Dr. Price Cobbs passed away

Psychiatrist Dr. Price Cobbs (1928 - 2018 ) is an insightful African American psychiatrist and the author of, "Black Rage," "The Jesus Bag," and, "Cracking the Corporate Code: From Survival to Mastery."...

Reginald Thomas passed away

Fashion designer Reginald Thomas (1957 - 2018 ) was the creator of Reginald Designs. As a key figure in the Chicago fashion scene, he was known for incorporating African themes into his influential designs....

John W. Mack passed away

Civic leader, nonprofit chief executive, and city government appointee John W. Mack (1937 - 2018 ) was a former president of the Los Angeles Urban League; co-founder of the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights; co-founder of the Los Angeles Black Leadership Coalition on Education; and an executive member of the Board of Police Commissioners of the Los Angeles Police Department....

Ghalib Ghallab passed away

Jazz pianist Ghalib Ghallab (1950 - 2018 ) formed the Ghalib Ghallab Experience, a jazz band that performed in Las Vegas, Nevada at such venues as Caesar's Palace. Ghallab recorded many albums including Milestone in My Life....

Roosevelt Calbert passed away

Physicist and academic administrator Roosevelt Calbert (1931 - 2018) led a twenty-four year career at the National Science Foundation (NSF), where he established many minority science education programs....

The Honorable George N. Leighton passed away

Federal district court judge The Honorable George N. Leighton (1912 - 2018 ) served as a Federal judge for over twenty years. Leighton is a leader in government groups such as the Character and Fitness Committee for the First Appellate District of Illinois and the Illinois Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights....

Eddy Clearwater passed away

Blues musician Eddy Clearwater (1935 - 2018 ) began performing in Chicago in 1953, and toured around the world with many blues legends. Clearwater recorded and produced his own records on his record label, Clear Tone....

Owen Nichols passed away

Academic administrator Owen Nichols (1929 - 2018 ) was the former Vice President for Administration and Secretary of the Board of Trustees for Howard University. He was also a research chemist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, a physical science analyst for the Defense Documentation Center, and worked for the National Air Pollution Control Administration....

The Honorable Wilson Frost passed away

City council member The Honorable Wilson Frost (1925 - 2018 ) was named the chairman of the Finance Committee of the City Council after fellow aldermen prevented his succession to the Chicago mayor's office upon the death of Richard J. Daley in 1976. A longtime Chicago politician, Frost also served as partner in the firm of Frost & Greenblatt....

Dr. Harvey Smith passed away

Dentist Dr. Harvey Smith (1922 - 2018 ) was a captain in the Dental Corps of the U.S. Army. As a dentist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of his patients....

James H. Cone passed away

Theologian James H. Cone (1938 - 2018 ) was an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a faculty member of the Union Theological Seminary. Rev. Cone was also the author of 'Black Theology and Black Power,' 'A Black Theology of Liberation,' and 'Speaking the Truth: Ecumenism, Liberation and Black Theology.'...

Vel Phillips passed away

State government appointee Vel Phillips (1924 - 2018 ) was the former Wisconsin Secretary of State, the first woman and first non-white to be elected to the position....

The Honorable Doris Ward passed away

County supervisor The Honorable Doris Ward (1932 - 2018) is a former San Francisco County, California Assessor-Recorder and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2000....

Robert Pickens passed away

Football player and wrestler Robert Pickens (1943 - 2018 ) was an Olympic athlete who went on to become Cook County, Illinois Commissioner....

Donald McKayle passed away

Choreographer and educator Donald McKayle (1930 - 2018) was the author of Transcending Boundaries: My Dancing Life. His major choreographic works include Games, Rainbow Round My Shoulder, District Storyville, Raisin, and Sophisticated Ladies....

Gertrude Hadley Jeannette passed away

Actress, stage director, and playwright Gertrude Hadley Jeannette (1914 - 2018 ) founded the H.A.D.L.E.Y. Players theater company in Harlem, York City....

Amsale Aberra passed away

Fashion designer Amsale Aberra (1954 - 2018 ) was the cofounder, co-CEO, and creative director of the Amsale Design Group, which included the Amsale, Christos and Kenneth Pool wedding gown labels....

Ralph Gardner-Chavis passed away

Chemistry professor and chemist Ralph Gardner-Chavis (1922 - 2018 ) was a research assistant for the Manhattan Project before working as a chemist for the Standard Oil Company and teaching chemistry at Cleveland State University....

Harry Johns passed away

Accountant and academic administrator Harry Johns (1921 - 2018 ) served in numerous positions at Central State University, including university controller, business manager, vice president of fiscal affairs, director of planning and dean of the college of business. He also founded an educational management firm called H.D. Johns Associates....

Les Payne passed away

Newspaper reporter Les Payne (1941 - 2018 ) was a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, who was a founder and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists. Working for Newsday in the 1960s, he covered the Black Panther Party and the Symbionese Liberation Army....