PIM -Fallen Angels-January 2017

Dear Readers of Prep Insight Magazine, 

Mr. Bill Garth 

My dear friend Bill was a giant 

of a man. He understood the 

power of community news. 

He recognized that we as a 

community, both civic and 

business, needed to make sure 

that our voices were heard 

and the causes that we were 

fighting for was legitimate so 

others could recognized what 

we stood for. In 1981, I had the pleasure of being 

a sports writer and sports editor for the Citizens’ 

Newspaper Group, along with my late friend, Paul 

Davis. In 1982, we were able to bring legendary African 

American college football coach, Eddie Robinson of 

the Grambling State Tigers to speak to the young 

football players of the Chicagoland area. It is a date 

that I won’t ever forget. It was an outstanding pleasure 

working with Mr. Garth because he was able to make 

sure that we were able to cover all news and sports. 

We were able to cover the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, 

White Sox, just to name a few. Mr. Garth often said, “if 

they let other newspapers cover them, then damn it, 

we are also going to cover it”. Bill believed in standing 

up and standing firm for his community. When he met 

and negotiated with the Nike Corporation to put a Nike 

outlet on 85th and Cottage Grove, it had been a first 

for an African American community. He also helped 

bring Target, Marshalls and other big chain stores 

to the south side of Chicago. I believe his greatest 

achievement was being at the center of the election 

of Chicago’s first African American mayor, Harold 

Washington. He also participate in 3 presidential 

campaigns. 1984, 1988 and 2008 election of President 

Barack Obama. Bill Garth was a great man; a family 

man, a business man, and a community man. His loss 

will be hard for us to overcome for a long time. 

4 PREP INSIGHT MAGAZINE - FALLEN ANGELS EDITION | JANUARY 2017 

Out of all of my 60 years of being on this earth, truly 2016, was the year 

of loss. That’s the reason we entitled this issue, Fallen Angels. Not only 

did we lose a large group of dignitaries, sports figures, entertainers and 

civic leaders but a lot of us went through tremendous, personal loss. For 

this reason, this publisher’s page is going be dedicated to the wonderful 

people and fallen angels of this past year. Below are my personal insights 

on just a few of the Fallen Angels. 

Dennis Green 

Dennis Green was my friend 

and mentor. In 1982, he 

became the first African 

American football coach in the 

history of the Big Ten. Coach 

Green was so interested in 

helping the development of 

African American football 

coaches and players that for 

5 years in a row, he was our 

guest and keynote speaker at our football banquets. 

While at Northwestern University, he made sure that 

the African American press was represented at Big 

Ten Football Luncheon which is an annual event every 

July. Coach Green was a trailblazer. He did free clinics 

for African American coaches and took a chance on 

players that nobody else would touch such as Randy 

Moss of the Minnesota Vikings. When Coach Green 

was chosen to be the head coach of the Minnesota 

Vikings, the first coach he hired was Tony Dungy as 

his defensive coordinator who later became the first 

African American coach to win a super bowl and is 

now in the NFL Hall of Fame. I love Coach Green for 

his conscience. He will be missed. 

Herbert Rogers Kent 

The greatest disc jockey in 

the history of Chicago radio. 

Herb Kent had a distinctive, 

velvet, dynamic voice. You 

could never mistake him for 

anyone else. In my generation 

for 15 years, he sent you to 

bed every night, Monday thru 

Saturday from 7PM till 11PM. 

Without question, he was the 

most creative man on radio. With the Electric Crazy 

People and the Wahoo Man, from the Kappa Karnaval 

at SIU to the high school sock hops at the gym to the 

stage shows, Herb Kent was a fixture in our community 

and he became the greatest dusty DJ in the history 

of Chicago radio. It’s hard to believe he is gone. 

Muhammad Ali 

How does one describe a man who calls himself ‘The Greatest’ and then backs it up with his deeds? You know, 

growing up as a little boy, your heroes were Superman, Batman, and Captain America. Well I am proud to say 

that Muhammad Ali was a real life hero. When I was in the 5th grade at Oglesby Grammar School, we idolized 

Cassius Marcellus Clay who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He would put rhymes to his predictions. 

He would say things like, ‘If he keeps talking jive, I'll do him in five’ and he would back them up with a sure 

knockout. He produced some of the greatest fights in boxing. The ‘What’s My Name’ with Ernie Terrell. The 

‘Rumble in the Jungle’ where he defeated George Foreman, ‘The Thriller in Manila’, and of course The Fight of 

the Century against Joe Frasier in Madison Square Garden but his greatest fight of all was when he took on the 

federal government by refusing to go to the army and fight in the Vietnam war on his religious principles. I will 

never forget a reporter asked him one day: “Mr. Ali, why won’t you go and fight for your country?” and Mr. Ali 

replied by saying, “Ain’t no Viet Cong ever called me a nigger.” The legend of the champ will live on forever. He 

truly was a role model and a symbol for black men. 

Cheryl Brooks 

Mrs. Brooks was the wife of Fenger High School’s former football coach, Greg Brooks. When the EAR Sportsmen’s 

Club 4-H started its Annual All-City and All-State High School Football Team, we decided to put on an annual 

banquet to honor and salute the kids. In order to make this banquet happen, the Chicago Public League Football 

Coaches’ wives came together and started the Women’s Auxiliary of the EAR Sportsmen’s Club 4-H. There were 

24 women in the auxiliary. Cheryl Brooks was the hardest and most dedicated member that I had the honor of 

working with. Please understand that all of the women were wonderful. They committed time and raised money 

for our young athletes. Cheryl Brooks never missed a meeting and never missed a function. Anything that was 

asked of her, she delivered. She will be missed, not only by her husband and family, but all who had the privilege 

to know her. 

In closing, there are so many people that we can talk 

about who left their mark and left us too soon. From 

Billy Paul, Bill Nunn, Florence Henderson, Carrie Fisher 

Ron Glass, Tommy Ford, Pat Summitt, Alan Thicke, to 

Richard Pyror’s sidekick, Gene Wilder. 

Ronald Kwesi Harris, a community leader from Simeon 

High School and Chicago State University, mentoring 

and changing the lives of African American men. 

There’s also Gwen Ifill who brought the news every 

night with dignity and grace to make us understand 

what was going on in the world. To John Saunders, 

an outstanding commentator for the sports network, 

ESPN, another African American brother who did 

things the right way not only with dignity and grace 

but with style. And Prince, he was a musical and 

entertainment genius. Not only could he produce 

outstanding music but he also produced one of the 

greatest African American films, Purple Rain. It is ironic 

that his protégé, Vanity, a group and a person he 

produced and created would go to heaven in the same 

year. Then there is Doug Banks; a legendary DJ who 

made us laugh and groove for years. Maurice White, 

the founder and leader of the elements, Earth, Wind, 

and Fire, who from the 70’s and the 80’s, was a member 

a group with the most talent and exhilarating music. 

They had tremendous crossover appeal. 

May God Bless the soul of every one of our Fallen 

Angels who passed away in 2016. 

Sincerely, 

Garret Gosha 

Publisher of Prep Insight Magazine 

JANUARY 2017 | PREP INSIGHT MAGAZINE - FALLEN ANGELS EDITION 5

From the President’s Desk 

With each new year, comes new opportunities. For Prep 

Insight Magazine, I have been given the opportunity to 

be at the helm as its new president. It is indeed a great 

honor and privilege for me to add my skills to those of 

the staff of PIM. Together with its Publisher, Mr. Garret 

Gosha, I am certain this will be one of the best years of 

its existence. 

PIM has been the voice of the young students of the 

Chicagoland area. It is our continued goal to bring 

informative stories and exciting information for the edification of all those that this 

magazine will touch. 

I anticipate great things for the coming year for our magazine! Happy New Year!! 

Marsha Y. Johnson, President 

Prep Insight Magazine 

Table of Contents 

Publisher’s Notes 4 

From the President’s Desk 6 

Fallen Angels of 2016 7 

2016 Special Awards 43 

Publisher Garret Gosha 

President Marsha Y. Johnson 

Editor-In-Chief 

Publisher’s Assistant Marisa Woodhouse 

Designer Legacy Design Leaders, LLC 

prepinsightmagazine@gmail.com 

facebook.com/prepinsightmagazine 

twitter.com/prepinsight 

Prep Insight Magazine honors just 

a few of the many fallen angels of the 

enternainment industry. These angels 

have deeply impacted the people of the 

world in many ways. We dedicate this 

issue to some of the greatest names who 

have permanently touched our hearts and 

minds with their talents. We honor their 

achievements showing that although they 

are gone, they will never be forgotten. 

Prep Insight Magazine is the voice of the 

EAR Sportsman’s Club 4H 

6 PREP INSIGHT MAGAZINE - FALLEN ANGELS EDITION | JANUARY 2017

The Fight of the Century 

March 8th 1971 

Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali 

January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016 

Champion boxer Muhammad Ali, known as “The Greatest 

of All Time,” died at age 74 of respiratory complications. Ali 

achieved success as a heavyweight fighter and Olympic gold 

medalist, but he continues to be a role model for athletes 

who protest against Black oppression. The activist boxer 

refused to fight in the Vietnam War on religious grounds 

but also declared the Viet Cong were not the true enemies 

of Black people. 

The Fight of the Century (also known as The 

Fight) is the title boxing writers and historians 

have given to the boxing match between 

champion Joe Frazier (26–0, 23 KOs) and 

challenger Muhammad Ali (31–0, 25 KOs), 

held on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square 

Garden in New York City. Frazier won in 15 

rounds via unanimous decision. 

In 1971, both Ali and Frazier had legitimate 

claims to the title of World Heavyweight 

Champion. An undefeated Ali had won the 

title from Sonny Liston in Miami Beach in 

1964, and successfully defended his belt up 

until he had it stripped by boxing authorities 

for refusing induction into the armed forces in 

1967. In Ali’s absence, the undefeated Frazier 

garnered two championship belts through 

knockouts of Buster Mathis and Jimmy. He 

was recognized by boxing authorities as the 

World Champion. Unlike Mathis and Ellis, 

Frazier was plausibly Ali’s superior, which 

created a tremendous amount of hype and 

anticipation for a match pitting the two 

undefeated fighters against one another to 

decide who was the true heavyweight champ. 



Ringside seats were $150 and each man was 

guaranteed 2.5 million dollars. In addition to 

the millions who watched on closed-circuit 

broadcast screens around the world, the 

Garden was packed with a sellout crowd of 

20,455 that provided a gate of $1.5 million. 

Prior to his enforced layoff, Ali had displayed 

uncommon speed and dexterity for a man 

of his size. He had dominated most of his 

opponents to the point that he had often 

predicted the round in which he would 

knock them out. However, in the fight 

preceding the Frazier fight, Ali struggled at 

times during his 15th round TKO of Oscar 

Bonavena, an unorthodox Argentinian 

fighter who was prepared by Hall of Fame 

trainer, Gil Clancy. 

Frazier had an outstanding left hook, and 

was a tenacious competitor who attacked 

the body of his opponent ferociously. 

Despite suffering from a serious bout of 

hypertension in the lead-up to the fight, he 

appeared to be in top form as the face-off 

between the two undefeated champions 

approached. 

The fight held broader meaning for many 

Americans, as Ali had become a symbol of 

the left-wing anti-establishment movement 

during his government-imposed exile from 

the ring, while Frazier had been adopted 

by the conservative, pro-war movement. 

According to the 2009 documentary Thriller 

in Manila, the match, which had been 

dubbed “The Fight”, “gripped the nation, 

but also split it down the middle. If you were 

rooting for Ali you were black, liberal or 

young, against the Vietnam War and for the 

Civil Rights movement. If you backed Joe 

Frazier you were a representative of white, 

conservative America. “Just listen to the roar 

of this crowd!” thundered Burt Lancaster, 

the play-by-play man. “The tension, and 

the excitement here, is monumental!” 

The fight itself exceeded even its promotional hype. Ali dominated the first three rounds, 

peppering the shorter Frazier with rapier-like jabs that raised welts on the champion’s face. 

Frazier began to dominate in the 4th round, catching Ali with several of his famed left hooks 

and pinning him against the ropes to deliver tremendous body blows. The fight was about 

even until late in round 11, when Frazier caught Ali, backed into a corner, with a crushing left 

hook that almost floored Ali, sending him falling into the ropes. Ali managed to survive the 

round and fought well over the next three rounds. At the end of round 14, Frazier held a lead 

on the three scorecards. Early in round 15, Frazier landed a spectacular left hook that put Ali 

on his back (for only the third time in his career). Ali, his right jaw swollen grotesquely, got up 

from the blow quickly and managed to stay on his feet for the rest of the round despite several 

terrific blows from Frazier. A few minutes later, the judges made it official: Frazier had retained 

the title with a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss. 

Ali did show rust in the fight. He was visibly tired after the 6th round, and though he put 

together some flurries of punches after that round, he was unable to keep the pace he had set 

in the first third of the fight. 



Doug Banks 

June 9, 1958 - April 11, 2016 

Long time Chicago radio personality Doug Banks 

died at age 57 years old. In Chicago, Banks 

started at WBMX Chicago, now V103, where 

he took the morning show from a 1.8 share to a 

healthy 5.6, beating WGCI 107.5 Radio, which 

soon hired him away. Banks did nights for there 

for a year, then moved into mornings becoming 

a Chicago institution from 1987 to 1994. For 16 

years, he hosted a nationally syndicated radio 

show, first in the afternoon, then in the morning. 

Otis Clay 

February 11, 1942 - January 15, 2016 

Hall of fame rhythm and blues artist Otis Clay, 

known as much for his big heart and charitable 

work in Chicago as for his singing internationally 

died at the age of 73. The Mississippi-born 

Clay was known for having a gruff, tenor-tinged 

voice on blues songs such as “Trying to Live 

My Life Without You” varied from his haunting 

but hopeful baritone on gospel standards like 

“When the Gates Swing Open”. 

David Bowie 

January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016 

The infinitely changeable, fiercely forward-looking 

songwriter who taught generations of musicians 

about the power of drama, images and personas, 

died two days after his 69th birthday of cancer. 

“David Bowie died peacefully surrounded by his 

family,” a post on his Facebook page read. David 

Robert Jones, known professionally as David 

Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter and 

actor. He was a figure in popular music for over 

five decades, regarded by critics and musicians 

as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 

1970s. 

Nicholas Caldwell 

April 5, 1944 - January 5, 2016 

Nicholas Caldwell, co-founder and singer with 

the California R&B group The Whispers, has 

died. He was 71. Caldwell died of congestive 

heart failure at his San Francisco home. With 

more than a couple dozen albums under their 

belt, many of which appeared in the Billboard 

200, and two – 1980’s The Whispers, which 

was the group’s first album to go platinum, and 

1982’s Love Is Where You Find It – topped the 

R&B albums chart, they’ve had a productive 

five-decade-long career. 

Natalie Cole 

February 6, 1950 - December 31, 2015 

Although Natalie Cole died on New Year’s Eve in 

2015, her family did not disclose the news until 

January of this year. According to a statement, 

Cole died at age 65 of “complications from 

ongoing health issues.” The singer had a 

successful career after following in the footsteps 

of her famous father, Nat “King” Cole. A nine-time 

Grammy winner, Cole won Album and Record of 

the Year for her 1991 release, “Unforgettable… 

with Love,” which featured a posthumous duet 

of “Unforgettable” with her late father. Her other 

hits include “This Will Be” and “Our Love.” 

Daryl Coley 

October 30, 1955 – March 15, 2016 

A celebrated gospel artist who also made 

impressive creative detours into jazz and pop, 

Daryl Coley was born in Berkeley, California. 

Coley remained active in the studio and onstage, 

as well as working with other artists, 

serving with a ministry in Oakland, and hosting 

a gospel radio series, God Said I Can. Coley’s 

health problems took an unfortunate turn, and 

he died in hospice care in the company of his 

family. Known for songs like “He’s Preparing 

Me,” “When Sunday Comes” and “Beyond the 

Vail,” 



Attrell Cordes 

May 15, 1970 – June 17, 2016 

Attrell Cordes, also known as Prince Be of the 

R&B group PM Dawn, passed away at age 45 of 

kidney failure. With his brother Jarett, Cordes 

and PM Dawn achieved major success in the 

early ’90s. The single “Set Adrift on Memory 

Bliss” went to the top of the charts in 1991 

pushing the album, “Of the Heart, of the Soul 

and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience” to 

gold status. PM Dawn’s ballad, “I’d Die Without 

You” from Eddie Murphy’s film “Boomerang” 

also achieved big success. 

Stanley “Buckwheat 

Zydeco” Dural, Jr. 

November 14, 1947 – September 24, 2016 

Musician Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr., rose 

from a cotton-picking family in southwest 

Louisiana to introduce zydeco music to the world 

through his namesake band Buckwheat Zydeco. 

Starting out in the 1980s, Buckwheat Zydeco, 

a performer as musically vital as the legendary 

Clifton Chenier, went on to become the most 

commercially successful zydeco act ever. He 

died at the age of 68. 

Phife Dawg 

November 20, 1970 – March 22, 2016 

The sudden death of A Tribe Called Quest’s Phife 

Dawg at age 45 was attributed to complications 

from Type 2 diabetes. The group’s 1991 album 

“The Low End Theory” included the hit singles 

“Check the Rhime,” “Jazz (We’ve Got) Buggin’ 

Out” and “Scenario.” Known as the Five-Foot 

Assassin, Phife Dawg was also known for his 

unique rhymes. He had such a lasting impact, his 

fans petitioned to have a New York park named 

after him. 

Patty Duke 

December 14, 1946 - March 29, 2016 

Patty Duke (born Anna Marie Duke) was an 

American actress of stage, film, and television. 

She first became known as a teen star, winning 

an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 

at age 16 for her role as Helen Keller in The 

Miracle Worker (1962), a role which she had 

originated on Broadway. The following year she 

was given her own show, The Patty Duke Show, 

in which she played “identical cousins”. She later 

progressed to more mature roles such as that of 

Neely O’Hara in the film Valley of the Dolls (1967). 

Tommy Ford 

September 5, 1964 – October 12, 2016 

Thomas Mikal Ford was 52 years old when he 

died after developing a blood clot and being 

placed on life support. The actor was best known 

for his work on the hit 1990s sitcom “Martin.” 

After the show ended, Ford continued acting 

on shows like “The Jamie Foxx Show” and 

“The Parkers” but also dove into motivational 

speaking and filmmaking. He completed work 

on a documentary called “Through My Lens, Art 

is Life” about bullying in the Black community 

and had several films in post-production at the 

time of his death. 

Ron Glass 

July 10, 1945 – November 5, 2016 

Known for roles on “Barney Miller” and “Firefly,” 

Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass died of 

respiratory failure at age 71. Glass got his start 

on television with guest spots on 1970s sitcoms 

like “Sanford and Son” and “All in the Family.” 

Later in his career, he had appearances on 

“The Twilight Zone” and “Family Matters” and 

completed voice work on the children’s series 

“Rugrats.” Glass reprised his “Firefly” role of 

Shepherd Derrial Book in the film “Serenity” in 2005. 




October 21, 1956 - December 27, 2016 

An American actress, writer, producer, and humorist. Fisher 

was the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She 

was known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film 

series. Her other film roles included Shampoo (1975), The 

Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), 

The ‘Burbs (1989), and When Harry Met Sally... (1989). 

Fisher wrote several semi-autobiographical novels, including 

Postcards from the Edge, the screenplay for the film of the 

book, an autobiographical one-woman play, and a non-fiction 

book, Wishful Drinking, based on the play. She worked on 

other writers’ screenplays as a script doctor. In later years, she 

earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences 

with bipolar disorder and drug addiction. 

Fisher and her mother appear in Bright Lights: Starring 

Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, a 2016 documentary 

about their relationship. It premiered at the 2016 Cannes 

Film Festival. 

Fisher died at the age of 60 on December 27, 2016, four 

days after experiencing a medical emergency near the 

end of a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles. 

John Glenn, Jr. 

July 18, 1921 - December 8, 2016 

A freckle-faced son of Ohio who was hailed as a 

national hero and a symbol of the space age as 

the first American to orbit Earth, then became 

a national political figure for 24 years in the 

Senate, died in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 

95. An American aviator, engineer, astronaut, 

and United States Senator from Ohio. In 1962 he 

was the first American to orbit the Earth, circling 

it three times. He was one of the Mercury Seven: 

military test pilots selected in 1959 by NASA as 

the United States’ first astronauts. 

Rickey Harris 

January 26, 1962 – December 26, 2016 

Comedian and actor Ricky Harris, who had a 

recurring role in Chris Rock’s “Everybody Hates 

Chris” sitcom and voiced several characters 

that appeared in Hip Hop albums died at the 

age of 54. Harris’ manager, Cindy Ambers of 

Art/Work Entertainment, tells the Los Angeles 

Times he died December 26th. A cause was 

not immediately available, but Ambers says the 

comedian suffered a heart attack two years ago. 

Gordie Howe 

March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016 

A Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 

1946 to 1980, he played twenty-six seasons 

in the National Hockey League (NHL) and 

six seasons in the World Hockey Association 

(WHA); his first 25 seasons were spent with the 

Detroit Red Wings. Nicknamed “Mr. Hockey”, 

Howe is considered the most complete player 

to ever play the game and one of the greatest 

ice hockey players of all time. A 23-time NHL All- 

Star, he held many of the sport’s scoring records 

until they were broken in the 1980s by Wayne 

Gretzky. He continues to hold NHL records for 

most games and seasons played. 


February 17, 1949 - July 21, 2016 

Youree “Ms. Cleo” Harris 

August 12, 1962 - July 26, 2016 

Youree Harris, known as the Jamaican TV 

psychic Ms. Cleo, died of cancer at age 53. 

Her catchphrase, “Call me now!” was heard on 

numerous Psychic Readers Network infomercials 

beginning in the 1990s. After that ended, Harris 

found voiceover work that included playing a 

character in “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.” She 

reprised her psychic role last year in a commercial 

for French Toast Crunch cereal. 


Dennis Green was head coach of the Minnesota Vikings 

and Arizona Cardinals for a combined 13 seasons Green’s 

Vikings made eight playoff appearances in 10 seasons 

from 1992 to 2001, reaching the NFC Championship 

Game in 1998 and 2000. He led the Vikings to a 15-1 

regular season in 1998 and ranks second in franchise 

history in games coached, wins and winning percentage, 

trailing Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant in each category. 

He died at age 67 of cardiac arrest complications. 

As the Vikings head coach from 1992 to 2001, Green 

led the team to the playoffs in eight of his 10 seasons 

with the team. His best season in Minnesota was in 1998, 

when the Vikings finished 15–1 and set the NFL record for 

most points in a season at the time. However, the Vikings 

would be upset by the Atlanta Falcons in that year’s NFC 

Championship Game. Following his first losing record in 

2001, he was fired just before the final game of the season. 

Green was hired by the Cardinals to serve as the head 

coach for the 2004 season, but was unable to match his 

success in Minnesota, and his tenure was overshadowed 

by a postgame tirade he made after the team lost a 

20-point lead in the fourth quarter of a 2006 game against 

the Chicago Bears. 

Leon Haywood 

February 11, 1942 - April 5, 2016 

Leon Haywood, the silky-smooth R&B singersongwriter 

and producer whose 1975 single 

“I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You” was 

famously sampled by Dr. Dre and others. 

Haywood is credited with writing the 1981 hit 

“She’s a Bad Mama Jama” by Carl Carlton, 

which he produced in his own studio. In 1983, he 

released the album It’s Me Again, which featured 

a couple minor R&B hits. 

Florence Henderson 

February 14, 1934 - November 24, 2016 

Florence Henderson, who began her career as an 

ingénue soprano in stage musicals in the 1950s 

but made a more lasting impression on television 

as the perky 1970s sitcom mom on “The Brady 

Bunch,” died at the age of 82. She is best 

remembered for her starring role as matriarch 

Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch 

from 1969 to 1974. Henderson also appeared in 

film as well as on stage and hosted several longrunning 

cooking and variety shows over the years. 

She appeared as a guest on many scripted and 

non-scripted television programs and as a panelist 

on numerous game shows. 


Richard “Onion” Horton 

July 5, 1936 – November 24, 2016 

1937 - September 23, 2016 

Hyde Park resident William “Bill” Garth, Sr., Chief Executive 

Officer of the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group Inc. (CCNG) 

and Chairman of the Chatham Business Association (CBA) 

died at the age of 79. 

A pillar in the community, Garth led the Citizen with a steady 

hand and worked hard to make the news operation the 

largest Black owned ABC audited newspaper in the Midwest. 

Starting out as an advertising salesman for the Citizen, Garth 

lived the American Dream. After gaining recognition as a 

master salesman at the Citizen, he ended up owning the 

newspaper chain in 1980 when he purchased the business 

from Gus Savage, a six term Democratic congressman who 

represented Chicago’s South Side. 

The Citizen was a business Garth nurtured and loved. He 

once said, “I’ve been good to the Citizen, because the 

Citizen has been good to me.” With a current circulation 

of 112,000 newspapers and a following of 400,000 readers 

weekly, the Citizen established itself as an important source 

for community news focused on the African-American 

market. 

Alzheimer’s disease claimed the life of 

controversial radio personality Richard “Onion” 

Horton at 80 years old, who was known for his 

combative, unabashed views on race. He loved 

black people – so much so that he used his voice 

to hold us accountable live on the air whenever 

he felt it was warranted. And black people loved 

him back. When he passed away at the age of 

80 on Thanksgiving after battling Alzheimer’s 

disease, black St. Louis collectively mourned 

the loss as though he were a close relative. He 

had been in many homes for more than 40 years 

as a print and radio personality. 

Monte Irvin 

February 25, 1919 - January 11, 2016 

Known as one of the Negro League’s best 

players, New York Giants outfielder Monte Irvin, 

who was on tap to integrate Major League 

Baseball in the 1940s, died of natural causes at 

age 96. He was not the first African-American 

player in the modern major leagues, but of all 

the talented players who made the perilous trip 

from the Negro leagues to the big leagues in 

the late 1940s, Irvin may have been the best. 

He played for the Giants for seven seasons, was 

elected to the 1952 All-Star Game and won a 

World Series with them in 1954. 

Daisy Lewellyn 

January 15, 1980 – April 8, 2016 

A rare form of cancer claimed the life of Bravo’s 

“Blood, Sweat & Heels,” star Daisy Lewellyn at 

age 36. The style expert and reality star revealed 

to Madame Noir last year that she was diagnosed 

with stage-three bile duct cancer, also known as 

cholangiocarcinoma – a rare cancer affecting 

the liver – at age 34. The star also spent time in 

various editor positions at Essence, InStyle and 

Glamour magazines, according to Essence. 



September 29, 1955 - November 14, 2016 

Cancer lead to the death of famed journalist Gwen Ifill at age 

61. After beginning her career in newspapers, Ifill ventured into 

broadcasting with NBC News and ultimately held the anchor 

spot on PBS’ Newshour. The journalist also moderated two 

vice presidential debates during the 2008 election and earned 

the John Chancellor Award for journalistic excellence this year. 

She was due to receive the honor just before her death. She 

was the moderator and managing editor of Washington 

Week and co-anchor and co-managing editor, with Judy 

Woodruff, of PBS NewsHour, both of which air on PBS. 

Ifill was a political analyst and moderated the 2004 and 

2008 American vice-presidential debates. She authored 

the best-selling book The Breakthrough: Politics and Race 

in the Age of Obama. 

While at Simmons College, Ifill interned for the Boston 

Herald-American. One day at work, she discovered a note 

on her desk that read, “Nigger go home.” After showing 

the note to editors at the newspaper, who “were horrified”, 

they offered her a job when she graduated from college in 

1977. Ifill’s close friend Michele Norris said that Ifill “said 

that was really unfortunate, but I have work to do and 

that’s how — that’s how she got the job. She didn’t get 

the job out of sympathy. She got the job because she 

didn’t let that slow her down.” 




October 5, 1928 - October 22, 2016 

Herb Kent – 65 years in radio. Born on October 5, 1928, 

Herb Kent was raised on Chicago’s South Side, where he 

received early musical inspiration from the rhythm & blues 

clubs that dotted his neighborhood. Often, he stood outside 

the windows of these clubs and listening to the tunes being 

played inside. As a young teen, he became involved in drama 

workshops and studied classical music at Hyde Park High 

School. By age sixteen, Kent had already given an on-air 

performance on Chicago’s prestigious WBEZ Radio station 

with his workshop. The year was 1944, and Kent’s passion for 

radio was solidified. 

During the remainder of the decade, he continued to 

participate in workshops, particularly with the Skyloft Players, a 

local theater company. He built scenery and performed in the 

ensemble along with the other players for several years. The 

theater was a perfect testing ground for the improvisational 

skill required to host a radio program, and in this environment 

Kent excelled. Finally, in 1952 he was given a salaried position 

as an on-air radio personality with WGES Radio, where he 

hosted a one-hour country and western show. He developed 

a distinctive on-air style and, with it, a substantial fan base. 

After three years with the station, he moved on to the Head 

Announcer position at WBEE Radio. 

Throughout the following two decades, 

Kent hosted radio shows on several 

stations in Chicago. Though each station 

had a platform and a format of its own. 

Kent’s style of humor, critique, and banter 

was immediately recognizable to his loyal 

listeners, no matter what station broadcast 

his shows. One of his most infamous stints 

was with WVON Radio between 1962 and 

1970. Many members of the broadcasting 

community have stated that Kent greatly 

helped to launch the careers of such 

R&B artists as The Temptations, Minnie 

Ripperton, Curtis Mayfield, and Smokey 

Robinson because of his enthusiastic, onair 

embrace of their music. 

During his broadcast on WVON, Kent became 

widely known as the “Voice of the People” for 

Chicago’s South Side, the spokesperson for local 

African America. He became known widely as 

“Herb Kent, the Cool Gent”, and even served 

as producer for an R&B group named The Cool 

Gents. 

During the 1960s, Kent also became known 

as a prominent Civil Rights activist because of 

his outspoken views on the lack of social and 

economic equality in America. For several years, 

he broadcasted his WVON show live from a 

different high school each week so that he could 

provide community youth with an alternative 

to the typical Friday night activities. Today, he 

continues his work with community leaders to 

create programs that will provide a productive 

environment for South Side youth. 

A few of Herb Kent’s many awards and 

recognitions include his 1995 induction into 

the Museum of Broadcast Communications 

Radio Hall of Fame. In 1996, Kent witnessed 

the official dedication of a street on Chicago’s 

South Side in his honor: “Herb Kent Drive”. 

He was also recognized by the dedication of a 

United States postal stamp bearing his image 

which was included in the 1998 “Golden Days 

of Radio” series. The following year, Herb Kent 

was named the Honorary Mayor of Bronzeville by 

the citizens of that South Side community. 

The radio station where Kent worked, iHeart 

Media’s V103 FM Chicago, said Sunday that 

Kent died Saturday evening. The company didn’t 

provide details in an online statement but said he 

hosted his final broadcast on Saturday morning. 

Kent was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 

1995. He was known as “The Cool Gent.” 




Shawty Lo 

March 22, 1976 – Sept. 21, 2016 

Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo, born Carlos Walker, 

died in a car accident at age 40. The MC founded 

Southern rap group D4L and later, D4L Records, 

where he produced the hits “Betcha Can’t Do It 

Like Me” and “Laffy Taffy.” He also is known for 

his solo single, “Dey Know.” 

January 4, 1959 - February 15, 2016 

Denise Katrina Matthews, better known as Vanity, was a 

Canadian singer, songwriter, dancer, actress and model, who 

turned away from her music and acting career to concentrate 

on evangelism. Her career lasted from the early 1980s until 

the mid-1990s. She was the lead singer of the female trio 

Vanity 6 from 1981 until it disbanded in 1983. They are known 

for their 1982 R&B/funk hit “Nasty Girl”. Vanity’s music career 

also included two solo albums on the Motown Records label, 

Wild Animal and Skin on Skin, as well as the minor hit singles 

“Pretty Mess”, “Mechanical Emotion”, “Undress” (from the 

movie Action Jackson), and “Under the Influence”. She also 

had a successful film career, starring in the movies The Last 

Dragon, 52 Pick-Up, and Action Jackson. She died on at the 

age of 57, due to renal failure. 

Besides Prince, Vanity was linked romantically to Adam 

Ant and Billy Idol. In 1987, she stated that she and Mötley 

Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx were engaged. She joked that she 

would become Vanity 6 (Sixx) again. They never married. 

In Sixx’s 2007 autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year 

in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, he describes his 1987 

drug use with Vanity who was addicted to crack cocaine 

at the time. 

Jomo Lord 

July 6, 1975 – March 23, 2016 

Trinidad and Tobago-born musician Jomo Lord 

died in his sleep at age 40. His songs included 

“Lingo” and “Losing Faith.” In 1975, Lord was 

born in Trinidad and Tobago but moved to 

Barbados with his family when he was three in 

1978. The past student of The Combermere 

School wrote and composed his music. His debut 

album Free was released in 2006. Musician Lord 

won a Barbados Music Award back in 2007 for 

this work. 

Don Marshall 

May 2, 1936 – October 30, 2016 

Actor Don Marshall, who played Dan Erickson in 

“Land of the Giants” and starred in “Star Trek” 

died at 80 of natural causes. Don Marshall, who 

appeared on TV shows including “Star Trek,” 

“Land of the Giants” and “Julia,” died Sunday 

in Los Angeles. He was 80. On “Star Trek,” he 

played Lt. Boma in “The Galileo Seven” episode 

in 1967. On the late 1960s sci-fi drama “Land 

of the Giants,” he had a recurring role as Dan 

Erickson. 



James Alan McPherson 

September 16, 1943 – July 27, 2016 

Bill Nunn 

October 20, 1953 – September 24, 2016 

MacArthur Fellowship recipient and Pulitzer 

Prize-winning writer James Alan McPherson died 

of complications from pneumonia at the age 

of 72. He was an American essayist and shortstory 

writer. He was the first black writer to win 

the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and was included 

among the first group of artists who received a 

MacArthur Fellowship. At the time of his death, 

McPherson was a member of the permanent 

faculty and a professor emeritus of fiction at the 

Iowa Writers’ Workshop. 

Best known for his role as Radio Raheem in Spike 

Lee’s 1989 film “Do The Right Thing,” Bill Nunn 

died at age 62 after a long battle with leukemia. 

The actor went on to star in other Lee films like 

“Mo’ Better Blues” and had notable roles in 

“New Jack City” and “Sister Act.” But his work 

wasn’t limited to movies as Nunn also expanded 

to the theater and opened the Bill Nunn Theatre 

Outreach Project in 2008 to inspire Black youth 

to participate in the trade. 

George Nauflett 

February 9, 1932 – October 28, 2016 

Arnold Palmer 

September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016 

Chemist and inventor George Nauflett, who had 

two dozen patents to his name, died in a house 

fire at age 84. He grew up during segregation 

and went on to become a rocket scientist. He 

was featured in a book about prominent African 

Americans called The Inventive Spirit of African 

Americans: Patented Ingenuity. “He had 22 

patents, he participated in 59 publications, 

just a brilliant man,” said his daughter Joyce 

Bradford. 

Arnold Daniel Palmer was an American 

professional golfer who is generally regarded as 

one of the greatest players in the sport’s history. 

Dating back to 1955, he won numerous events 

on both the PGA Tour and the circuit now known 

as PGA Tour Champions. Nicknamed The King, 

he was one of golf’s most popular stars and 

its most important trailblazer. In a career that 

spanned more than six decades, he won 62 PGA 

Tour titles from 1955 to 1973, placing him at that 

time behind only Sam Snead and Ben Hogan, 

and still fifth on the Tour’s all-time victory list. 

Gloria Naylor 

January 25, 1950 – September 28, 2016 

Billy Paul 

December 1, 1934 – April 24, 2016 


Author Gloria Naylor, was an accomplished 

writer known for illuminating the stories of Black 

women. Naylor, is best known for her awardwinning 

book The Women of Brewster Place. 

Published in 1982, the novel went on earn 

Naylor the National Book Award the following 

year. Throughout her career, Naylor taught 

literature at several institutions, including New 

York University, Cornell, and Boston University, 

and her beautiful and complex portrayals of the 

lives of Black women inspired a generation of writers. 

Paul Williams, known professionally as Billy Paul, 

was a Grammy Award-winning American soul 

singer, known for his 1972 #1 single, “Me and Mrs. 

Jones”, as well as the 1973 album and single “War 

of the Gods” which blends his more conventional 

pop, soul, and funk styles with electronic and 

psychedelic influences. Paul was identified by his 

diverse vocal style which ranged from mellow and 

soulful to low and raspy. Billy Paul was 80 years 

old when he died and had been hospitalized 

following a recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis. 


After releasing the albums Around the 

World in a Day (1985) and Parade (1986), 

The Revolution disbanded, and Prince 

released the double album Sign o’ the 

Times (1987) as a solo artist. He released 

three more solo albums before debuting 

the New Power Generation band in 1991. 

June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016 

He was a musical innovator who was known for his eclectic 

work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress and 

makeup, and wide vocal range. His music integrates a wide 

variety of styles, including funk, rock, R&B, new wave, soul, 

psychedelia, and pop. He has sold over 100 million records 

worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all 

time. He won seven Grammy Awards, an American Music 

Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for 

the film Purple Rain. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll 

Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone 

ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of 100 Greatest Artists, 

“the most influential artists of the rock & roll era”. 

Prince was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and developed 

an interest in music as a young child. He signed a recording 

contract with Warner Bros. at the age of 18, and released his 

debut album For You in 1978. His 1979 album Prince went 

platinum, and his next three records—Dirty Mind (1980), 

Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982)—continued his success, 

showcasing Prince’s prominently sexual lyrics and blending of 

funk, dance, and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to 

his backup band as the Revolution and released Purple Rain, 

which served as the soundtrack to his eponymous 1984 film 

debut and was met with widespread acclaim. 

In 1993, while in a contractual dispute 

with Warner Bros., he changed his stage 

name to an unpronounceable symbol 

also known as the “Love Symbol”, and 

began releasing new albums at a faster 

pace to remove himself from contractual 

obligations. He released five records 

between 1994 and 1996 before signing 

with Arista Records in 1998. In 2000, he 

began referring to himself as “Prince” 

again. He released 16 albums after that, 

including the platinum-selling Musicology 

(2004). His final album, Hit n Run Phase 

Two, was first released on the Tidal 

streaming service on December 12, 2015. 

Prince died from a fentanyl overdose at his 

Paisley Park recording studio and home in 

Chanhassen, Minnesota at the age of 57. 



Aaron Pryor 

October 20, 1955 – October 9, 2016 

April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016 

Debbie Reynolds went on to establish a film career as one of 

the most popular actresses of her time. Known for an array 

of musicals in the 1950s, she made a star turn in Singin’ in 

the Rain (1952), in which she offered a spirited performance 

opposite Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor. The following 

decade, Reynolds won the respect of her peers with her title 

role in the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown, for which she 

received an Academy Award nomination. She continued to 

act and sing for more than 40 more years via film, television 

and the stage. 

She starred in How the West Was Won (1963), and The 

Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), a biographical film about 

the famously boisterous Molly Brown. Her performance as 

Brown earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for 

Best Actress. Her other films include The Singing Nun (1966), 

Divorce American Style (1967), What’s the Matter with Helen? 

(1971), Charlotte’s Web (1973), Mother (1996) (Golden Globe 

nomination), and In & Out (1997). Reynolds was also a cabaret 

performer. In 1979 she founded the Debbie Reynolds Dance 

Studio in North Hollywood, which still operates today. 

On December 28, 2016, Reynolds died at the age of 84, just 

one day after her daughter, Carrie Fisher, died. 

Aaron Pryor was inducted into the International 

Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996, and in 1999 was 

voted by the Associated Press as the world’s 

best light welterweight of the 20th century. 

Pryor died on October 9, 2016 after suffering 

from heart disease. Pryor was inducted into the 

International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996, and 

in 1999 was voted by the Associated Press as 

the world’s best light welterweight of the 20th 

century. 

Willie Rogers 

1915 - November 18, 2016 

Willie Rogers, the oldest surviving member of 

the original Tuskegee Airmen, has died at the 

age of 101. Rogers largely served in logistics 

during his time with the famed, groundbreaking 

World War II aviation unit. Rogers, who lived in 

St. Petersburg, Fla., for the last 50 years of his 

life, was so low key about his participation over 

the years to the point where some of his own 

family members did not know about his historic 

past. In 1942, Rogers was drafted into the army 

and served as part of the 100th Air Engineer 

Squad. He also served with the Red Tail Angels. 

Sean Rooks 

September 9, 1969 – June 7, 2016 

Former NBA center and Philadelphia 76ers 

assistant coach Sean Rooks died at 46 of a 

heart attack after suffering from cardiovascular 

disease. He played in the National Basketball 

Association (NBA) from 1992 to 2004, and was 

an Assistant for Player Development for the 

Philadelphia 76ers. He played college basketball 

for the Arizona Wildcats, earning all-conference 

honors in the Pac-10 (known later as the Pac-12) 

as a senior. 



February 2, 1955 – August 10, 2016 

ESPN commentator John Saunders’ death at 61 came 

unexpectedly and a cause of death was undetermined. But 

reports suggested diabetes, heart disease and depression 

were to blame. Still, Saunders enjoyed a lengthy broadcasting 

career that included hosting the World Series, Stanley Cup 

playoffs and the MLB All-Star Game. Saunders also anchored 

several shows on ESPN, including “SportsCenter.” 

Saunders was an all-star defenseman in the Montreal junior 

leagues, received a scholarship and played hockey at Western 

Michigan University from 1974–76 with his brother, Bernie. 

Saunders attended high school in Montreal, Canada. He 

transferred to Ryerson University in Toronto and played for the 

Rams from 1976–78. After the 1977–78 season, Saunders was 

named to the Ontario University Athletic Association All-Star 

team. He was the news director for CKNS Radio (Espanola, 

Ontario, 1978), and sports anchor at CKNY-TV (North Bay, 

Ontario, 1978–1979) and at ATV News (New Brunswick, 

1979–1980). 

He also served as the main sports anchor for CITY-TV (Toronto, 

1980–1982). He then moved to the United States to work as a 

sports anchor at WMAR-TV (Baltimore, 1982–1986). 

Rashaan Salaam 

October 8, 1974 – December 5, 2016 

Heisman trophy winner Rashaan Salaam was 

found dead in a Boulder, Colorado, park of 

an apparent suicide at age 42. A college and 

professional football player who was a running 

back in the National Football League (NFL) for 

four seasons during the 1990s. Salaam played 

college football for the University of Colorado 

and won the 1994 Heisman Trophy. He was 

picked by the Chicago Bears in the first round of 

the 1995 NFL Draft, and played professionally 

for the Bears and Cleveland Browns of the NFL. 

Kashif Saleem 

December 26, 1959 – September 25, 2016 

Kashif Saleem, previously Michael Jones, was a 

multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, record 

producer, artist, composer, author, director and 

educator from New York City. Singer-songwriter 

and producer, he was known for his work with the 

likes of Whitney Houston and George Benson. It 

was reported that he died of natural causes at 

56 years old. At age 15, he joined B. T. Express 

and performed on stages around the world. 

He studied Islam and changed his name from 

Michael Jones to Kashif, which means discoverer 

and inventor. 

Afeni Shakur 

January 10, 1947 – May 2, 2016 

Activist and mother of rapper Tupac Shakur, 

passed away at 69 of a heart attack. The former 

Black Panther — who was arrested and charged 

with conspiracy to bomb New York City landmarks 

with other members before her charges were 

dropped in 1971 — continued to serve the Black 

community even after her time with the Panther 

Party ended. Shakur worked as a paralegal to 

save families from eviction. Until her death, Shakur 

managed her son’s estate after his 1996 murder, 

giving much of the funds to charity. 



Kimbo Slice 

February 8, 1974 – June 6, 2016 

Iconic street and mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo 

Slice — born Kevin Ferguson — died at 42 of 

congestive heart failure. Slice, who competed 

on “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2012, launched 

his professional career after finding success with 

viral street fighting videos. He signed to UFC and 

held a 1-1 record before leaving the company to 

pursue wrestling. In MMA, the fighter had a 5-2 

record with four TKOs. 

Pat Summitt 

June 14, 1952 – June 28, 2016 

Pat Summitt, who won more games than anyone 

in college basketball history, man or woman, 

died five years since being diagnosed with 

early onset dementia in the form of Alzheimer’s. 

She was 64. An American women’s college 

basketball head coach who, over the course of 

her career, accrued 1,098 career wins, the most 

in NCAA basketball history. She served as the 

head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady 

Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012, before 

retiring at age 59. 


Will Smith 

July 4, 1981 – April 9, 2016 

Retired New Orleans Saints defensive end Will 

Smith was shot and killed at 34 years old during 

a road rage incident. Smith spent his entire 

career with the Louisiana football team and 

earned a Super Bowl ring with them. In 2006, 

he became a Pro Bowler and was ranked fourth 

overall on the team with 67.5 career sacks. One 

month before his death, a panel elected Smith 

to the Saints Hall of Fame. 

David Smyrl 

September 13, 1935 – March 22, 2016 

The Emmy-winning actor best known for his role 

as Mr. Handford, the retired firefighter who ran 

Hooper’s Store on Sesame Street, died at the 

age of 80. Smyrl was diagnosed with lung cancer 

in January. Sometimes credited professionally 

as David L. Smyrl, he was an actor, television 

writer and voice-over artist. Smyrl won eight 

Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street 

during his time on the show. Smyrl was hired for 

his television acting job on a short-lived show, 

Express Yourself, during the 1970s. He appeared 

in the 1978 Broadway musical, Working. 

Alan Thicke 

March 1, 1947 – December 13, 2016 

Alan Thicke, an actor best known for helping 

set a template for parenting ideals in the ’80s 

sitcom “Growing Pains,” died at the age of 

69. He was a Canadian actor, songwriter, and 

game and talk show host. He was best known 

for his role as Jason Seaver, the father on the 

ABC television series Growing Pains, which ran 

for seven seasons. Thicke hosted a Canadian 

game show on CFCF-TV in Montreal called First 

Impressions in the late 1970s and the Saturday 

morning celebrity game show Animal Crack-Ups 

in the late 1980s. 

Tray Walker 

August 5, 1992 – March 18, 2016 

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker was 

just 23 years old when he died in a motorbike 

accident after colliding with an SUV. Tray was an 

American football cornerback for the Baltimore 

Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He 

played college football at Texas Southern, and 

was drafted by the Ravens in the 4th round of 

the 2015 NFL draft, ultimately playing only one 

season with the team. 


Dr. Frances Cress Welsing 

March 18, 1935 – Jan. 2, 2016 


December 19, 1941 – February 3, 2016 

Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, died in his 

sleep at age 74 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. During 

his tenure with the funk-soul band, they sold over 100 million 

records and churned out hits like “Reasons,” “September” 

and “Shining Star.” Aside from his work with the band, White 

carved out an impressive music career behind the scenes, coproducing 

and co-writing the hit, “Best of My Love” by The 

Emotions, a group he discovered. 

He won seven Grammys, and was nominated for a total of 

twenty Grammys. White was inducted into the Rock and 

Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as 

a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, and was also inducted 

individually into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

Also known by his nickname “Reece”, he worked with 

several famous recording artists, including Deniece 

Williams, the Emotions, Barbra Streisand and Neil 

Diamond. White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 

in the late 1980s, which led him eventually to stop touring 

with Earth, Wind & Fire in 1994. He retained executive 

control of the band, and remained active in the music 

business. 

Psychiatrist and scholar Dr. Frances Cress Welsing 

died at 80 years old of a reported stroke she 

had days before. Touted as the Queen Mother 

of Black Consciousness, the author published 

major writings on racism, including “The Cress 

Theory of Color-Confrontation” and “The Isis 

Papers: The Keys to the Colors,” the latter of 

which stirred controversy for its views on whites 

feeling threatened by Black people. 

Papa Wemba 

June 14, 1949 – April 24, 2016 

Influential Congolese singer Papa Wemba, 

known as the King of Rhumba Rock, died at age 

66 after collapsing onstage. Wemba helped 

bring his country’s music to a global scale. After 

forming the group Zaiko Langa Langa in 1969, 

he wrote such hit songs as “Pauline” and “Liwa 

Ya Somo” before leaving to form other bands. 

As a solo artist, his hits include “Analengo” and 

popular Otis Redding cover “Fa Fa Fa Fa.” 

Gene Wilder 

June 11, 1933 – August 29, 2016 

Gene Wilder was born Jerome Silberman 

in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Jeanne (Baer) 

and William J. Silberman, who manufactured 

miniature whiskey and beer bottles. Gene 

Wilder, who established himself as one of 

America’s foremost comic actors with his 

delightfully neurotic performances in three 

films directed by Mel Brooks; his eccentric star 

turn in the family classic “Willy Wonka and the 

Chocolate Factory”; and his winning chemistry 

with Richard Pryor in the box-office smash “Stir 

Crazy,” He died at the age of 83. 


November 22, 1959 – February 3, 2016 

Born a natural leader, Ronald E. Harris was destined to have a 

tremendous impact on all he encountered. Whether you knew 

him as Ronald, Ron, Skip or Kwesi, he left a lasting impression 

in you. A product of the Chicago Public School System, Ronald 

was a proud Wolverine, graduating from Simeon High School 

in 1977. Practicing the principle of Sankofa, he returned to 

Simeon to coach football and later became the 1st president 

of the Simeon Alumni Association. 

Kwesi Ronald lived by the moto “du da work,” and the work 

is what he did. As a consultant and inspirational speaker, he 

provided lectures, keynote addresses, workshops, seminars 

and trainings in the areas of cultural reclamation, alcohol, 

tobacco and other drug use prevention, life skills, character 

development, relationships, violence prevention, and conflict 

resolution. As a co-founder of the Citywide Coalition against 

Tobacco and Alcohol Billboards, he along with the office 

of the Illinois Attorney General, grassroots organizations, 

national and local hip-hop organizations, local public health 

advocates and over 30 other states Attorney Generals 

brought down KOOL Cigarette’s House of Menthol in 2004. 

His hard work and dedication paid off, making this one of his 

biggest accomplishments. His advocacy, organizational skills, 

authentic community ties and true belief in the cause helped 

bring about Smoke-Free Ordinances in the City of Chicago 

and State of Illinois. 

Bernie Worrell 

April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016 

Keyboardist Bernie Worrell rose to fame as the 

co-founding member of the funk/rock collective 

Parliament-Funkadelic. He died at age 72 after 

battling cancer. Throughout the 1970s and 

into the ‘80s, George Clinton’s dual projects 

of Parliament and Funkadelic and their various 

spinoffs built upon the sounds of James Brown 

and Sly and the Family Stone among others 

and turned out some of the most complex, 

spaced out, political, cartoonish and, of course, 

danceable music of the era, elevating the funk 

groove to a world view. 

John Young 

February 9, 1949 – May 8, 2016 

He founded RBI, a youth baseball program 

designed to bring African-American youth back 

to the sport, died in Los Angeles. He was 67. “All 

of us at Major League Baseball are saddened 

by the loss of John Young, a trailblazer and 

champion of both professional and youth 

baseball,” commissioner Rob Manfred wrote in 

a statement. 

Gugu Zulu 

May 13, 1978 – July 18, 2016 

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tray Walker was 

South African rally race car driver Gugu Zulu, 

known as “the fastest brother in Africa” died at 

38 years old as he attempted to climb Mount 

Kilimanjaro. Gugu won the hearts of many South 

Africans with his warm spirit as a motorsport 

television presenter and was well-loved even by 

those who did not follow racing. 



Prep Insight Magazine 

2016 Special Awards and Honorees 

We honor some of the people who have made 

exceptional achievements in their field. 

Principals of the Year 

Stephanie Y. Moore 

Uplift Community 

High School 

Football Coaches of the Year 

Jay McDonough 

Curie High School 

Woman of 

the Year 

Kim Foxx 

State’s Attorney for 

Cook County, Illinois 

Man of the Year 

Kenneth Bennett 

Deputy Chief of Staff and the 

Director of the Mayor’s Office 

of Public Engagement for the 

City of Chicago 

Douglas L. Maclin 

Chicago Vocational 

Career Academy 

Football Man of the Year 

Richard Petroski 

St. Joseph High School 

Basketball Coaches of the Year 

Medical Person 

of the Year 

Media Person 

of the Year 

Troy McAllister 

Wendell Phillips 

High School 

Gene Heidkamp 

Benet High School 

Dr. Gregory L. Primus 

Chicago Center for 

Sports Medicine and 

Orthopedic Surgery 

Entertainer 

of the Year 

Julian Green 

Vice President 

Communication and Community 

Affairs of the Chicago Cubs 

Educator 

of the Year 

Basketball Man of the Year 

Mike Oliver 

Curie High School 

Clergy of the Year 

Bishop Simon Gordon 

Triedstone Full Gospel 

Baptist Church 

Chance the Rapper 

Chancelor Johnathan Bennett 

Hip Hop recording artist 

from the West Chatham 

neighborhood of Chicago 

Donna Leak 

Superintendent of 

District 168 


From the Vault - History Makers 

Cavalier Alumni 

Legacy Awards 

Jimmy Jones 

Entrepreneur and High 

School Football coach. 

Gloster Richardson 

Played in the very first super 

bowl for the Kansas City Chiefs 

50 years ago on 

his golden anniversary. 

John Potocki 

Football Coach - Retired 


Career Academy 

Arriel Gray, Jr. 

Deputy Fire Commissioner 


Antonio Smith 


High School 



Don and Rose Jackson 

Central City Productions 

Community Role 

Models of the Year 

Partners in business, partners 

in life. This incredible couple 

is celebrating 50 years 

of marriage showing our 

young people that it can be 

done in life and business... 

a partnership of love and 

equality in business.

PIM -Fallen Angels-January 2017

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