“Mommie, you have transformed into that cosmic bird Hawk that lives and breathes Freedom,” Allen shared in a deeply felt Instagram tribute, complete with touching family snapshots and videos. “We will follow your trail of golden dust and continue to climb higher. We promise ‘to be true, be beautiful, be Free.’ Love Love Love Love Love.” Now *that’s* Black love, amplified!
Born in ’23, Ayers lived a life splashed with brilliance as a poet, playwright, and profound scholar. She dropped her first book, *Spice of Dawns*, in ’52 — a work of art so powerful it snagged a Pulitzer Prize nom. Her follow-up, *Hawk* (1957), soared even higher, echoing her unwavering appreciation for freedom and the vibrancy of our culture.
A proud 1939 graduate of the storied Brainerd Institute, Ayers continued her quest for knowledge at Barber-Scotia College and Bennett College. She later received Honorary Doctorates from both Bennett College and Wilberforce University. Her academic journey was a rainbow of disciplines including classical Greek at Rice, Columbia, and Princeton, not to mention her research and translation of Mayan culture and astronomy. Talk about range!
Vivian Ayers, the matriarch of a powerhouse family, including iconic sisters Vivian Ayers, Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, along with Hugh Allen and Andrew Arthur “Tex” Allen Jr. Even though life threw a curveball with her divorce from their father, Andrew Allen, when the kids were young, Ayers never wavered in her mission to infuse her children’s lives with a deep love for the arts. Family first, always.
Reflecting on her mother’s impact, Rashad told NPR back in 2010:
“It was my mother who taught us choral speech; it was my mother who taught us to tumble across the living room floor. It was my mother who gave us a real appreciation for art and literature as living things … My mother gave us a lot — she gave us everything.” Legends supporting legends—that’s what we love to see.
Dr. Vivian Ayers leaves a blazing legacy of artistry, intellect, and a monumental contribution to Black culture that’ll keep inspiring generations to come. Her name will forever be etched in the stars.
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