• Neely Fuller, Jr. (October 6, 1929 – February 1, 2025)

• Roberta Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025)

• Jawanza Kunjufu (1953 – April 25, 2025)

• Tony Rose (October 11, 1950 – May 27, 2025)

• Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (January 5, 1938 – May 28, 2025)

• Thomas Sayers Ellis (d. July 17, 2025)

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

• Larry Ward (d. August 19, 2025)

• Quintard Taylor (December 11, 1948 to September 21, 2025)

• Assata Shakur (July 16, 1947 to September 25, 2025)

• Malcolm Jamal Warner (August 18, 1970 – July 20, 2025)

• Michael I. Days (August 2, 1953 - October 18, 2025)

• Keturah A. Bobo (d. October 2025)

• DéLana R. A. Dameron (January 30, 1985 – November 29, 2025)

• Elle Simone Scott (November 28, 1976 – January 5, 2026)

• Charles S. Finch III (February 25, 1948 – January 17, 2026)

• Eric Huntley (September 25, 1929 – January 21, 2026)

 

Addendum (to be edited)

 

• Sly Stone (March 15, 1943 - )
• D'Angelo ()
• Angie Stone ()

 

Some of these folks I knew, some I admired from afar, and others I was unfamiliar with. 

 

Quintard was a Brother whose work I really admired at https://blackpast.org/  He built his site into an institution.  I spaced on our last meeting and missed it.  I called him back and was wondering why he did not return my call...

 

Keturah was a shocking loss because she was just so young and had such a bright future. 

 

Vivan Allen was Debbie and Felicia's mom who was force in her own right I did not know until she was gone.

 

Eric Huntley, they don't make men, publishers, or booksellers like him (and his wife) any more!  We are all soft, weak, and asleep compared to him.

 

Of course, I don't have to tell anyone here who Kunjufu, Fuller, Shakur, and Finch are any why they were important.

 

R.I.P.

 

@Troy...thanks for acknowledging some of our elders, brothas & sistas who have departed the rock.

 

We can add Sly Stone, D'Angelo & Angie Stone to the 2025 list.😎

Yeah my list was focused on primarily on the literary folks who had some form of presence on the site but the three you mentioned are icons.

I didn't even know my girl Roberta Flack passed away last year  🙆🏿‍♂️

 

 

Come on Troy, how could you forget  Theo......



Malcolm Jamal Warner