Marlena Shaw, 81. The jazz and R&B vocalist whose "California Soul" was one of the defining soul songs of the late 1960s. Jan. 19. PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

The music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. His many contributions included producing Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" album and working with hundreds of other musicians over a long and storied career.

The year also brought the deaths of several rights activists including the reverends Cecil L. "Chip" Murray and Dexter Scott King, and political figures such as U.S. congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Here is a roll call of some influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available).

JANUARY

Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22.

FEBRUARY

Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Predator" and teaching golf in "Happy Gilmore." Feb. 1.

Hage Geingob, 82. Namibia’s president and founding prime minister who played a central role in what has become one of Africa’s most stable democracies after returning from a long exile in Botswana and the United States as an anti-apartheid activist. Feb. 4.

Henry Fambrough, 85. The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included "It’s a Shame," "Could It Be I’m Falling in Love" and "The Rubberband Man." Feb. 7.

MARCH

David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first African American pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8.

Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries "Roots." March 28. William D. Delahunt, 82. The longtime Massachusetts congressman was a Democratic stalwart who postponed his retirement from Washington to help pass former President Barack Obama’s legislative agenda. March 30.

APRIL

The Rev. Cecil L. "Chip" Murray, 94. An influential pastor and civil rights leader who used his tenure at one of Los Angeles’ oldest churches to uplift the predominantly African American neighborhoods following one of the country’s worst race riots. April 5.

O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10.

William Strickland, 87. A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s. April 10.

Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Bob Graham, 87. A former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war. April 16.

MAY

Ralph Kennedy Frasier, 85. The last surviving member of a trio of African American youths who were the first to desegregate the undergraduate student body at North Carolina’s flagship public university in the 1950s. May 8. Peter Buxtun, 86. The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18.

JUNE

The Rev. James Lawson Jr., 95. An apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction. June 9.

Françoise Hardy, 80. A French singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s. June 11.

Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12.

Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying "Say Hey Kid" whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18.

Bill Cobbs, 90. The veteran character actor became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man. June 25.

JULY

Sheila Jackson Lee, 74. The longtime congresswoman from Texas helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. July 19.

Abdul "Duke" Fakir, 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as "Reach Out, I’ll Be There" and "Standing in the Shadows of Love." July 22.

AUGUST

Wallace "Wally" Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13.

Al Attles, 87. A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20.

John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom "Good Times" and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries "Roots." Aug. 21.

SEPTEMBER

James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, "The Lion King" and Darth Vader. Sept. 9.

Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including "Before I Let Go." Sept. 10.

Joe Schmidt, 92. The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11.

Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15.

Pete Rose, 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30.

Dikembe Mutombo, 58. A Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer.

OCTOBER

Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7.

Ethel Kennedy, 96. The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10.

Thelma Mothershed Wair, 83. One of nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults. Oct. 19.

NOVEMBER

Quincy Jones, 91. The multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic "Thriller" album to writing prizewinning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3.

Rico Carty, 85. Won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major leaguebest .366 for the Atlanta Braves. Nov. 23.

Prince Johnson, 72. Liberian former warlord and senator whose brutal tactics shocked the world. Nov. 28.

Thirman Milner, 91. First popularly elected Black mayor in New England. Nov. 29.

DECEMBER

Nikki Giovanni, 81. The poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her blunt and conversational takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality. Dec. 9.

Rickey Henderson, 65. Multi-record setting left fielder who played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Dec. 20

Greg Gumbel, 78. First African-American announcer to call play-by-play of a major sports championship in the United States when he announced Super Bowl XXXV for the CBS network in 2001. Dec. 27.

Jimmy Carter, 100. Peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian. Dec. 29