HBCU community Mourns the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Warner reportedly drowned while on a family vacation in Costa Rica, according to a family source cited by People magazine. His death was confirmed on Sunday, July 21. Authorities have not released further details, but Warner's passing is being described as a tragic accident. He is survived by his wife and daughter, whose identities have remained private throughout his career.
Best known for his Emmy-nominated role on "The Cosby Show," Warner became a cultural icon for many. His portrayal of Theo Huxtable helped reshape how Black families-especially young Black men-were represented on television.
The show's eight-season run from 1984 to 1992 left a lasting impact on American pop culture. For many in the HBCU community, Warner was more than just a TV star. He symbolized the possibility of visibility, dignity, and growth for Black youth.
After his breakout role, Warner continued to build a diverse and respected career. He starred in the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie, appeared in dramas like The Resident, Suits, and Major Crimes, and voiced "The Producer" on The Magic School Bus. He also served as executive producer on that series.
In 2015, Warner won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Jesus Children" with Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway. He was also a poet, musician, and director.
In recent years, Warner has become a passionate mental health advocate. His podcast, Not All Hood, tackles issues like trauma, healing, and wellness in marginalized communities. Just days before his death, he released what would become his final episode.
News of Warner's death sent shockwaves through social media, including within HBCU circles.
Randall Barnes, founder of HBCU Pulse, shared on X:
"Malcolm Jamal Warner's death hurts so much man. He was such an upstanding man. So talented and he operated with so much purpose in his life."
The HBCU Alumni Facebook page also posted:
"Absolutely CRUSHED by this. 'The Cosby Show' alum and Emmy-nominated actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died at the age of 54."
Jalen Cooper, a 43-year-old D.C. native, echoed the community's feelings to Black Press USA:
"He was more than Theo to us-he represented a generation of young Black men who finally saw themselves reflected on TV."
Warner's work resonated with generations of HBCU students and alumni. His career reflected both artistic excellence and cultural integrity. His advocacy for mental health and representation made a lasting impact, especially among communities of color.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. Warner's family has asked for privacy during this time of mourning.
The post HBCU community Mourns the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
42 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Liam Neeson And Pamela Anderson Dating Rumors Explained
If your social media timeline is anything like mine, you've probably seen tons of footage of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson having a good time together while promoting their raunchy new comedy, The Naked Gun. In case you hadn't guessed, the new movie is a reboot-sequel to the beloved 1980s and 1990s crime comedies starring Leslie Nielsen. Most recently, the co-stars cozied up on the red carpet for the movie's premiere in London, sharing a kiss as they posed together for photos. So... Pamela, 58, and Liam, 73, are both iconic, brilliant actors. And they're also both single, which means only one thing: fans are wondering if they might be Hollywood's next cute couple. Pamela and Liam also both have grown-up sons. Liam — whose wife, Natasha Richardson, tragically died in 2009 — is father to 30-year-old Micheál and 28-year-old Daniel. Meanwhile, Pamela shares 29-year-old Brandon and 27-year-old Dylan with her ex-husband, Tommy Lee. For some context, Liam said in October last year that he fell 'madly in love' with Pamela while they were shooting The Naked Gun together. 'She's just terrific to work with,' he told People. 'I can't compliment her enough, I'll be honest with you. No huge ego. She just comes in to do the work. She's funny and so easy to work with. She's going to be terrific in the film.' At the time, fans thought this was amazing and that they'd make a sweet couple. And so, with their recent red carpet outing, there's plenty of renewed speculation about the pairing, and whether they might be the 'new late-life love story.' However — and I hate to be the bearer of bad news — it sounds like Liam and Pam are strictly platonic. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in May, Pamela said that she and Liam kept their relationship 'professionally romantic,' although that didn't mean they didn't have a lot of fun. 'Our chemistry was clear from the start,' she said, revealing that they bonded over their shared 'love of literature and a good laugh.' 'I am in awe of him, his experience, and work ethic. I soaked him in like a sponge.' More recently, the pair did a joint cover interview for EW, in which Pamela said that she has found 'a friend forever in Liam,' adding that they have a connection that is 'very sincere' and 'very loving.' 'He's a good guy,' she told the outlet. 'He's a true artist. He comes from theater and Schindler's List and has done over a hundred films. And I did things inside out and backwards, came from television, and then my personal life kind of overshadowed my professional life. It is funny: We all come to this place in different ways, but to be able to share this experience with him is very meaningful and such an honor.' And, for what it's worth, Liam has previously said he's done with dating in his 70s, telling People: 'No... I'm past all that.' So, it sounds like romance isn't on the cards between these two, but can you blame Liam for being a little Taken by Pamela? Get it?
Newsweek
43 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Bryson DeChambeau Targets Rory McIlroy With Ryder Cup 'Chirping' Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Bryson DeChambeau has just been confirmed by captain Keegan Bradley as one of the 12 players who will represent the United States in the upcoming Ryder Cup. Bradley announced the news after completing his participation in the Open Championship. As expected, DeChambeau has received the designation with great enthusiasm. One of his first "official acts" as a Ryder Cup player was none other than challenging European idol Rory McIlroy. "I'll be chirping in his ear this time," he told People from the "Happy Gilmore 2" premiere. "Now, if we go up against each other, I mean, you can be sure of it. I'll get into his ear a little bit." Bryson DeChambeau of the United States and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland wait on the tenth hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2025... Bryson DeChambeau of the United States and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland wait on the tenth hole during the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. MoreDeChambeau is one of several professional golf stars set to make a cameo in the sequel to the cult golf film "Happy Gilmore," starring Adam Sandler. From his words, it's evident that the wounds from the last Masters Tournament are still raw for DeChambeau. As you may recall, the two stars played the final round together at Augusta National Golf Club, with McIlroy leading the event by two strokes. The LIV Golf star managed to take the lead after the first two holes, but eventually collapsed and fell to T5. Meanwhile, McIlroy went on to win the tournament and complete the career Grand Slam. After that historic day, DeChambeau said they spoke little during the round, saying his colleague had no intention of talking. "(He) didn't talk to me once all day," DeChambeau said back then, according to People. "He wouldn't talk to me." Getting choked out by Shooter McGavin wasn't on my 2025 bingo card…⁰⁰Go to @Subway to get your own Happy Gilmore meal and watch the movie July 25th on @Netflix!⁰⁰#SubwayPartner — Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondech) July 23, 2025 DeChambeau and McIlroy have never faced each other directly in previous Ryder Cups. They did compete against each other last year on the made-for-TV golf show "The Showdown," when the Northern Irishman and Scottie Scheffler defeated DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. DeChambeau is currently ranked fifth in the American rankings to make the Ryder Cup team, so he would qualify in his own right to play at Bethpage Black next September. However, he could fall off the list during the month of August, as LIV Golf events don't accrue points. That's why Bradley moved ahead with confirming him on the team, either by finishing in the top six or by choosing him among the six free picks. DeChambeau is the third American player guaranteed for the Ryder Cup team. Scottie Scheffler has already mathematically qualified, while JJ Spaun was also confirmed by Bradley after his victory at the US Open. More Golf: Scottie Scheffler Stuns Jimmy Fallon With Claret Jug at 'Tonight Show'
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Sarah Morlok Cotton, quadruplet who knew fame and suffering, dies at 95
Newspapers held naming contests, and the winning entry suggested names that derived from the first letters of the hospital: Edna, Wilma, Sarah, and Helen. The quadruplets' middle names were simply initials denoting their birth order. (Sarah, the third born, was C.) Advertisement Donations poured in almost immediately. The city of Lansing provided the family with a rent-free home. The Massachusetts Carriage Co. sent a custom-made baby carriage with four seats. Businesspeople opened bank accounts for each child. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Lansing's Morlok quadruplets,' the Associated Press wrote, 'are the most famous group of babies on the American continent.' The Morloks charged visitors 25 cents to visit their home and see the babies. Carl Morlok, who ran for constable of Lansing in 1931, used photos of his daughters on his campaign ads with the slogan, 'We will appreciate your support.' He won in a landslide. Amid the commotion, Sadie Morlok tried to provide her daughters with a sense of normalcy. 'Our mother used to dress us in pretty little identical crocheted sweaters and bonnets in spring and summer, or snow pant outfits in winter,' Ms. Cotton wrote in her autobiography, 'The Morlok Quadruplets: The Alphabet Sisters' (2015). 'Then, she would carefully seat two of us facing the other two in the carriage and go for a nice stroll around the block to give us sunshine and a breath.' Advertisement In an era when children like Shirley Temple were big stars, the public's interest in the Morlok sisters endured. Newspapers reported on their birthdays and Christmas gifts. Their pictures were featured in newsreels at movie theaters. Sensing a source of income during the lean days of the Great Depression, Sadie Morlok enrolled her daughters in singing and dancing classes, turning them into performers. Their first time onstage was at a boat show in Lowell, a nearby city, when they were 6 years old. Soon, they were traveling by train to perform in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and other states. Their trademark song was 'Alice Blue Gown,' by Joseph McCarthy and Harry Tierney. They didn't make much money, but Morlok delighted in the attention her daughters received. Asked later in life about when she first realized that she was famous, Ms. Cotton replied: 'Well, I think it was in our dancing chorus rehearsal when I glanced to the right, then to the left, and saw three other people who looked just like me, danced just like me, and sang like me. I think then I realized I was one part of a famous team.' Offstage, their lives were no song and dance. In 'Girls and Their Monsters,' Audrey Clare Farley's 2023 book about the sisters, Ms. Cotton described a bleaker version of her childhood than the uplifting story she told in her autobiography. Advertisement Though the newspapers called her father 'Jolly Carl, Daddy 4-of-a-kind,' he was actually a tyrant, she said. He banged the sisters' heads together when they wouldn't go to sleep. A germophobe, he forbade them from going to the library because he worried that germs were on the books. Worst of all, Farley noted, he sexually abused all of the girls when they were teenagers. 'The story of the Morlok sisters is the story of darkness coursing through the world,' she wrote. 'It's the story of malevolence masquerading as innocence and thereby hiding in plain sight.' It got worse. In their early 20s, the Morlok quadruplets began showing signs of serious mental illness. They had delusions, stared catatonically for hours, and cycled in and out of psychiatric institutions. Edna, Wilma, and Helen all underwent electroconvulsive therapy. Eventually, a doctor who had been treating the sisters in Michigan referred them to the National Institute of Mental Health in Maryland. Intrigued by the connections between the genetic and environmental causes of mental illness, a team of researchers there studied the quadruplets from 1955 to 1958. Each woman had her own psychiatrist, though only Sarah was able to engage in meaningful psychotherapy. The researchers, led by Dr. David Rosenthal, suspected that both parents were mentally ill and that Carl's mother was borderline schizophrenic. In 1963, using the pseudonym Genain to protect the family's privacy, the institute produced a 636-page report, 'The Genain Quadruplets: a Case Study and Theoretical Analysis of Heredity and Environment in Schizophrenia.' In the report, Rosenthal concluded that the Morlok quadruplets had been the victims of an 'unhappy collusion of nature and nurture.' Only Sarah recovered enough to live on her own. Farley attributed that to two factors: She had endured less abuse from her father than her sisters had, and she had benefited from exceptionally good psychotherapy during the study in Maryland. Advertisement 'She knew quite clearly that she got better at NIMH and her sisters didn't,' Farley said in an interview. 'And she always had survivor's guilt about that.' She met George Cotton, an Air Force officer, at Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C. They married in 1961, and for many years she worked as a legal secretary and typist. George Cotton died in 2023. In addition to their son David, Ms. Cotton leaves four grandsons. Another son, William, died in 1994. As for the other Morlok sisters, Wilma died in 2002, Helen in 2003, and Edna in 2015. Farley, who tracked down Ms. Cotton in 2021, found her eager to speak about her childhood. 'She had really faded out of public view,' Farley said. 'I think the fact that somebody was interested in her brought back fond memories of her performing as a child and being a public figure.' After their first phone conversation, Ms. Cotton called back immediately. She had forgotten to tell Farley how many songs she could play on the piano by memory -- 266, it turned out. 'She was still very proud of those days,' Farley said. This article originally appeared in
