Black Obituaries 2023: Notable Black People Who Died This Year
Rest In Power: Notable Black People Who Have Died In 2023
Bertie Bowman in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 14, 2009. | Source: Douglas Graham / Getty
Born the fifth of 14 children to sharecroppers in South Carolina, Bowman wrote in his 2008 autobiography “Step by Step” that his life changed in 1944 when, during a visit to his hometown, South Carolina Sen. Burnet Maybank told residents: “If you all ever get up to Washington, D.C., drop by and see me!” Bowman, 13 at the time, took the senator’s word for it and ran away from home. He paid a visit to Maybank, who helped him secure a job sweeping the Capitol steps for $2 a week, according to his autobiography. During more than 60 years in D.C., Bowman garnered a reputation for doing it all — he worked as a janitor, a cook and a shoe-shiner. He also bore witness to some of the most consequential periods in U.S. history, including Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision ending legal segregation in schools, the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, among others. In the 1960s, Bowman became a clerk for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later a hearing coordinator, according to CBS News. In 1966, he joined the U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union as a volunteer on the credit committee and would go on to become a board member and chair.Those remembering Bowman’s life include Vice President Kamala Harris. “Bertie Bowman was a dedicated public servant,” Harris wrote on the social media app formerly known as Twitter. “The son of sharecroppers, Bertie served in the halls of Congress for more than 60 years. His unmatched devotion represents the best of our nation and the American people are forever grateful for his service. Doug and I send our prayers to Bertie’s family, friends, and all those who loved him.” READ MORE: Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2022 Keep reading below to learn more about the other notable Black people who have died this year.
1. DJ Mark The 45 King, hip-hop producer
DJ Mark the 45 King, a legendary hip-hop producer behind hit songs for rappers like Jay-Z, Eminem and Queen Latifah, died on Oct. 18 at the age of 62.
2. Gail O'Neill, model and journalist
Gail O’Neill, a pioneering fashion model who later in life worked as a journalist, has died at the age of 61. Women’s Wear Daily first reported O’Neill’s death. She was reported to have died at her home in the Atlanta area on Oct. 12.
There was no official cause of O’Neill’s death immediately reported. However, ArtATL — a news publication for which O’Neill served worked as an editor — reported that she “had courageously fought a serious illness over the past two years.”
7. Irish Grinstead
Irish Grinstead, who rose to prominence in the late 1990s as one-third of the award-winning R&B trio 702, has died, according to her sister. The announcement was posted on Instagram and reported that the singer died on Saturday following a “long battle.” She was 43.
“It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my beautiful sister and friend has passed away this evening,” LeMisha Grinstead, who is a current member of 702, wrote in an Instagram post late Saturday night. “She has had a long battle and she is finally at peace.”
LeMisha Grinstead eulogized her “beautiful” sister and group mate.
As part of 702, Irish saw mainstream success with hits like “Steelo” and “Where My Girls At,” among others.
The trio also saw a Billboard win with Missy Elliott‘s hit record, “Beep Me 911.” The song also featured a cameo by rapper Magoo, who passed away in August of 2023. He was 50 years old.
702 went through several iterations of the group with several different members. However, Irish Grinstead was a constant throughout it all.
The group is named for the area code of Las Vegas, where Irish was a high school student when she and her group mates were discovered by comedian Sinbad. Afterward, New Edition legend and music mogul Mike Bivins began managing the group. The rest, as they say, is history.
The group three studio albums between 1996 and 2003, and in 2018, 702 announced a reunion tour featuring Irish, LeMisha and Kameelah Williams, an original member.
Irish Grinstead’s death comes more than 15 years after her twin sister, Orish, an original member of 702, died from kidney failure.
9. Mike Williams, NFL Player
Former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams died Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital from injuries sustained in a construction accident two weeks ago. He was only 36 years old. His death was confirmed by his agent, Hadley Engelhard.
According to AP, Mike Williams was injured at a construction site in Hillsborough County. He was immediately put on a ventilator but was removed from life support on Thursday.
Williams was an accomplished NFL wide receiver who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills from 2010-14. He was a standout college player at Syracuse University and was drafted in the fourth round by the Bucs. As a rookie, he had 11 touchdowns with 65 catches. In 2014, he was traded to Buffalo, where he grew up as a child. He would later play a short stint with the Kansas City Chiefs.
From NFL:
Williams exploded onto the scene in 2010, finishing second in Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year voting to then-St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. The wideout started in all 16 games that season and hauled in 11 touchdowns and 964 receiving yards on 65 receptions. He had another big season in 2012, turning in nine TDs and 996 yards.
The Buccaneers organization released a statement sending their condolences to the family.
“We are saddened to hear of the untimely death of Mike Williams, which has left our organization, his former teammates and fans with very heavy hearts,” said the Bucs organization. “We send our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones as they mourn this tragedy.”
12. Clarence Avant, music executive and businessman
Clarence Avant, the music industry veteran executive and businessman who became known as “The Black Godfather” of the entertainment business, died on Sunday. He was 92 years old.
USA Today reported that Avant’s family confirmed the death on Monday.
“It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant,” the family said in part of a statement about the man who the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. “Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as ‘The Black Godfather’ in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports.”
More from USA Today:
Avant, a North Carolina native, became a pillar in entertainment after moving to Los Angeles in the late 1960s. There, he formed Sussex Records in 1969, which signed Sixto Rodriguez and soul singer Bill Withers, who released hits “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Use Me” and “Lean on Me,” while signed to the label.
The cause of Avant’s death was not immediately reported.
13. DJ Casper
DJ Casper, the Chicago native who birthed an international dance craze with the “Cha Cha Slide,” died. He was 58 years old.
Born Willie Perry Jr, Casper had been diagnosed with kidney and liver cancer in 2016. His time in the limelight began with the “Cha Cha Slides” released in 2000. The record, which was accompanied by a dance, topped music charts in the United States and abroad. Even twenty years later, the track remains a popular song of choice at parties, celebrations and sporting events.
Earlier this year, Casper told Chicago’s ABC7 that even he was surprised that the song became a global phenomenon.
“When I first did it, I did it as an aerobic exercise for my nephew at Bally’s,” Casper said. “From there, it just took off. Elroy Smith from WGCI grabbed ahold of it.”
During his interview, Casper reflected on the lasting impact the “Cha Cha Slide” made on an international scale.
“I have one of the biggest songs that played at all stadiums: hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics,” Casper said. “It was something that everybody could do.”
Casper also talked about his health complications, encouraging his fans to keep pushing.
“I used to weigh 236 pounds, and I think I’m about 60 pounds less,” Casper told ABC7. “If you know me, you know I’m not going to stop. I’m going to continue to go. I’m going to continue to go until I can’t go.”
He continued, “Anybody that’s going through cancer, know that you have cancer and cancer does not have you,” Casper said. “So, keep on doing the ‘Cha Cha Slide.’”
Let’s keep DJ Casper and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
14. Sheila Oliver, New Jersey Lieutenant Governor
New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver has died at the age of 71, according to her family.
Oliver was the first Black woman to serve in the statewide-elected position. Her cause of death was not disclosed by the family.
“She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero,” the Oliver family said in a statement to CNN. “Sheila Y. Oliver leaves behind a legacy of dedication, service, and inspiration. We will remember her commitment to the people of New Jersey and her tireless efforts to uplift the community.”
Sheila Oliver was a woman of many firsts. She was a graduate of Lincoln University and obtained her Master’s from Columbia University
Oliver has served as the state’s lieutenant governor since January 2018. Not only was she the first Black woman to hold the position, but also the first woman of color to serve in a statewide elected office in the history of New Jersey. Oliver also served as speaker of the state general assembly in 2003, becoming the first Black woman to achieve that feat as well.
Gov. Phil Murphy said he and his family were “incredibly saddened and distraught” when they found out about Oliver’s passing.
Murphy issued a statement about the tragic loss calling Oliver a trailblazer.
“When I selected her to be my running mate in 2017, Lieutenant Governor Oliver was already a trailblazer in every sense of the word,” Murphy said in a statement to CNN. “She had already made history as the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the General Assembly, and just the second Black woman in the nation’s history to lead a house of a state legislature. I knew then that her decades of public service made her the ideal partner for me to lead the State of New Jersey. It was the best decision I ever made.”
Oliver’s colleagues remembered her as a “compassionate and accomplished legislator.”
“Sheila will be remembered as a pioneer in public service paving the way for so many women, but most of all I will remember her for the thoughtful compassion with which she approached the legislative process,” Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald said in a statement to CBS News.
“She never forgot what this work was all about: the people, said Attorney General Matt Platkin. “And she always believed things could get better – better for an individual, better for a community, better for a state. The world needs more Sheila Olivers. May she rest in peace.”
15. John Beasley, actor
Hollywood actor John Beasley has died at the age of 79. His death which, was confirmed by his son Tyrone Beasley, comes after John had been undergoing tests on his liver. His condition unexpectedly worsened right before his passing.
John Beasley appeared in movies and Broadway plays for the past two decades. One of his most memorable roles came in 1993 when Beasley played an assistant coach in the famous football movie Rudy. That same year Beasley also starred in Losing Isaiah across from Halle Berry.
His movie list is quite remarkable. He also starred in The Mighty Ducks, The Apostle, Little Big League, The Sum of All Fears, as well as the remake of Walking Tall and most recently the 2022 film Firestarter.
Beasley also spent quite some time onstage. He recently appeared on a Chicago Broadway musical The Notebook, which is based on the book which became a very popular film in 2004. Beasley appeared on TV as well, appearing on shows like Missing Persons, Early Edition, CSI, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, Treme and The Mandalorian.
“Man…you know this is a part of life…but that doesn’t make it any easier,” wrote Tyrone. “I lost my best friend today. They say you shouldn’t ever meet your heroes because they don’t turn out to be who you thought they were. That is so wrong. My hero was my father. Thank you for everything. I hope I made you proud. Love you more.”
16. Jim Brown, football player, activist
Jim Brown, the football legend who also became an activist, actor and overall mainstay in popular culture, has died at the age of 87. The Associated Press reported that Brown died Thursday night at his home in Los Angeles. No cause of death was immediately reported.
From the AP:
One of the greatest players in football history and one of the game’s first superstars, Brown was chosen the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1965 and shattered the league’s record books in a short career spanning 1957-65.
Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 before retiring in his prime after the ’65 season to become an actor. He appeared in more than 30 films, including “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.”
An unstoppable runner with power, speed and endurance, Brown’s arrival sparked the game’s burgeoning popularity on television. When he finished playing, Brown became a prominent leader in the Black power movement during the civil rights struggles of the 1960s.
Aside from professional football, Brown also enjoyed a lengthy career as an actor in Hollywood, where he would star and appear in productions for four decades.
In the 1960s, Brown became actively involved in the civil rights movement and founded the Black Economic Union, which focuses on community revitalization “while stimulating economic growth for existing independently owned area businesses,” according to its website.
Decades later, Brown founded the Amer-I-Can Foundation, an academic-centered organization serving “at-risk and high risk youth in underserved schools and juvenile detention facilities,” its website says.
In later years, Brown’s political activity turned slightly to the right; namely during Donald Trump’s presidency, which Brown would often defend.
While Brown never offered his full-throated endorsement of Trump, he also would not condemn it.
During a memorable meeting in the White House attended by both the press as well as rapper Kanye West, Brown spoke glowingly of Trump.
“We had the opportunity to meet with the President of the United States which everybody doesn’t have that privilege,” Brown told reporters back in 2018. “With me, at 82 years old, the only thing I could talk about was how to help other people. So, it was very positive.”
“This is the President of the United States,” Brown added. “He allowed me to be invited to his territory, he treated us beautifully, and he shared some thoughts, and he will be open to talking when I get back to him. That’s the best he could do for me.”
17. Bill Perkins, Harlem politician
Bill Perkins, the venerable New York City politician who served in the city council and state senate over the course of several decades representing his hometown of Harlem, has died at the age of 74. He died on the night of May 15 in his Harlem home, his wife confirmed with the Amsterdam News.
“After a lifetime fighting for justice, equality and to make the of our community heard, my husband, former City Councilman and State Senator died at his home in Harlem, the community he loved and fought for his entire life” Pamela Green Perkins said in a statement. “May he rest in peace and power.”
No cause of death was immediately reported.
Perkins, a Democrat, was remembered by the New York Daily News as a politician who “emerged as a leading progressive voice — a supporter of the Central Park Five, an early voice against the Iraq War and for LGBT rights.”
Perkins served in the New York state senate from 2007 to 2017. He was first elected to the New York City Council in 1997.
When his city council term limit expired in 2005, he ran for Manhattan Borough President. While he came up short in that race, the loss paved the way for Perkins’ successful run in the state senate, where he would serve for a decade.
18. Oakland Athletics v Baltimore Orioles
Vida Blue, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who led the Oakland Athletics franchise to win three straight World Series in the 1970s, died on May 13 at the age of 73. It was neither immediately clear where Blue died nor the cause of his death.
The Oakland A’s eulogized Blue on Twitter with a brief statement acknowledging the death and explaining why he meant so much to the ball club.
“There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue, the team statement began. “He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young winner, and an Oakland A’s Hall of Famer. Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time.”
The New York Times reported how Blue energized fan bases of all MLB teams, not just the A’s, because of his legendary pitching prowess.
Opposing hitters spoke mystically of how Blue’s fastballs would disappear or jump over their bats. Reporters speculated about why he carried two dimes in his pocket when he pitched, with some suggesting it was a charm to help him win 20 games. Across the country, attendance at his outings swelled to levels that stadiums had not seen in years. Fans of an opposing team, the Detroit Tigers, chanted outside the clubhouse, “We want Vida!”
Blue also made Black history as a pitcher.
During the 1971 season, he and Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates were both names starting pitchers for that year’s all-star game, the first time two Black pitchers started each other in MLB all-star game history.
19. Tori Bowie, track and field champion
Tori Bowie, an Olympic gold medalist in track and field, has died at the young age of 32. The death of Bowie, who was found dead in her Florida home, was confirmed by the athlete’s sports management agency.
“We’re devasted to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away,” Icon Management Inc. tweeted on May 3. “We’ve lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister. Tori was a champion…a beacon of light that shined so bright! We’re truly heartbroken and our prayers are with the family and friends.”
No cause of Bowie’s death was reported, according to TMZ.
20. Larry “Gator” Rivers, Harlem Globetrotters legend
Former Harlem Globetrotter and Georgia high school basketball legend Larry “Gator” Rivers, died April 29 at the age of 73 after losing his battle with cancer. Rivers died at a hospital in his hometown of Savannah, according to Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis.
Larry Rivers was a pioneer for high school basketball in the state of Georgia. Rivers participated on the all-Black Beach High School team that won the first Georgia High School Association basketball tournament to include Black and white players in 1967. By the time he was a senior, River was an all-state hooper and would go on to be an all-American talent Moberly Junior College in Missouri.
After college, Larry Rivers went on to play and coach for 16 seasons with the Harlem Globetrotters, a traveling exhibition basketball team that originated in 1926 and was a place where talented Black players could show the world their skills.
After Rivers’ basketball career, he returned back to Savannah and become involved in the community. He volunteered in schools and promoted the rebuilding of neighborhood basketball courts. He eventually ran for county commission in 2020 and was elected after his opponent was disqualified.
21. Harry Belafonte, singer, actor, activist
Actor, singer and activist Harry Belafonte has died at the age of 96, according to the New York Times.
The actor, who was a staunch supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, died Tuesday morning of congestive heart failure. His death was confirmed by his publicist Ken Sunshine.
Harry Belafonte was a pioneer in so many ways. He’s arguably one of the most successful Caribbean-American signers of all time. His first album Calypso, which premiered in 1956, sold over a million records. With hit songs like “The Banana Boat Song,” and “Jump In The Line,” Harry Belafonte’s rise to fame was inevitable. He would go on to perform on Broadway and star in numerous mega films such as Bright Road and Island In The Sun.
But music wasn’t Belafonte’s only passion. His support for the Civil Rights Movement ultimately defined who he was as a person. Belafonte was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s confidants, often helping the family finically since King only made an honest living as a preacher.
Belafonte, along with Sidney Poitier, also helped bankroll the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the “Mississippi Freedom Summer” of 1964. He also served as chairman of the International Symposium of Artists and Intellectuals for African Children in Dakar, Senegal. Belafonte successfully leveraged his entertainment popularity to help drive social change all over the world.
Friends, family and fans took to social media to celebrate Harry Belafonte’s legacy and remember the leader, entertainer and civil rights pioneer.
“May Harry Belafonte, the lionhearted civil rights hero, rest in peace,” tweeted journalist Christian Amanpour. “He inspired generations around the whole world in the struggle for non-violent resistance justice and change. We need his example now more than ever.”
Educator Nina Turner tweeted a perfect Belafonte quote that eloquently sums up his legacy.
“I was an activist who became an artist, I was not an artist who became an activist.” – Harry Belafonte
22. Otis Redding III
Otis Redding III, the youngest son of the iconic soul singer who became a revered musician in his own right, has died at the age of 59.
As reported by ABC affiliate WGXA in Macon, GA, Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones confirmed Redding’s death at a local hospital on Tuesday (Apr. 18), following a battle with cancer.
His sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, posted a statement on the Facebook page of the family charity, the Otis Redding Foundation:
Born in 1963, Otis III was only three when his famous father died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967. However, Otis III and his older brother, Dexter, would keep their father’s musical legacy alive with their funk band, The Reddings.
The Reddings would achieve moderate success, releasing six studio albums between 1980 and 1988. Their singles included “Remote Control” (peaking at #6 on Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart) and “Call The Law” (#16 on Hot Black Singles).
Following the band’s breakup in 1988, Otis III continued to tour on the Soul/Blues circuit. He also worked with the family’s foundation to organize summer camps for kids to learn music and served as board president for the local chapter of Meals on Wheels.
24. Willis Reed, NBA hall of famer
NBA Hall of Famer and Knicks legend, Willis Reed, has died at the age of 80 according to multiple reports.
In 2018, Reed underwent surgery after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
Willis Reed was arguably the greatest Knicks player of all time. The two-time NBA Finals MVP was a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th-anniversary team, named an All-Star five times and Reed and won league MVP in the 1969-70 season. He was also named to the All-NBA team five times. Reed was also a Louisiana native and standout at Grambling State University.
Although undersized, the 6-foot-10, 235-pound center averaged nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds during his career. Reed is also one of three players to ever win All-Star MVP, NBA MVP, and NBA Finals MVP in the same season. The only other players to achieve this feat are Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.
From ESPN:
His most famous moment came during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. After a thigh injury had sidelined him in the previous game, Reed shocked the Madison Square Garden crowd by walking onto the court during warmups.
He scored the Knicks’ first two field goals and went on to win Finals MVP as the Knicks won the franchise’s first championship. Reed was again named Finals MVP two seasons later after New York’s second title.
Reed’s career was cut short by injuries, and he retired shortly after the second title run. He went on to briefly coach the Knicks before taking over at Creighton from 1981-85.
He eventually joined the New Jersey Nets in 1988, first as a coach and then as a member of the front office, helping to build the franchise into a championship contender in the early 2000s.
Reed’s legacy as one of the greatest basketball players to ever live will never die.
25. Lance Reddick, actor
Lance Reddick, the actor widely known for his role in the hit cable crime drama, “The Wire,” has died, according to reports.
First reported by TMZ, Reddick was found dead at his home in California on Friday morning. His cause of death was not immediately reported.
TMZ reported that law enforcement said the death of the 60-year-old “appears to be natural.”
NBC News published a statement from Reddick’s publicist asking to respect the actor’s grieving family’s privacy.
“Acclaimed actor Lance Reddick passed away suddenly this morning from natural causes,” Mia Hansen said. “Lance will be greatly missed. Please respect his family’s privacy at this time.”
Reddick also made a name for starring in the John Wick movie series, the latest of which he had been in the middle of promoting when he died.
“John Wick: Chapter 4” is scheduled to be released in movie theaters on March 24.
Reddick rose to fame playing the character of Baltimore Police Lieutenant Cedric Daniels, who appeared in all five seasons of “The Wire” on HBO.
Acting wasn’t Reddick’s only talent in the arts.
In 2011, he released his first album, “Contemplations and Rememberances.”
He previously attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied classical composition. He also played piano and said he always wanted to be a musician, but the acting jobs came first, which allowed him to take care of his family.
Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and two children, daughter Yvonne Nicole and son Christopher Reddick.
26. Felton Spencer, former NBA player
Former NBA Basketball star Felton Spencer died on March 12 at the age of 55. Spencer’s death was confirmed by his sister Tammy Pollock in a tweet, but there was no cause of death mentioned.
Before Spencer took his talents to the NBA, he was a standout student-athlete at the University of Louisville. Spencer ended his college career with h 1,168 points and 694 rebounds. He also holds the school record for career field goal percentage (62.8%). During his time at the school, he helped the Cardinals win three consecutive Metro Conference tournaments and two Sweet 16 appearances.
28. Johanna Mazibuko, world's oldest person
Johanna Mazibuko, the oldest woman in South Africa, recently died following a long life of 128 years. Prior to her death on March 3, Mazibuko was believed to have been the oldest person living in the world.
Johanna Mazibuko, who was born on May 11, 1894, died two months before she was set to turn 129.
The cause of Mazibuko’s death was not immediately confirmed.
Local media outlet News 24 reported:
Speaking to News24 on Tuesday, her caregiver and daughter-in-law Thandiwe Wesinyana, better known as MmaLerato, said Mazibuko may have died from a stroke.
“Ouma [Mazibuko] wasn’t feeling well, so I took her to the hospital on 14 February. At the hospital, the left side of her body was numb, and doctors said it might be a stroke. She was given high blood medication and painkillers, then discharged on 28 February,” said Mmalerato.
Mazibuko spent three days at home and died the next day.
MmaLerato said she was at the supermarket when Mazibuko died. Her sister Elisa was by her side.
She said:
On my return, it started raining heavily as I entered the yard. I ran into the house, put my plastics down, and immediately boiled the kettle to make tea. While I was doing that, her sister, Elisa, said, ‘Ouma is gone’.
Mazibuko said last year that she was “amazed” at how long she had been able to live while also questioning the reasoning for her longevity.
“I am amazed at why I am still here after so many years. Why am I still here? People around me have been dying,” Mazibuko told News 24 at the time. “When will I die? What’s the point of being alive? The world has tired me because I am just sitting here doing nothing.”
Chances are that Mazibuko was indeed the oldest person living, and perhaps even the oldest person of all time.
Previously, a French woman who died in 1997 was recognized as being the oldest person in history.
Jeanne Calment, who was born in the late 1800s like Mazibuko, lived to be 122 years old.
29. Wayne Shorter, jazz legend
Legendary jazz musician Wayne Shorter died on March 2 at the age of 89 in Los Angeles. His death was confirmed by his publicist Alisse Kingsley.
The saxophonist and composer was one of the most influential jazz musicians on the planet.
Coming in prominence in the 1950s, Shorter was the primary composer for Art Blakey’s Bass Messengers. He would later partner with Miles Davis joining his Second Great Quintet, then co-founding the world-renowned jazz fusion band Weather Report.
Shorter composed 20 albums as a bandleader of the Weather Report. He also recorded several albums for Blue Note Records, composing the majority of the music.
31. Irv Cross, NFL Player and sport analyst
Former NFL player Irv Cross has died at the age of 81. Cross, who was the first Black full-time sports analyst on national television, suffered from stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, according to Boston University researchers. The degenerative brain disease made life tough for Cross in his final days as he suffered from depression, mood swings and memory loss that forced him into isolation.
“He really didn’t want to be with people,” said his widow, Liz Cross. “The only person he wanted to be with was me. When he was with me, he really didn’t want to be with me. He just wanted me to be there.”
Cross was diagnosed with mild cognitive dementia in 2018, and his family says after the diagnosis he often sat in a chair complaining of headaches that never went away. He also stopped going to church, could barely watch football anymore and struggled physically with his balance and was paranoid.
Toward the end,” Cross said, “he saw things that weren’t there.”
Irv Cross, of course, was not alone in misery among his former NFL brethren. According to its latest report, the BU CTE Center said it has diagnosed 345 former NFL players with CTE out of 376 former players who were studied, a rate of 91.7%. The disease can be diagnosed only after death.
“He was the nicest, kindest, most helpful, wonderful man I ever met,” Cross said. “But that wasn’t who he was at the end. And that wasn’t who he was. It was the disease that did that.”
Dr. Ann McKee, a professor of neurology and pathology at Boston University, said she was not surprised Irv Cross’ brain reached stage 4 given the length of his overall football career (the study counted 17 years) and his age. Irv Cross and his family made the decision to donate his brain to help raise awareness of the long-term consequences of repeated blows to the head.
“I do think there’s more education about the risks of football and I do think there’s more awareness of concussion management but I still think we’re way, way behind where we should be,” McKee said. “We need to educate young athletes that this is a risk that they are undertaking. We need to educate coaches to keep head trauma out of the game. We need to do more managing of athletes by monitoring them better. I still think there’s a very cavalier attitude toward CTE. There’s a lot of denial.”
Cross was an outstanding NFL player, During his career, he was a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback who had 22 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries, eight forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns. In 1971 he joined CBA and became the first Black network sports show anchor. Although CTE made it hard on Cross towards the end of his life, his wife said he never regretted playing football.
“He would have done it again in a heartbeat,” she said. “But he didn’t think kids should play football.”
32. Oi Fashion Rocks In Rio – Charity Auction
Glória Maria, a pioneering broadcast journalist in Brazil who is widely believed to be the country’s first Black TV reporter of African descent, died on Feb. 2 at the age of 73.
The New York Times reported that Maria “toppled barriers for Black women in television at a time when the country’s anchor chairs were mostly filled by white men.”
Globo, her longtime employer, said in an announcement that the cause was a cancer that she had seemingly beaten in 2019, but that returned last year and had spread to her brain.
Glória Maria spent more than five decades in front of the camera at Globo TV, Brazil’s largest television network, becoming a Black idol in a country with a history of deep racial prejudice.
Starting as a local reporter in Rio, she went on to work as a correspondent and anchor. She reported from more than 100 countries, covering the 1982 Falklands War, the 1996 Japanese embassy hostage crisis in Peru, two World Cups and two Olympics.
“I was very poor,” she told a Brazilian television program in 2019. “I didn’t have money to see the world. I started traveling with Globo TV, and then I made the world my playground.”
According to a Brazilian news report, Maria was the South American country’s “first black reporter to stand out on TV and to use the law against racism. That last part was a reference to the time Maria cited a 1951 Brazilian law designed to punish racial discrimination.
The first black reporter to stand out on Brazilian television, she was proud to be one of the pioneers in using the Afonso Arinos Law , from 1951, which included racial discrimination among criminal offenses. She said, in an Instagram post from 2019, that, when she was prevented from entering through the front door of a hotel in Rio, in 1970, she sued the manager, who said that black people could not enter that way. Glória called the police, the manager was sued and, being a foreigner, he was expelled from the country. When remembering the story, she reaffirmed its importance in the fight against discrimination.
Upon Maria’s death, news outlets fondly remembered a number of the high-profile interviews she conducted, including one with the legendary Michael Jackson, who was in Rio de Janeiro in 1996 and on the set of a video shoot for his hit song, “They Don’t Care About Us.”
33. Huey 'Piano' Smith, rock 'n roll pianist
Huey “Piano” Smith, whose two-fisted keyboard style and rambunctious songs propelled the sound of New Orleans R&B into the pop Top 10 in the late 1950s, died on Feb. 13 at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 89.
His daughter Acquelyn Donsereaux confirmed his death.
Mr. Smith wrote songs that became cornerstones of New Orleans R&B and rock ’n’ roll perennials, notably “Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu,” “Don’t You Just Know It” and “Sea Cruise.”
35. Thomas W. Dortch Jr.
Atlanta civic leader Thomas W. Dortch Jr., the chairman of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s board and former leader of 100 Black Men of America, has died at the age of 72. No cause or date of Dortch’s death was immediately reported. The Georgia native was also a successful businessman in his own right.
36. Stanley Wilson Jr., former NFL player
Stanley Wilson Jr., a former NFL cornerback with the Detroit Lions, died on Feb. 1 in police custody. He was just 40 years old.
Wilson Jr. had been in police custody following his vandalism arrest back in August … but according to prosecutors, he was declared incompetent to stand trial and was transferred from county jail to the Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles County on Feb. 1.
But, law enforcement sources tell us during intake at the medical facility — which specializes in caring for those with mental health issues — he collapsed and died.
37. AKA, rapper
AKA, a South African rapper, was shot to death on Feb. 10 outside of a restaurant in the city of Durban. He was 35 years old.
The police said that AKA, 35, had been walking to his car on a popular nightlife strip shortly after 10 p.m. when two armed people approached from across the street and fired several shots at close range before running away.
AKA, whose legal name was Kiernan Forbes, and another man died at the scene, the police said. Although the police did not name the second victim, South African news reports identified him as AKA’s close friend Tebello Motsoane, a 34-year-old chef and music entrepreneur known as Tibz.
39. Charlie Thomas, of the Drifters
Charlie Thomas, who recorded memorable songs like “There Goes My Baby” and “Under the Boardwalk” with the Drifters, the silken-voiced R&B group that had a long string of hits from 1959 to 1964 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Fame, died on Jan. 31 at his home in Bowie, Md. He was 85.
The singer Peter Lemongello Jr., a close friend, said the cause was liver cancer.
Mr. Thomas, a tenor, was a Drifter for more than 60 years, from the version of the group that had its first hits in the late 1950s to the version he led and toured with until the pandemic struck.
40. Brandon Smiley
Brandon Smiley, the son of comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley, died on Jan. 29 at the age of 32. Brandon is Rickey’s oldest son with his mother Brenda. He also has a daughter named Storm.
A comedian in his own right, Brandon was also featured in the TV One reality show “Rickey Smiley For Real.”
41. Fred White, Earth Wind & Fire drummer
Fred White, the drummer for the legendary R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire, died on Jan. 1. He was 67 years old.
The fourth of the White brothers to perform in Earth, Wind & Fire, Fred was one of the famous band’s early members … joining EWF way back in 1974 when he was just 19 years old.
Fred played drums on 8 different Earth, Wind & Fire albums … plus some of their biggest hit songs like “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Saturday Night” and “Shining Star” … and he’s one of the 9 band members inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
42. Lynette "Diamond" Hardaway
Lynette Hardaway, also known as one-half of the MAGA duo Diamond and Silk, died on Jan. 9.
43. Gangsta Boo, rapper
Lola Chantrelle “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell, who rose to prominence as part of the Three 6 Mafia collective, was found dead on New Year’s Day at a home in Memphis just hours after celebrating the end of 2022 with her family at a concert. She had been showing no signs of distress in the hours before her death, according to reports. Gangsta Boo was 43 years old.
Rest In Power: Notable Black People Who Have Died In 2023 was originally published on newsone.com
