2025 hasn’t been kind. It’s the year we’ve said goodbye to some of the most powerful African American women in entertainment—voices that shaped gospel, screens, and soul. These trailblazing African American women didn’t just perform; they built legacies that reshaped culture and still resonate long after the final curtain. Here is a list of female African celebrities who died in 2025.
Ananda Lewis
Ananda Lewis, the unforgettable MTV VJ and Teen Summit host, died on June 11, 2025, at 52 after a battle with breast cancer. She made authenticity cool.
Kimberly Hébert Gregory
Kimberly Hébert Gregory, best known for Vice Principals, died on October 3, 2025, at 52. Her cause of death remains unknown, leaving fans stunned and saddened.
Danielle Spencer
Danielle Spencer, who made Dee Thomas everyone’s favorite snitch on What’s Happening!!, died on August 11, 2025, at 60 from stomach cancer. She never lost her spark.
Lynn Hamilton
Lynn Hamilton, best known as Donna Harris from Sanford and Son, died of natural causes on June 19, 2025. She was 94 and left TV richer for it.
Angie Stone
R&B legend Angie Stone died in a car crash involving her Sprinter van and an 18-wheeler. The Grammy-nominated singer’s voice may be gone, but her impact isn’t.
Karen Silva
Karen Silva, a 17-year-old The Voice Kids alum, died from a hemorrhagic stroke in Volta Redonda, Brazil. “Karen was a symbol of empowerment,” her team wrote.
Alice Tan Ridley
Alice Tan Ridley, powerhouse singer and mother of Gabourey Sidibe, died at 72 on March 25, 2025, in New York City. Her voice always stole the spotlight.
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack, the legendary voice behind Killing Me Softly and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, died on Feb. 24 at 86. “She died peacefully,” her family said.
Voletta Wallace
Voletta Wallace, mother of The Notorious B.I.G., died on February 21, 2025, at 72, according to the Monroe County Coroner’s Office. A true matriarch of hip-hop.
Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae, the disco powerhouse behind Keep That Fire Burnin’, died on February 21, 2025, at 81 after a long illness. Her groove never faded.
Vanessa Brown Knowles
Vanessa Brown Knowles, founding member of The Brown Singers, died on September 28, 2025, at 63. Her daughter, Lisa Knowles Smith, shared the heartbreaking news online.
Khadiyah Lewis
Khadiyah “KD” Lewis, known from Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, has died, her brother confirmed. The entrepreneur behind three thriving businesses turned hustle into a legacy.
Alexis Herman
Alexis Herman, the trailblazing first Black U.S. secretary of labor, died at 77. From desegregation fights to the Clinton cabinet, she turned history into progress.
Donyelle Jones
Donyelle Jones packed so much life into 46 years. Born July 3, 1979, in LA, she hit national fame in 2006 on Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance, finishing third but instantly unforgettable. She acted too, popping up in Be Cool and Spirited. Then cancer showed up in 2016, stage 3C and cruel. Her family called her “A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. And a warrior who kicked cancer’s ass every single day she was here.”
Mickey Lee
Reality TV personality Mickey Lee died on December 25, 2025, after multiple cardiac arrests. She was 35. Fresh off season 27 of Big Brother, which aired summer 2025, Lee survived to Week 8. Viewers argued nonstop. Love her mess or hate it, you still watched. That mattered more than polls.
Olga James
Olga James, born 16 February 1929 in Washington DC, lit up Carmen Jones (1954) with Harry Belafonte. She later popped up in The Bill Cosby Show and Sealab 2020. She married Cannonball Adderley, then Len Chandler. She passed away in Los Angeles on 25 January 2025 at 95.
Marlene Warfield
Marlene Warfield, 83, died of lung cancer on April 6, 2025 in a Los Angeles hospital. You remember her as Laureen Hobbs in Network. She matched James Earl Jones in The Great White Hope and popped up on Maude and Little House on the Prairie.
Jo Ann Allen Boyce – December 3, 2025
Jo Ann Allen Boyce wasn’t just Cameron Boyce’s Nana. At 15, she walked into Clinton High School in Tennessee in 1956 with the rest of the Clinton 12, knowing full well that every hallway could turn hostile. That kind of courage doesn’t fade. Her family confirmed she passed away at 84 after pancreatic cancer, surrounded by loved ones in California. The Green McAdoo Cultural Center now features life-size statues of those students, a reminder of her strength. Cameron once said, “My Nana stuck up for what she believed in and did something amazing.” He wasn’t exaggerating. She showed her grandson how to change the world, and he listened.
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