Another year has surpassed promptly with many lasting memories that brought joy including President Barack Obama serving his first year in office, the return of Michael Vick to the NFL, to more social issues such as the implementation of health care reform.
The span of the year also brought controversial issues including the global scrutiny of 18-year-old Caster Semenya of South Africa who’s gender was in question during the semifinals of the women’s 800m track and field competition in mid August.
However, 2009 also brought tears with some unfortunate losses in the community and nationally. Here’s a look at some notable African-Americans we’ve lost in the past year.
Betty Allen, opera singer
Gertrude Baines; oldest woman in the world; 115-years-old
Ernest E. Barnes Jr., painter; former professional football player
Gloria Bennett, journalist
Edwin Bocage, singer; pianist
Mel Brown, blues guitarist
Roderick “Dolla” Burton II, rapper
Margaret Bush Wilson, lawyer; civil rights activist
Randy Cain, member of R&B group The Delfonics
Johnny Carter, founding member of the R&B group The Dells and The Flamingos.
Carole Cole, actress
Hank Crawford, saxophonist
Vance Dalton, husband of Indianapolis Recorder employee, Crystal Dalton
Altovise Davis, actress
Roy DeCarava, photographer
Robert Decatur, Tuskegee Airman; Ohio probate judge
Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter “Rev. Ike,” nationally known evangelist
John Hope Franklin, renowned historian and professor
Vernon Frost, professional boxer
E. Lynn Harris, author
Chris Henry, NFL wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals
Jessie Hollins, former MLB baseball player of the Chicago Cubs
Irene Hurst, mother of Indianapolis Recorder employee, John Hurst
Michael Jackson, entertainer
Rev. Vernon C. King, nephew of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Marilyn Killingham, former president of Provisional Government of teh Republic of New Africa.
Willie King, blues musician
Eddie Logan, former Negro League baseball player
Huey Long, guitarist of The Ink Spots
Frankie Manning, dancer; choreographer
Judi Mason, television writer of Good Times; playwright
Ted Mays Sr., father of Indianapolis Recorder publisher, Carolene Mays
Steve McNair, retired NFL quarterback for the Tennessee Titans
Mike McQueen, journalist
William Palmer, Tuskegee Airman
Dr. A.D. Pinkney, former president of NAACP’s greater Indianapolis region
Alaina Reed, actress
Trevor Rhone, playwright
Naomi Sims, supermodel
William Stokes, producer; photojournalist
Percy Sutton, civil rights attorney
Koko Taylor, blues singer
George Thompson, grandson of Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper founder
Wayman Tisdale, retired NBA basketball player of the Phoenix Suns; jazz bass guitarist
Burl Toler Sr., first African-American to officiate the NFL and Super Bowl
Norm Van Lier, broadcaster
Marvin Webster, retired NBA basketball player of the Denver Nuggets
Rev. H. Wesley Wiley, nationally prominent Baptist pastor
David “Pop” Winans, gospel singer and patriarch of the famed Winans Singers
Timothy Wright, Grammy-nominated gospel singer
