Vivian Ayers

Vivian Elizabeth Ayers Allen (July 29, 1923 - August 18, 2025)

Her daughters, Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen, have each built trailblazing careers—Rashad as a celebrated actor and director on stage and screen, and Allen as an award-winning dancer, choreographer, producer, and director in television, film, and theater. Together with their brothers, Andrew “Tex” Allen Jr., a respected jazz musician and composer, and Hugh Allen, whose work has spanned business and the arts, the Allen siblings collectively reflect a remarkable legacy of creativity, discipline, and cultural impact.