TRAGIC NEWS: A basketball player passed just a few hours ago as a result of…

TRAGIC NEWS: A basketball player passed just a few hours ago as a result of…

By Senior Staff Writer for OBSERVER Genoa Barrow

If there is one thing the last two years have taught us, it is that time isn’t anything permanent. We are hurting and experiencing a collective sense of loss from this year, which has affected the community in several ways, including a pandemic that is still there and an epidemic of gun violence that has caused harm.

The OBSERVER pauses as a difficult year draws to a close to consider and honour a select group of people who achieved greatness in 2022. Though gone, their memory endures.

On January 1, at the age of 88, Max Julien, a renowned actor and playwright, passed away in Los Angeles. In addition to writing “Cleopatra Jones,” Julien featured in the cult classic blaxploitation film “The Mack” from 1973.

The Mighty Bomber, Trinidad and Tobago calypso singer Clifton Ryan, passed away on January 1. Ryan was ninety-three.

Paul Adegboyega Olawoore, a Nigerian bishop, passed on January 1. He was sixty years old.

Traxamillion, a San Jose hip-hop producer and inventor, Sultan Banks, passed away on January 2 from a rare form of cancer. The 42-year-old Banks collaborated with other Bay Area musicians including Drew Deezy, Keak da Sneak, and E-40.

Kenwrick Joseph, a calypso performer from Trinidad and Tobago, passed away on January 2. Joseph, 69, was the assistant superintendent of police for his country in addition to being a performer as Kenny J.

Odell Carl Barry, an 80-year-old wide receiver with the Denver Broncos, passed away on January 3 from heart illness. Barry was a member of the Broncos from 1964 to 1965. Following his retirement from the NFL, Barry held positions as Northglenn, Colorado’s mayor and a delegate to the 1980 DNC.

Ross Dean Browner, a Hall of Famer in college football who played in the NFL for ten years, including stints with the Cincinnati Bengals, passed away on January 4. Browner was sixty-seven years old.

The R&B group the Force MDs lost one of its original members, Jessie Lee Daniels, on January 4. Songs like “Tender Love,” “Love Is a House,” and “Touch and Go” were hits for the trio. Daniels was fifty-eight years old.

Darryl T. Owens, a former Kentucky House of Representatives Democrat, passed away on January 4. Owens was eighty-four.

On January 4, a hit-and-run motorist murdered Tonayja Coker, a 23-year-old mother from the area, close to Garden Highway and Northgate Boulevard.

Lawrence Brooks, 112, held the title of the oldest living person in the United States until his death on January 5. The supercentenarian from New Orleans, who served in the army, was also the oldest known American soldier of World War II.

On January 6, 94-year-old legendary actor Sidney Poitier made his last bow. Poitier, a Bahamas native, became the first Black actor to win an Oscar in 1964. His long list of credits included iconic roles in films including “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Porgy and Bess,” “To Sir, with Love,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” and “In the Heat of the Night.” He was well-known for shattering stereotypes in the entertainment industry.

Shawki Moore, a longtime local television photojournalist, passed away on January 6 after a significant stroke. In addition to being an ordained priest, Moore was renowned for putting down his camera and praying empathetically with those affected by the catastrophes he covered.

Calvin Eugene Simon, a founding member of the legendary bands Funkadelic and Parliament, passed away on January 6. Simon, 79, was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 alongside other P-Funk members. He sang on singles including “Tear the Roof Off the Sucka.” His next career was performing gospel music, and in 2019 he retired.

Jan. 6 marked the passing of Clive Alexander, also known as Clive Zanda, a pioneering extempo and kaiso jazz performer from Trinidad and Tobago. He was eighty-two.

Barbara J. Jacket, 87, passed away on January 6th, after serving as Prairie View A&M’s head coach for women’s track and field. At the HBCU, Jacket won ten National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships. He then became the athletic director of the school. She was the second African American to lead the United States squad to an Olympic gold medal in 1992. In 1995, Jacket received her induction into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Lani Guinier, a voting rights activist and legal professor, passed away on January 7 from Alzheimer’s. Guinier was seventy-one.

James Forman, also known as James Mtume, was a jazz and R&B artist who passed away on January 9th, a few days after turning 75. Mtume collaborated with Miles Davis as a songwriter, producer, and activist throughout the 1970s. Many musicians, including Chris Brown, Tamar Braxton, Warren G, and Keyshia Cole, have sampled his hit song “Juicy Fruit” extensively.

At the age of 78, Ronettes vocalist Ronnie Spector passed away on January 12. In the 1960s, Spector enjoyed success with tunes including “Baby I Love You” and “Be My Baby.” In 2007, The Ronnettes received their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Onaiya Mei Lee, 10, a local, went suddenly on January 12 following a diagnosis of an aggressive, uncommon form of pancreatitis.

Teenage resident Alynia “Lena” Lawrence was shot and killed on January 13 while seated in a vehicle that was parked close to Stockton Boulevard. Along with Lawrence’s family, local activists demanded a stop to violence against young women in the region and answers.

On January 14, Wilfred Cyprian Harvey, who was PG&E’s first African American chief equipment manager, passed away. As the first African American manager of Affirmative Action for the energy business, Harvey, now eighty-eight, opened doors for other minority workers. The father of the local spiritual leader, Minister Imhotep Alkebulan, was an activist from Oakland.

Carol Speed passed away on January 14. She was well-known for her parts in blaxploitation films including “The Mack” and “Abby.” In addition, Speed, 76, featured in TV series including “Julia,” “Sanford and Son,” and “Dynamite Brothers.”

The shooting death of 8-year-old Tiana Huddleston of Wisconsin occurred on January 15. When the pistol went off, Michael Anthony Huddleston, the father of the autistic kid, first claimed authorities he was showing them how to use a gun safely. Later on, he said that when his daughter accidently shot herself after getting hold of the pistol, he was drunk. He received a 20-year term for careless killing.

On January 16, Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, a pilot in four wars who battled and disobeyed bigotry, passed away in Maryland. As one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, McGee was 102 years old. He received several awards, such as the Bronze Star, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters.

On January 18, in a hospital in White Plains, New York, fashion legend Andre Leon Talley passed away from COVID-19. Notable designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Diane von Furstenberg, Bethann Hardison, and Manolo Blahnik were among the acquaintances and confidantes of the 73-year-old Talley, who was the creative director of Vogue magazine.

In her home state of Mississippi, Lusia Harris, the first and first female NBA draft pick, passed away on January 18. Harris, 66, became the first Black woman to be elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the first woman to score in an Olympic game.

The acclaimed actress and director Regina King’s son, Ian Alexander Jr., passed away on January 21 from what seemed to be a suicide. DJ Alexander was also a singer-songwriter, going under the stage name Desduné. He was 26 years old.

The first African American senator from Massachusetts, Bill Owens, passed away on January 22. Owens was eighty-four.

A gunshot wound that appeared to have been self-inflicted claimed the life of Kevin Ward, the mayor of Hyattsville, Maryland, a city close to Washington, D.C., on January 25. Ward was forty-four.

Moses J. Moseley, a teenage actor who starred in the shows The Walking Dead and Queen of the South, as well as the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, passed away on January 26. Moseley was thirty-one.

On January 30, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst leaped from her apartment’s 29th-floor balcony in New York City. Kryst, 30, is a journalist for the popular television programme “Extra.” She is characterised as “gorgeous and gifted,” having the “world at her feet.” She tragically struggled with depression as well.

Syl and Jimmy Johnson, brothers and Mississippi soul performers, passed away one week apart. Syl, 89, died on February 6 and Jimmy, 93, died on January 31.

MARCH

Feb. 1 saw the shooting death of Tahjay Dobson, 22, a rising rapper also known as Tdott Woo, outside of his Brooklyn residence.

On February 2, a minor man who was “mishandling a gun” murdered 19-year-old Shakira Gatlin, who was a dancer with the Dancing Dolls from the television series “Bring It,” in Jackson, Mississippi. Gatlin passed just a few months before Dyseha Upshaw, another DD4L artist, did as well.

Theodora “Teddie” Carter-Brazelton, a cherished music director of the Capitol City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sacramento, died on February 3rd. The 67-year-old Carter-Brazelton first sang in gospel ensembles as a child, went on to direct many choirs at her church, and participated in numerous mass choruses and convocations. Her nickname was “Choir Mother of Sacramento.”

Alphonse Williams, the tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams’ nephew, passed away on February 3rd, presumably by suicide. Williams, 21, supposedly struggled with several physical and mental health conditions.

On February 4, a shooting on an Oakland motorway claimed the life of Gene Ransom, a basketball icon for the California Golden Bears. Ransom was sixty-five.

Singer of funk and soul Betty Davis passed away on February 9 from natural causes. The 77-year-old Davis previously wed jazz great Miles Davis.

The first Black fire chief of Sacramento’s daughter, Carol Wright, passed away on February 17. Co-leading a “Can We Chat” series on race and racial conflict, Wright, 65, worked as a consultant and mediator.

Tyrese Gibson’s mother, Priscilla Murray, passed away on February 17 due to COVID-19 and pneumonia complications.

Tracy Gaeta, 54, is believed to have backed her automobile into a police cruiser at a red light, leading to her shooting and death on February 22 by a Stockton K-9 police officer. The cop fired more than thirty bullets into her automobile, according to bodycam evidence.

MARCH Deeply reflective Noni Olabisi, a Los Angeles muralist, passed away on March 1. Olabisi, 67, raised awareness to problems affecting the Black community through her work, especially police brutality.

The iconic television character Bookman from “Good Times,” played by Johnny Brown, passed away on March 2. Brown was eighty-four.

Following a brief illness, civil servant and promoter for education Brenda Harris, 71, passed away on March 5. As a consultant for the California State Board of Education and the California Department of Education, Harris had considerable impact on state policy. She has taught elementary, middle, and high school students in addition to being a professor at Sacramento State.

On March 8, Elder Leon T. Jones of the Progressive Church of God in Christ in Sacramento passed away. Jones, a 90-year-old veteran, joined the American Army at the age of 14. His bravery won him three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart when he was serving on the front lines of both World War II and the Korean War.

On March 12, singer and reality TV star Traci Braxton passed away from cancer. In addition to singing with and joining sisters Toni, Trina, and Tamar on the television programme “Braxton Family Values,” 50-year-old Braxton acquired popularity.

March 13 saw the discovery of San Jose police officer DeJon Packer, who had overdosed on fentanyl, dead at his Milpitas home. Packer, 24, was a football player at San Jose State and only received his police academy diploma in 2021. He joined the force as a Black guy with the goal of “making a difference” as an officer.

Jazz legend and Los Angeles performer Barbara Morrison, 72, passed away on March 16. Morrison was an advocate for African Americans’ contributions to jazz music and its preservation. In Leimert Park, she established a performing arts centre.

Former Placer County Executive Todd Leopold struck and killed Anthony Williams, a basketball player at Inderkum High School, in Rocklin on March 19. Leopold was not charged with a crime. The county district attorney’s office declared that there was “insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred,” which led to the decision not to prosecute Leopold.

LaShun Pace, a well-known gospel singer and songwriter, passed away on March 21 from renal failure. The 60-year-old Pace has a successful solo career in addition to touring as The Anointed Pace Sisters with her brothers. She sang hits like “I Know I’ve Been Changed” and “There’s a Leak in This Old Building” with incredible intensity.

Hester Snider, a 90-year-old former Sacramento teacher, passed away on March 25. Numerous pupils who Snider mentored later become mentors in the community. She wrote romantic novels in the past.

april
A horrific shooting in downtown Sacramento early on April 3 brought home the devastating effects of gun violence. Six people lost their lives in the “K Street shooting”: De’Vazia Turner, 29, Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32, Sergio Harris, 38, Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21, and Johntaya Alexander, 21. Melinda Davis, 57, and Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32.

On April 9, NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins passed away in a hit-and-run accident in South Florida. At the tender age of 24, Haskins was a player for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins.

Following an automobile accident, 44-year-old champion bodybuilder Cedric McMillan passed away on April 12 due to COVID-19 problems.

Dr. Thomas W. Cole Jr., the founding president emeritus of Clark-Atlanta University, passed away on April 14. The 81-year-old Dr. Cole was a former research scientist and professor of chemistry.

Pioneer of New York hip-hop DJ Kay Slay passed away on April 17 from COVID-19. He was fifty-five.

On April 18, Roderick “Pooh” Clark, a member of the 1990s band Hi-Five, passed away in Waco, Texas. Clark, 49, suffered an automobile accident in 1993 that left him paralysed.

Ralph Deloach, 65, a native of Sacramento and former NFL player, passed away on April 21. Deloach had a brief NFL career before starting work as a probation officer.

Bishop Michael Davis, a former Sacramento preacher, passed away on April 22.

Michael David Burnett, 67, a well-known cosmetologist in Sacramento, passed away on April 30. Award-winning hairstylist Burnett and his sister opened Premier International Salon in South Sacramento in 1994, where they produced the well-liked fashion and hair event known as “The Show” in the community.

MAY Kevin Samuels, a controversial relationship critic and podcast host, unexpectedly fell and died in Atlanta on May 5. A coroner reported that Samuels, 53, passed away from hypertension.

Singer Jewell Caples, dubbed “the First Lady of Death Row Records,” passed away on May 6 at the age of 53. The biography “My Blood My Sweat My Tears,” written by Caples, detailed her work as a vocalist for musicians such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur.

May 9 saw the shooting death of Adreian Payne, a former professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic. Payne had 31 years old.

Bob Lanier, an NBA Hall of Famer, passed away on May 10. The 73-year-old eight-time NBA All-Star. Lanier was a player for the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons before becoming the Golden State Warriors’ coach.

On May 7, a hit-and-run accident claimed the life of Dr. Sonya Lewis, a social justice activist from South Carolina. In addition to supporting affordable housing and education, Dr. Lewis assisted victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse.

On May 14, White nationalist Peyton Gendron, age 18, opened fire outside a grocery shop in Buffalo, New York, committing a hate crime and domestic terror. Celestine Chaney (65), Roberta Drury (32), Andre Mackniel (53), Katherine Massey (72), Margus Morrison (52), Heyward Patterson (67), Geraldine Talley (62), security officer Aaron Salter (55), Ruth Whitfield (86), and Pearl Young (77) were the victims. All of the victims were Black. The gunman taunted people with statements like “Here is your reparations” and racist epithets on his firearm.

The car that struck jazz and funk artist Bernard Wright on May 19 in Dallas killed him. Rappers like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and fellow New Yorker LL Cool J have sampled Wright’s 1983 hit song “Who Do You Love,” which made him famous at the age of fifty-eight.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner reports that Tytyana Miller, the 25-year-old daughter of rapper and entrepreneur Master P, passed away on May 27 from an unintentional fentanyl overdose.

Black art’s “godmother,” Dr. Samella Lewis, passed away on May 27 at the age of 99. The Black liberation and civil rights movements affected the work and activism of this trailblazing graphic artist. She founded the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. In 2021, Shonna McDaniels, the creator of the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum in Sacramento, dedicated an exhibit in Dr. Lewis’ honour and pledged to uphold her legacy.

JULY
June 1st saw the discovery of Marion Barber III, a former running back for the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears, dead from heatstroke in his Frisco, Texas, flat. Barber, 38, has a reputation for working out in a sauna-like atmosphere.

In Flint, Michigan, between June 1 and June 3, two young brothers, Zy’Aire Mitchell, 12, and LaMar Mitchell, 9, passed tragically when a White fireman neglected to evacuate their home in late May. The responder, who subsequently admitted to purposefully fabricating reports that he had checked every room in the house, had originally overlooked the youngsters because they were asleep.

Quanda McGadney was a Caltrans maintenance worker who was working along I-80 in Vacaville on June 3 when she was struck and killed by a car. McGadney was fifty-one.

Dr. Ruth Love, the 90-year-old former administrator of Oakland Unified School District, passed away on June 6. Love served as the Chicago Public Schools system’s first Black superintendent as well.

Renowned Black abolitionist Sojourner Truth’s fifth-generation grandson, Thomas McLiechey, passed away in Battle Creek, Michigan, on June 6. McLeichey was eighty-two.

Caleb Swanigan, 25, a former forward for the Sacramento Kings, passed away at a hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on June 20. Swanigan was an NCAA All-American and the former Big Ten Player of the Year.

On June 21, the Republican candidate for the state assembly, Eric M. Rigard, passed away. At the time of his passing, 65-year-old Rigard was running for the District 10 seat. He was involved in Calvary Christian Centre ministry as well.

On June 22, Alexander Jefferson, who flew with the renowned Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, passed away in Detroit. Jefferson was a century old. At a park where the centenarian hero flew model aeroplanes as a boy, the city intends to honour him with the Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson Plaza. Before being shot down and imprisoned as a prisoner of war for eight months in 1944–1945, Jefferson completed eighteen sorties. Following his brave military career, Jefferson went on to become a principal and teacher.

Dr. Willie Morrow, a black innovator, passed away in San Diego on June 22. Dr. Morrow, 82, is recognised for inventing the California curl, an ancestor of the well-liked Jheri curl style, and the Afro-pick, a blow-out comb that connects to a blow dryer to straighten African American hair. In addition, he managed the 92.5 FM radio station in the city and produced the San Diego Monitor newspaper.

JULY
Gregory “Najee” Grimes was shot and killed early on July 4th, while exiting a L Street nightclub. This marked the beginning of Sacramento’s violent summer. The 31-year-old Grimes was a local football star in high school and college who came back to work with the Roberts Family Development Centre and his old school, Inderkum High School, to help young people and other athletes.

Michael D. Harris, an Atlantan artist, educator, and writer, passed away on July 11 from cancer. Harris, 73, was one of the original members of AfriCOBRA, an artist collective. In addition to teaching at Emory University, the University of North Carolina, Duke University, Wellesley College, Spelman College, and Morehouse College, he conducted research on African diaspora art.

William Hart, the lead vocalist and lyricist for the iconic band the Delfonics, passed away in Philadelphia on July 14. Hart was seventy-seven. Songs like “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” and “La-La (Means I Love You)” were hits for the group. Hip-hop musicians from the era including Missy Elliot and Fugees have sampled their signature sound.

Los Angeles police discovered stand-up comedian and author Jak Knight dead on July 14. Knight, 28, starred in the comedic series “Bust Down” on Peacock and the animated sitcom “Big Mouth” on Netflix. Authorities determined that he killed himself with a gunshot.

Police officer Vincent Parks of Jonesboro, Arkansas, passed away on July 17 following a health scare during a training exercise. Parks was 38 years old. The Black officer’s death prompted a criminal probe because of “statements contrary to the initial facts reported.”

Two weeks after becoming 71 years old, Michael Henderson, a bassist and singer, passed away on July 19. The musician was well-known for his partnerships with the Dramatics, Stevie Wonder, and Miles Davis.

In her Nashville, Tennessee, residence on 21 July, Shonka Dukureh, who portrayed the iconic singer Big Mama Thornton in the 2022 film ‘Elvis’, passed away from heart illness. Dukureh had 44 years old.

84-year-old AfriCOBRA artist Nelson Stevens passed away on July 22. Stevens was an experienced educator and activist who spent more than 30 years as an art professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Only eleven days had passed since the passing of fellow AfriCOBRA artist Michael D. Harris.

Mary Alice, an award-winning actress best known for her parts in the television series Sparkle and A Different World, died on July 27. She was eighty-five. Alice is most remembered for her roles as Effie Williams in the 1976 original version of “Sparkle,” which recounted the tale of how the Supremes came to be famous, and Leticia “Lettie” Bostic on NBC’s “A Different World.” Her roles in “The Matrix Revolutions” as the Oracle and “I’ll Fly Away” as Marguerite Peck earned her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series. Her performance in August Wilson’s play “Fences” earned her a Tony Award in 1987 for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

On the original “Star Trek” television series from 1966 to 1969, groundbreaking actress Nichelle Nichols played communications officer Lt. Nyota Uhura. Nichols passed away on July 30. She was eighty-nine. The stunning Nichols and her co-star William Shatner broke down barriers when they experienced the first-ever interracial kiss on prime-time television. People from all walks of life flocked to their TV screens to watch the hit series. Space exploration piqued the interest of a generation of Black people, including NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, because to Nichols’ depiction of Lt. Uhura.

Carol Williams, a local senior, passed away July 30. Before she passed away unexpectedly in 2021, Williams, a dancer who had trained under Judith Jamison in her early years, encouraged former prima ballerina NaTalia Johnson in her mission to introduce classical dance to Black and Brown youngsters in Sacramento. Williams, 78, was also an ardent member of Unity of Sacramento, where she was a prayer chaplain and a member of the welcoming committee. Rev. Kevin Ross, her pastor, referred to her as a “beloved matriarch and community pillar.”

Executive producer of the daytime CBS programme “The Talk,” Heather Grey passed away in Los Angeles on July 31 from plasma cell leukaemia, a severe type of multiple myeloma disease. Grey, fifty, contributed to “The Tyra Banks Show” as well.

Bill Russell, 88, a basketball star, passed away on July 31. Russell, who attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, is regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time and maybe the greatest sports winner overall. He was a student at the University of San Francisco, where the Dons went on to win 55 straight games and the NCAA title in 1955 and 1956. In the 1956 Olympics, he took home a gold medal for the United States in basketball. He was a centre for the Boston Celtics, helping them win 11 titles over his 13-year career. He was well-known for his collaboration, basketball IQ, and innovative defence and rebounding. He became the first African American coach in the NBA while serving as the team’s player-coach, spending 1987–1988 with the Sacramento Kings. Outside of the court, Russell was well respected for his outspoken and unwavering opposition to racism, especially in Boston, where he played. For a lot of people, his off-court advocacy for social equality surpassed his incredible playing career. In addition to being named after the Hall of Famer, the NBA retired his number six jersey, a first, after his passing. The MVP trophy for the NBA Finals is named after him.

AUGUST
On August 4, former Black Panther Albert Woodfox, who had spent decades in isolation at the notorious Angola prison in Louisiana, passed away from COVID-19. The three men, known as the Angola Three, included Woodfox in the accusation of the 1972 murder of a White prison guard. 2016 saw him get out of prison while continuing to assert his innocence. Following his release, Woodfox made a speech in Sacramento about his experiences and his book “Solitary,” which was a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award nominee.