Vivian Ayers, the mother of Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, has died at the age of 102. Allen shared a heartfelt post about her mother’s demise on August 21, 2025, which included a collage of photos with her family. She wrote in the caption:

Vivian Ayers, a Pulitzer-nominated poet and mother to Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, has died at 102. 'We will follow your trail of golden dust,' family says.

The classicist and one of the country’s “Cultural giants” has died, according to her daughter, actress and producer Debbie Allen.