Vivian Ayers Allen, Poet and Mother of Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, Died at 102

Prayers are going up for Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad's family as the celebrity siblings mourn the loss of their mother, Vivian Ayers Allen. The family's matriarch was 102 when she died on Aug. 18, 2025.

Vivian was a creative in her own right as a poet, cultural activist, classicist, and museum curator. As fans continue expressing their condolences to the family, here's what we know about her cause of death.

At this time, Vivian's cause of death is unknown. The news of her death was confirmed by Debbie, who shared a heartfelt message to her mom, along with a slideshow featuring moments with her and the family she built.

"Mommie, you have transformed into that cosmic bird Hawk that lives and breathes Freedom," the Grey's Anatomy EP wrote underneath the post. "We will follow your trail of golden dust and continue to climb higher."

Debbie also confirmed in the caption that she and her siblings would ensure they keep her legacy alive, as well as the lessons she instilled in them. During her lifetime, Vivian and her ex-husband, Andrew Arthur Allen, Sr., had four children — Debbie, Phylicia, Andrew Arthur "Tex" Allen Jr., and Hugh Allen.

"We promise 'to be true, be beautiful, be Free,' Debbie wrote. "Love Love Love Love Love. Norman, Debbie, Lish, Tex, Hugh, Vivi, Thump, Condola, Billy, Oliver, Gel, Tracey, Carmen, Shiloh, Aviah, Eillie, Gia, and all the Turks in our family."

While it's unclear how Vivian passed away, she lived a long and fruitful life. On July 29, 2025, three weeks before her death, Debbie shared on Instagram that the family was celebrating her mother's 102nd birthday. The multitalented star shared a video of herself saying her mom, whom she affectionately nicknamed "Ma Turk," reaching such a milestone birthday was a "blessing" and said she and her family would be celebrating her birthday "forever."

In the video, Debbie also paid tribute to Vivian's 1957 allegorical long-form poem, Hawk. Her self-published book begins with the message from Debbie's Instagram post about her mother's passing: "Be true! Be beautiful! Be free! Force nothing! … let things happen!” The book went on to earn praise from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at its Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, where enlarged reproductions of the writings are exhibited, per the Harvey B. Gantt Center.

In 2023, Clemson University Hawk was formally published for the first time by Clemson University Press in honor of Vivian's 100th birthday. Vivian, who was born in Chester, South Carolina, on July 29, 1923, was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1953 for her 1952 piece, "Spice of Dawn." She continued creating throughout her life, and also flourished in academia, becoming the first Black faculty member as a librarian for Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Vivian's later years included her gaining attention for aging gracefully. On her 100th birthday, Debbie shared how her mom remained sharp and healthy for a century.

"I think her mental capacity has led her to this golden age of 100," Debbie explained to Ebony in 2023. "She's had a lot of challenges in her life, and we've lived through those challenges with her. But at the end of the day, there's always been positive energy. No matter what, you have to think positive thoughts, and that was the world we grew up in. I think that's why we're the humans we are today; my sister and brothers and I."

Rest well, Queen!