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Theodore Lumpkin Jr, Tuskegee Airman, Dies From Coronavirus

Theodore Lumpkin Jr, one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, has died a few days shy of his 101st birthday.

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Theodore Lumpkin Jr, Tuskegee Airman, dies from coronavirus
Theodore Lumpkin Jr (Fair use image)

Theodore Lumpkin Jr, one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, has died. He was a few days shy of his 101st birthday.

Death details

Lumpkin, a native of Los Angeles, died December 26 due to complications of coronavirus, according to a statement from Los Angeles City College, which he attended from 1938 to 1940.

California has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected nearly 22 million in the US and killed over 300,000 people.

Theodore Lumpkin Jr Was A Tuskegee Airman

Lumpkin was drafted in 1942 and assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron in Tuskegee, Alabama, which later helped escorted bombers in Europe. Lumpkin’s eyesight wasn’t good enough to be a pilot but he was an intelligence officer who briefed pilots on missions, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Lumpkin’s wife, Georgia, told the Times that he didn’t talk much about his experiences with the airmen.

“We were married for a number of years until I heard about them,” she said. “When I realized who these guys were and what they’d done, I was just overcome at how much they persevered. They did not bow down. They achieved things that detractors said they couldn’t, weren’t capable of doing.”

During his stint in the war, Lumpkin obtained an undergraduate sociology degree from University of Southern California, became a social worker with Los Angeles county and after retiring shifted gears and went into the real estate industry.

The Tuskegee Airmen received the highest civilian recognition in 2007 with the Congressional Gold Medal. Nearly two years later, then-President Obama invited the surviving squadron members, including Lumpkin, to his inauguration.

Lumpki Jr’s Legacy

Lumpkin is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter, several grandchildren and a great-grandchild.


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Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a local Black newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to now broaden into a recognized Black online media outlet. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.

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Obituaries

O.J. Simpson, football Hall of famer, dies at 76 after cancer battle

O.J. Simpson, the football hall of famer and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend, has died. He was 76.

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O.J. Simpson dies at 76
O.J. Simpson (Photo Credit: Gerald Johnson • Public domain)

O.J. Simpson, the football hall of famer and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of murder charges, has died.

He was 76.

Family announces passing

The family announced on Simpson’s official X account that Simpson passed Wednesday after battling prostate cancer. He died in Las Vegas, officials there said Thursday.

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the family posted on Simpson’s X account.

Life of ups and downs for O.J. Simpson

Simpson was a former NFL star, actor, and broadcaster whose athletic achievements and fame were eclipsed by his 1995 trial in the slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

The infamous case

Simpson assembled a “dream team” defense for the trial.

He didn’t testify, but the prosecution asked him to try on the gloves in court. He struggled to squeeze them onto his hands and spoke his only three words of the trial: “They’re too small.”

His attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. told the jurors, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

Acquitted

Simpson was acquitted of murder for both his ex-wife and Goldman.

The proceedings captivated the country, with tens of millions of viewers tuning in at home and at work and sparked heavy debates on race.

Though acquitted of murders, in 1997, a civil trial jury unanimously deemed Simpson liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages.

Served time

Years later at 61, Simpson served about nine years in prison for an unrelated case involving a memorabilia robbery in Las Vegas. He was released in 2017 on parole.

Football career

After graduating from high school, Simpson enrolled at City College of San Francisco for a year and a half before transferring to the University of Southern California for the spring 1967 semester to play football.

At USC, Simpson dominated the collegiate football and received the Heisman trophy in 1968.

NFL

Simpson went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, nine of them with the Buffalo Bills, where earning him the moniker “The Juice” and ran behind an offensive line known as “The Electric Company.”

He won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns and played in five Pro Bowls. His best season was 1973, when he ran for 2,003 yards, the first running back to accomplish breaking the 2,000-yard rushing mark.

O.J. Simpson’s Legacy

Simpson leaves behind five children. He shared three children, Arnelle, Jason and Aaren, with his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, and welcomed two kids, Sydney and Justin, with his second wife Nicole Brown Simpson.


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Obituaries

Legendary DJ Mister Cee passes away

Mister Cee, the legendary New York City radio DJ, has died. He was 57 years old.

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DJ Mister Cee dies at 57
Mister Cee (Facebook/Wikimedia)

Calvin LeBrun, the legendary New York City radio DJ known as Mister Cee, has died. He was 57 years old.

DJ Mister Cee passes

Cee, who grew up in Brooklyn,was a prominent figure in the hip-hop scene in New York City.

He got his start as a DJ and producer for Big Daddy Kane, taking part in Kane’s debut album. Cee is also often credited with discovering another pillar of Brooklyn hip-hop, the Notorious B.I.G. He also played a role in launching the careers of  Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, 50 Cent, Drake among others.

Cee’s long-running “Throwback at Noon” show became one of the most listened to programs in NYC radio at Hot 97. At the time of his death, he was working for Audacy’s 94.7 The Block in New York.

“We have lost the iconic Mister Cee. I listened to him yesterday and am in complete shock. He was a dear friend to all of us, a wonderful man, and one of the most important and impactful DJs of all time. I love you Cee”, Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg said.

No cause of death has been revealed.


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Obituaries

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis dies at 35

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis was found dead in a Florida mansion, police said Monday. He was 35. No cause of death was revealed.

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Vontae Davis dies at 35
Vontae Davis (Photo Credit: FanDuel • CC BY 3.0)

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis has died at the age of 35.

Passing details

Davis was found by police Monday at his home in Southwest Ranches, Fla., reports NBC.

Officers were disparched Monday morning to a residence in the 6000 block of SW 178th Avenue by the house assistant, who discovered Davis’ body, the Davie Police Department said in a statement.

“Preliminary information suggests that foul play is not involved,” the department said.

The details of Davis cause of death were not released.

Vontae Davis NFL Career

A native of Washington, D.C., Davis was selected by Miami as the 25th pick in the first round of the 2009 draft. He played college football at the University of Illinois.

Davis spent 10 seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills, achieving a record of 22 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl twice.

He had one of the most memorable retirements. At halftime in 2018 with the Bills, he hung up his pads and walked off the field.

In a statement about the retirement mid-game, Davis said: “This isn’t how I pictured retiring from the NFL. But today, on the field, reality hit me hard and fast. I shouldn’t be out there anymore. … I meant no disrespect to my teammates or coaches.”

Life after retirement for Vontae Davis

After retirement, Davis co-wrote a children’s book about overcoming a tough upbringing and becoming an NFL superstar.

He also operated a wellness spa, Vzone, that specialized in oxygen treatments. According to Davis’s LinkedIn profile, he was chief executive of Davis Family Hospitality Group, described as “a comprehensive support system encompassing mentorship and safeguarding for athletes.”

Vontae’s older brother is former NFL star Vernon Davis.


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