Barbara O.Jones dead at 82: Actress who starred alongside Muhammad Ali in TV series, has passed away

Actress Barbara O. Jones, who starred alongside boxer Muhammad Ali in Freedom Road, a NBC TV series, has died at the age of 82. Her brother Raymond Minor told The Hollywood Reporter that she  passed away at her home in Dayton, Ohio. 

Barbara O. Jones was born in Dayton, Ohio and attended Roosevelt High School where her mother Alberta worked as a business teacher. Barbara’s mother Alberta also went by the name of Bobbie Montogmery was also a radio personality on the local station WDAO. 

One of Barbara’s roles as an actress was a role as a nun in Uganda in a movie that was based on a short story by Alice Walker, the film was called Diary of An African Nun. She also starred in another film directed by Julie Dash, which was the 19991 movie Daughters of the Dust. 

Julie Dash shared a photograph of Barba in the 1977 movie Diary of An African Nun and captioned the photograph: “Barbara O. ca. 1977 From Diary of An African Nun. Rest in Peace & Power.” In response to Julie’s tribute to Barbara, one fan said that “She was so wonderful in ‘Daughters of the Dust,’ whilst another said: “Beautiful Picture for a beautiful woman. May she rest in power and peace. I interviewed her years ago when Daughters in the Dust came out in Boston and the Museum of Fine Arts. Still shook by that movie.”

The movie Daughters of the Dust was screened at the Sundance Music Festival and was added to British Institute’s list of The Greatest Films of All Time. As well as starring in movies, Barbara O. Jones also appeared in TV shows such as Wonder Woman and Laverne & Shirley, both in 1977, 

Barbara O. Jones’s last role was in the 2001 drama Maangamizi: The Ancient One, She also starred in horror movies Black Chariot in 1971 and Demon Seed in 1977.