obituaries

National

Remembering Federal Judge Damon Keith

5:35pm May 11, 2019

Memorial services for Keith are happening this weekend. NPR's Michel Martin speaks to former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who clerked for Judge Keith, about what he meant to the legal community.

National

Bernie Dalton, Songwriter Who Battled ALS, Dies At 49

4:15pm May 09, 2019

Bernie Dalton, the fledgling songwriter whose battle with ALS inspired the band Bernie and the Believers has died.

Bernie and the Believers Featuring essence perform a Tiny Desk Concert on Oct. 16, 2018 (Cameron Pollack/NPR).

Music & Culture

Tiny Desk Contest Contestant Bernie Dalton Dies After Battling ALS

3:43pm May 07, 2019

by Bob Boilen

The musician won our hearts with his deeply moving 2018 Tiny Desk contest entry as Bernie and The Believers. He'd been fighting bulbar-onset ALS, an aggressive form of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Barbershop: Facebook's Purported Pivot To Privacy

6:15pm May 04, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to communications professor Alice Marwick, Atlantic staff writer Taylor Lorenz, and social media strategist Sara Li about whether Facebook's changes will make a difference.

Queue Listen Now

Rachel Held Evans amassed a loyal following over more than a decade of reflecting on faith issues. An Episcopalian, she was a popular and sometimes divisive figure among evangelicals. She died on Saturday.

Religion

Rachel Held Evans, Christian Writer Who Questioned Evangelical Beliefs, Dies At 37

6:00pm May 04, 2019

by Francesca Paris

Evans had been placed in a medically-induced coma after a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics. She was known for her progressive writings about Christianity and her own faith journey.

Religion

Progressive Christian Writer Rachel Held Evans Dies At 37

5:34pm May 04, 2019

by Shannon Van Sant

Progressive Christian writer and speaker Rachel Held Evans has died at the age of 37.

Peter Mayhew, Who Played 'Star Wars' Chewbacca, Dies At 74

7:28am May 03, 2019

by Mandalit del Barco

Mayhew was more than 7-feet tall, yet he said his furry Wookiee was a comforting "teddy bear" presence. Mayhew died at his home in Texas on Tuesday, according to a family statement released Thursday.

Queue Listen Now

Ground-Breaking Director John Singleton Dies At 51

5:07am April 30, 2019

by Eric Deggans

Filmmaker John Singleton died Monday after complications from a stroke. He made history with 1991's Boyz n the Hood as the first African American nominated for a best director Oscar.

Queue Listen Now

John Singleton, seen in Los Angeles in July 1991, not long after the release of Boyz n the Hood. The movie earned the young filmmaker two Oscar nominations.

Arts

John Singleton, Pioneering Director Of 'Boyz N The Hood,' Dies At 51

6:20pm April 29, 2019

The 1991 film earned him two Oscar nods and a spot in history as the youngest person and first African American ever nominated for best director. Singleton died in Los Angeles after a stroke.

Queue Listen Now

Former Sen. Richard Lugar Of Indiana Dies At 87

6:23am April 29, 2019

Richard Lugar was Indiana's longest-serving senator. He's being remembered for his bipartisan work in pursuit of nuclear non-proliferation.

Queue Listen Now