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36123214 http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/afeni-shakur-mother-tupac-dead-69-article-1.2622887 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bill-nunn-dead-radio-raheem-932326 http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/natalie-cole-american-singer-songwriter-dies-65-n488916 http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/07/26/fans-react-to-famed-tv-psychic-miss-cleos-death-at-53-after-fight-with-cancer/ http://www.newsweek.com/gugu-zulu-africas-fastest-man-buried-south-africa-484957 http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/03/24/musician-lord-dies-in-sleep/ http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/11/14/longtime-pbs-journalist-gwen-ifill-dead-61/ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/sharon-jones-soul-singer-with-dap-kings-dead-at-60-w451517 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Jones_%26_The_Dap-Kings http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ron-glass-dead-barney-miller-and-firefly-actor-dies-at-71-w452423 http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/onion-horton-militant-african-american-radio-personality-in-st-louis/article_d19fb086-b0d7-5e6f-b9e0-2f62748b8f48.html http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/15174873/will-smith-former-new-orleans-saints-player-shot-killed-traffic-collision http://atlantablackstar.com/2016/10/31/house-fire-claims-life-black-inventor-chemist-george-nauflett/

Afeni Shakur (January 10, 1947 – May 2, 2016)

Sean Rooks (Sept. 9, 1969 – June 7, 2016)

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