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Actress Judy Pace, Pioneer for Black Women, Dies at 83

3/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Judy Pace, the actress, died March 11, 2026, at age 83 while visiting family in Marina del Rey, California.
Daughters Shawn Pace Mitchell and Julia Pace Mitchell confirmed her passing.
Pace played Vickie Fletcher on Peyton Place, among the first Black women with a complex character in television.
She starred in Brian's Song and Blaxploitation films.
She founded the Kwanza Foundation to support young Black women in film.

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Story summary

Judy Pace, the actress, died March 11, 2026, at age 83 while visiting family in Marina del Rey, California.
Daughters Shawn Pace Mitchell and Julia Pace Mitchell confirmed her passing.
Pace played Vickie Fletcher on Peyton Place, among the first Black women with a complex character in television.
She starred in Brian's Song and Blaxploitation films.
She founded the Kwanza Foundation to support young Black women in film.