The Defender remembers the well-known men and women who passed away in 2025. They included people of color who were influential in politics, social justice, journalism, education, sports, arts, and entertainment. Though they are no longer with us, their memories live on.
Vivian Ayers Allen – Poet, playwright, Rice University faculty trailblazer, and mother of Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad died Aug. 18 at age 102.
Roy Ayers – Musician-composer whose hits included Everybody Loves the Sunshine died March 4 at age 84.
Willie Belle Boone – Powerful Houston political activist and Sunnyside community leader, died July 15 at age 93.
H. Rap Brown – Former Black Panther Party and SNCC leader who advocated Black power, died Nov. 23 at age 82.
Jerry Butler – Singer known for such hits as Only the Strong Survive and a former Cook County commissioner died Feb. 20 at age 85.
Jimmy Cliff – Reggae music pioneer and actor whose hits included You Can Get it If You Really Want died Nov. 24 at age 81.
D’Angelo – Grammy-winning R&B singer of Lady, Brown Sugar, and Untitled (How Does It Feel) fame died Oct. 14 at age 51.
DJ Unk – Rapper who recorded such hits as Walk It Out and 2 Step died Jan. 24 at age 43.
Roberta Flack – Grammy-winning singer known for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song died Feb. 24 at age 88.
George Foreman – Two-time heavyweight boxing champion, successful entrepreneur, and Houston minister died March 21 at age 76.
Mario E. Gomez – Houston corporate communications executive and former broadcast journalist died Aug. 21 at age 68.
Jo-Carolyn Goode – Houston Style Magazine managing editor for over 25 years died Nov. 12 at age 48.
Irv Gotti – Murder Inc. Records founder who helped launch the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti died Feb. 5 at age 54.
Jose Griñán – Former Fox 26 Houston anchor who spent 30 years at the station died May 26 at age 72.
Alexis Herman – First African American to serve as U.S. labor secretary died April 25 at age 77.
Chris Jasper – Isley Brothers member who later formed Isley-Jasper-Isley and recorded Caravan of Love died Feb. 23 at age 73.
Willie C. Jordan Jr. – Pioneering Houston architect and one of the first Black University of Texas students died Oct. 3 at age 87.
Ananda Lewis – Former host of MTV’s “Total Request Live” and “Hot Zone,” BET’s “Teen Summit” and her own talk show died June 11 at age 52.
Jade McKissic – Twenty-year-old University of Houston student was found in Brays Bayou on Sept. 15, with questions surrounding her death.
Warren McVea – First Black football player to earn a scholarship at a major Texas university (UH) and who won a Super Bowl with Kansas City died Oct. 19 at age 79.
Sam Moore – Grammy-winning singer and one-half of the duo Sam & Dave of Hold On! I’m Coming, and Soul Man fame died Jan 10 at age 89.
Alvin Poussaint – Noted psychiatrist, author, professor, and former Harvard Medical School associate dean died Feb. 24 at age 90.
Walter Scott – Member of the Whispers, whose hits included And the Beat Goes On and Rock Steady, died June 26 at age 81.
Danielle Spencer – Child star who played Dee on TV’s What’s Happening! died Aug. 11 at age 60.
Angie Stone – Singer whose hits included Wish I Didn’t Miss You and No More Rain (In This Cloud) died March 1 at age 63.
Sly Stone – Sly & The Family Stone, whose hits included Family Affair and Everyday People died June 9 at age 82.
Sylvester Turner – Houston congressman, former mayor and former state representative died March 5 at age 70.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner – Actor who rose to fame as Theo on The Cosby Show died July 20 at age 54.
D’Wayne Wiggins – Member of the group Tony! Toni! Toné! of Anniversary and Feels Good fame died March 7 at age 64.
Jerry Woodley – Houston sports journalist who was a fixture at college games died Jan. 15 at age 69.