Those We Lost — August 29

Honoring those we lost on August 29 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.

David “Honeyboy” Edwards

Birth name: David Edwards

Born Jun 28, 1915 — died Aug 29, 2011

Delta blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, storyteller, and living link to prewar blues.

Edwards traveled and performed with Big Joe Williams, knew Robert Johnson and other Delta masters, and was recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1942. His music and memoir preserved firsthand knowledge of the blues world, earning him a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Israel Augustine Jr.

Full name: Israel Meyer Augustine Jr.

Born Nov 16, 1924 — died Aug 29, 1994

Attorney, jurist, community leader, and Louisiana’s first Black district judge.

Augustine broke a major judicial barrier when New Orleans voters elected him to Criminal District Court in 1970. He promoted rehabilitation and alternatives for young defendants, demonstrating how Black representation on the bench could challenge punitive traditions and widen public trust in the courts.