Those We Lost — July 19

Honoring those we lost on July 19 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.

Sheila Jackson Lee

Birth name: Sheila Jackson

Born January 12, 1950 — died July 19, 2024

Lawyer, U.S. congresswoman, civil rights advocate, and longtime Houston political leader.

Jackson Lee represented Texas’s 18th Congressional District for nearly three decades. She was known for her advocacy around African American rights, women’s rights, domestic violence protections, reparations study legislation, and the federal recognition of Juneteenth.

Golden Frinks

Full name: Golden Asro Frinks

Born August 15, 1920 — died July 19, 2004

Civil rights activist, SCLC field secretary, organizer, and North Carolina movement leader.

Frinks became one of the key civil rights organizers in eastern North Carolina. He worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, led protests against segregation, and was arrested repeatedly while fighting for Black freedom and equal rights.

Michael Henderson

Birth name: Michael Earl Henderson

Born July 7, 1951 — died July 19, 2022

Bass guitarist, R&B singer, songwriter, producer, and jazz-funk musician.

Henderson built a powerful career as both a bassist and vocalist. He played with Miles Davis during the jazz-fusion era and later became known for smooth soul and R&B recordings, including “You Are My Starship.”

Judy Clay

Birth name: Judith Grace Guions

Born September 12, 1938 — died July 19, 2001

Soul singer, gospel singer, duet vocalist, and Stax/Atlantic recording artist.

Clay moved from gospel roots into soul music and became known for powerful duet recordings, including work with Billy Vera and William Bell. Her career showed both the beauty of interracial musical collaboration and the racism that limited how Black artists were promoted and seen.