Cousins!

It is with an extremely heavy heart that we inform you all of the recent passing of legendary actor, director and novelist Melvin Van Pebbles !

In a recently forwarded statement by the 89 year old’s family they’ve confirmed that he passed away on Tuesday night within his home located in Manhattan, New York.

“Dad knew that Black images matter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth?” reads a statement from his son and fellow actor and director Mario Van Peebles on Wednesday.

“We want to be the success we see, thus we need to see ourselves being free. True liberation did not mean imitating the colonizer’s mentality. It meant appreciating the power, beauty and interconnectivity of all people.”

Melvin held a long-standing and impactful career in filmmaking, literature and music he was often referred to as the “godfather of modern Black cinema” .

He created, featured and produced influential content that helped shift the narrative of Black men and Woman through art. Our prayers remain with his loved ones 🙏🏿🌹