Robert Kya-Hill

Robert Kya-Hill passed away on May 31, 2026, at age 95 in New Rochelle, New York.

Born Robert Hill on December 4, 1930, in Whitaker, North Carolina, he spent his early years in rural North Carolina and Virginia before moving to New York at age twelve. He later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he was stationed in Germany.

A lifelong passion for the arts shaped the course of his life. Largely self-taught as a musician, he went on to study music and acting in New York, later earning a master’s degree in Theater Education from Goddard College in 1991. In his family, this love of music, learning, and performance was ever-present, woven into everyday life.

He built a wide-ranging career as an actor, director, playwright, musician, composer, and educator. He appeared in more than 140 stage productions across the United States and internationally, performing alongside artists such as James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, and Dionne Warwick. His performances in Slaves, Purlie Victorious, and Othello drew critical acclaim, including an Obie Award nomination. He also appeared on screen in Shaft’s Big Score!, Death Wish, Good Times, and The Good Wife.

Beyond the stage, he created works exploring Black history, spirituality, and the human condition, and he taught widely, including at Hunter College, where he developed the first Black Theater studies course. He mentored students and young artists with patience, conviction, and generosity well into his later years. He served as director of the New York City Festival of the Arts, judged as a Blue ribbon panelist for the Emmy awards, and was featured in Who’s Who in America.

He will be remembered as a devoted father and grandfather, a man of deep faith, and someone whose warmth, laughter, and steady presence left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

He is survived by his daughter Bouqui, son-in-law Gero, and grandsons Eric and Luke. He was preceded in death by his cherished wife, Sally, who passed away in 2022, and they will be laid to rest together, as they wished. A small, combined memorial for both of them will be held at a later date.

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