Source: Denver Post / Getty
UPDATED: 6:30 p.m. ET, April 29
While death is an inevitable part of life, that fact doesn’t make it any easier when it is reported that someone has died.
Archie Cooley, who starred as both a player and coach for two of the top football programs in HBCU history, died on April 18. He was 85.
The Clarion-Ledger confirmed Cooley’s death.
More from the Clarion-Ledger:
Cooley was known as the “The Gunslinger” and during his time at Mississippi Valley State introduced his innovative “Satellite Express” offense. The offense featured a no-huddle look with five wide receivers and showcased quarterback Willie Totten and Rice. Rice would go on to a stellar career with the San Francisco 49ers, election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of the greatest receivers in the history of the NFL.
Cooley was born in Sumrall and raised in Laurel where he attended Oak Park High School.
Cooley played for Jackson State from 1959-61 and was captain of the team. He started at linebacker and center for coach John Merritt. Cooley graduated in 1962.
Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) speaks at a press conference on June 30, 2021, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty
U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., the Congressman from New Jersey who represented the Garden State on Capitol Hill for a dozen years, has died. He was 65.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the death of Payne on April 24 via a social media post.
Tammy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of our friend, and a steadfast champion for the people of New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.
Our heartfelt prayers are with his family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/TaqMIzAWmo
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 24, 2024
While no cause of death was immediately announced, Payne was hospitalized earlier this month following what NBC News reported as a “cardiac episode” related to the Congressman’s diabetes.
Just last week, Payne’s Congressional office said he was in “stable condition” while remaining hospitalized and reportedly unconscious.
Payne successes his namesake father Donald Payne Sr. — New Jersey’s first Black member of Congress — as a lawmaker on Capitol Hill.
Donald Payne Sr. died in 2012 while undergoing treatment for colon cancer.
The father and son U.S. legislators, both Democrats, collectively represented New Jersey’s 10th congressional district for 24 years.
Payne Jr. was elected to Congress in 2012.
Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Payne was a city councilman in Newark, a role in which his father also served in the 1980s.
Payne found his niche as a Congressman in part by focusing on creating jobs and growing the economy, two things he touched on during a 2015 Congressional Black Caucus speech emphasizing the need for Black entrepreneurship.
“Research shows that African Americans start businesses with less capital than do white Americans and that these gaps persist over time. Businesses with less capital are less likely to succeed,” Payne said. “The lack of access to capital is a huge barrier for African-Americans looking to start or expand their own businesses.”
As a result of this, he continued, African American small businesses “tend to be smaller in size and scale and they often don’t have the capacity to succeed.”
Payne added: “It is essential that African-Americans have the resources and the capital they need for their businesses to be successful” because their success drives U.S. job creation, economic growth and global competitiveness.”
MORE: Rest In Power: Notable Black People Who Died In 2023
Scroll down to keep reading below and to learn more about the other notable Black people who have died this year, in no particular order.
The post Rest In Power: Notable Black People Who Have Died This Year appeared first on NewsOne.
