09/13/2025
We are saddened to share that Vivian Ayers Allen, celebrated poet, cultural activist, and mother of Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, has joined the ancestors at 102. A Pulitzer Prize–nominated writer, she dedicated her life to uplifting Black culture through education, the arts, and community.
She became the first Black faculty member at Rice University and founded the Brainerd Institute Heritage. Debbie Allen honored her as a “cosmic bird Hawk that lives and breathes Freedom.” Her legacy lives on through her children, her work, and the countless lives she touched. ♥️
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