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.
