As a new year unfurls in front of us, it’s only natural to be grateful to witness the dawn of a new decade. Unfortunately, some of Black America’s favorite celebrities did not make it to 2020. From an actual diva (opera) to an acclaimed director of classic films to a beloved author to a fervent freedom fighter, we lost numerous Black notables who have left an indelible impact on the world. There were numerous Black lives lost in 2019 and this modest list of 15 is not exhaustive. However, we will continue to appreciate and honor the work of each person who touched our lives.
JAMES INGRAM (February 16, 1952- January 29, 2019)
KRISTOFF ST. JOHN (July 15, 1966-February 3, 2019)
NIPSEY HUSSLE (August 15, 1985-March 31, 2019)
JOHN SINGLETON (January 6, 1968-April 28, 2019)
MELVIN EDMONDS (September 2, 1954-May 18,2019)
BUSHWICK BILL (December 8, 1966-June 9,2019)
PERNELL “SWEETPEA’ WHITAKER (January 2,1964-July 14,2019)
TONI MORRISON (February 18,1931-August 5, 2019)
LASHAWN DANIELS (December 28, 1977-September 3, 2019)
JESSYE NORMAN (September 15, 1945-September 30, 2019)
DIAHANN CARROLL (July 17,1935-October 4, 2019)
ELIJAH CUMMINGS (January 18, 1951-October 17, 2019)
JOHN CONYERS (May 16, 1929-October 27, 2019)
JOHN WITHERSPOON (February 27, 1942-October 29, 2019)
Juice WRLD (December 2, 1998-December 8, 2019)
