Gregory Allen Howard, the talented Black-American screenwriter of history black characters in iconic Hollywood movies, has died at 70.

According to a statement by publicist Jeff Sanderson, Howard passed away at his home in Miami, United States on Friday last week, one day shy of his 71st birthday, following a brief illness.

Howard is well-known for screenwriting historical films centered around iconic black characters including “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington, “Ali” with Will Smith and “Harriet” with Cynthia Erivo.

In 2004, Howard partnered American multi award-winning actor Morgan Freeman on a script project for a film on 761st Tank Battalion (United States), the first all-black United States Army branch that fought during World War II.

Speaking to Times-Herald about his motivation behind going into screenwriting, Howard said: “I got into this business to write about the complexity of the Black man. I wanted to write about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Marcus Garvey.”

He added: “I think it takes a Black man to write about Black men.” 

Howard reached an historical milestone in 2000 when he became the first Black screenwriter to write a drama that generated $100 million revenue in box office; a feat he was able to achieve with “Titans”.

Other works done by the Virgina-born screenwriter include the HBO series “Misty,” The Harlem Renaissance,” “This Little Light,” the Fannie Lou Hamer story and more.