Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, a civil and human rights activist, pastor emeritus of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, and a fixture in the D.C. community, passed away at 71 after a lifetime of fighting for justice and peace.
Category: Obituaries
Posted inNational News
Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. dies at 84
The Rev. Dr. Jesse Jackson Sr., civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has died at 84. A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time presidential candidate, Jackson spent his life fighting for racial, economic and social justice— inspiring generations of leaders and activists.
Posted inDMV News
Deborah Owens, financial educator, author and advocate for women’s wealth, dies at 66
By Special Press Release Deborah Owens, a nationally recognized financial advisor, author, educator, and champion for women’s financial empowerment, died on Jan. 4 at the age of 66. Her passing marks the loss of a powerful voice in the movement to close the wealth gap and equip women, particularly women of color, with the tools […]
Posted inReligion
‘Total Praise’: Smallwood’s signature anthem embodies Jan. 24 celebration of life service
Thousands gathered at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Maryland to celebrate the life and legacy of gospel composer and singer Richard Smallwood, honoring the “Maestro” with music, testimony and tributes from faith leaders, artists and public officials. The Jan. 24 service highlighted Smallwood’s enduring impact as a theologically grounded musician whose compositions bridged church, campus and global stages.
Posted inBlack History
Claudette Colvin, who refused to move before the nation was ready, dies at 86
Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus at age 15—months before Rosa Parks—has died at 86. Though her arrest did not immediately spark a boycott, her courage helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement, including her pivotal role as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the Supreme Court case that ended bus segregation in Alabama.
Posted inObituaries
Richard Smallwood, gospel icon, to be honored at Jan. 24 celebration of life
The celebration of life for legendary gospel artist Richard Smallwood will take place Jan. 24 at First Baptist Church of Glenarden International in Upper Marlboro, Md. Smallwood, 77, died of complications from kidney failure on Dec. 30, 2025.
Posted inObituaries - Washington D.C.
Funeral arrangements announced for veteran Black Press reporter James L. Wright Jr.
James L. Wright Jr., a dedicated member of the Black Press, community leader, historian and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will be memorialized at the Hemingway Memorial AME Church in District Heights, Md. on Dec. 19, 2025.
Posted inObituaries
AME Bishop Reginald Jackson, a stalwart civil and social justice advocate, dies at 71
By Chianti Marks AFRO Intern The Black faith community, civil rights and justice advocates and supporters and well-wishers from around the world are mourning the loss of Bishop Reginald Jackson, a respected prelate of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Jackson died Nov. 25 at the age of 71. “With profound sorrow, the Jackson family announces […]
Posted inNational News
One of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre’s last survivors, Viola Ford Fletcher, dies at age 111
Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at age 111. Throughout her later years, she worked to preserve the memory of Greenwood, sought justice for the atrocities committed against her community, and chronicled her experiences in her memoir, “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.”
Posted inReligion
Pioneering UMC Bishop Violet L. Fisher leaves a lasting legacy at 86
Bishop Violet L. Fisher, the first African American woman elected bishop in the United Methodist Church’s Northeastern Jurisdiction, died Nov. 17 at age 86. A barrier-breaking leader and lifelong educator, she is remembered for her trailblazing ministry, global service, and enduring impact on women, Black clergy, and faith communities across generations.
Posted inObituaries
Remembering Wallace “Jack” Jackman: A life of leadership, laughter and legacy
Wallace “Jack” Jackman, longtime co-publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, is remembered for his visionary leadership, community-building spirit and the warmth and humor that defined his life. A mentor, connector and modernizer of the MSR, he leaves behind a powerful legacy carried forward by his family and the many lives he touched.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Jackman family
Posted inObituaries
In Memoriam: Former Detroit congresswoman and CBC chair Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick dies at 80
Carolyn Jean Cheeks Kilpatrick, an assertive advocate for Detroit and Black owned business, died on Oct. 7 in Atlanta. She was 80.