Maurice White, the founder of R&B funk band Earth, Wind & Fire, died at his Los Angeles home Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, publicist Mark Young said. Mr. White had been battling Parkinson’s disease since 1992. He was 74.

Dr. Freddie W. “Nick” Nicholas Sr. was known as a trailblazing educator, stalwart community servant, committed family man and active church member.

Madeline W. Jones had a passion for African-American history and the Pan-African movement. And she eagerly taught both to her students in Richmond Public Schools for 30 years before retiring in 1995. Her passion to teach black history and of …

McCALLA, Ala. Self-taught artist Thornton Dial, who transformed discarded junk into sculpture and painted in bright colors and bold lines, has died at his home in Alabama. He was 87.

Former Virginia Commonwealth University basketball star Sherron Mills died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mr. Mills was 44 and lived in Baltimore.

The Rev. Leonidas B. Young II rose from the pulpit of historic Fourth Baptist Church in the East End to the pinnacle of Richmond political power, serving as the city’s mayor from 1994 to 1996. Elected to Richmond City Council …

Monte Irvin, a trailblazing baseball star and the oldest surviving Negro Leagues player, died Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, of natural causes at a retirement community in Houston. He was 96. Had it not been for a contractual issue with the …

Before she began teaching class each day at Virginia Union University in the Department of Education, Julia M. Thornton recited a saying to her students from Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, the late educator-philospher and former Morehouse College president.

Margaret Edwina “Wina” Clay Crews loved literature and was passionate about guiding children through their formative years. For 35 years, the Richmond native followed those passions to leave an indelible mark of excellence on hundreds of children as an English …

Donald Edward Dale was known for his ready smile, quick wit and sharp intellect. He had a multitude of talents, working as a public relations specialist with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for more than 25 years. After retiring …

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing used her platform as a psychiatrist in the nation’s capital to battle white supremacy. Dubbed the “Queen of Black Consciousness,” she won attention for her views on white racism, including her assertions that white racism is …

Grammy Award-winning singer Natalie Cole, whose biggest hit came in a virtual duet with her late father, the legendary Nat King Cole, of his decades-old hit “Unforgettable,” has died. Ms. Cole, who was 65, died Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, at …

In winter 1960, an advertisement appeared in the Waynesboro News-Virginian announcing the Harlem Globetrotters were coming to town.

Charles A. Brown woke up every morning with the same purpose in mind. “He wanted to help as many young people as he could,” said Pauline Brown, his wife of 48 years. “He was an exceptional man, very loving and …

Claudelia S. Barnes was born and raised in Richmond at a time when Jim Crow laws oppressed African-Americans and the Ku Klux Klan fomented a reign of terror. “The Ku Klux Klan burned a cross in her parents’ front yard …