Mellody Hobson (born April 3, 1969) is an American businesswoman who is the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dreamworks Animation. Early life Hobson was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is African-American.[2] She was educated at St. Ignatius College Prep high school, […]
William Peyton Hubbard (1842 – April 13, 1935), a City of Toronto alderman from 1894 to 1914, was a popular and influential politician; he was the first politician of African descent elected to office in Canada. Early years Hubbard was born in […]
Austin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke, CM OOnt (born July 26, 1934), is a Canadian novelist, essayist and short story writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He has been called “Canada’s first multicultural writer” Biography Born in St. James, Barbados, Clarke had his early education there and taught at […]
Elijah J. McCoy (May 2, 1844[2] – October 10, 1929) was a Canadian-American inventor and engineer, who was notable for his 57 U.S. patents, most to do with lubrication of steam engines. Born free in Canada, he returned as a […]
Marlene Jennings, PC, MP (born November 10, 1951) is a former Canadian politician. She was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, and represented the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine from 1997 to 2011. Jennings was born in Longueuil, Quebec. She is […]
William Edward Hall[1] VC (28 April 1827 – 27 August 1904) was the first black person, first Nova Scotian, and third Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross. He received the medal for his actions in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion. Hall […]
Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Canadian sprinter, who once held the world record for the 100 metres race following his gold medal performance in the 1996 Olympic Games. He was the first Canadian to legally break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m. Particularly noted for […]
Anderson Ruffin Abbott, M.D. (7 April 1837 – 29 December 1913) was the first Black Canadian to be a licensed physician. His career included participation in the American Civil War and attending the deathbed of Abraham Lincoln. Early life Abbott was born in Toronto as […]
Ferguson Arthur “Fergie” Jenkins, Jr., CM (born December 13, 1942)[1] is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 National League Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins became the first Canadian to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. […]
Michaëlle Jean PC CC CMM COM CD FRCPSC(hon) (French pronunciation: [mika.ɛl ʒɑ̃]; born September 6, 1957) is a Canadian stateswoman and former journalist who is the third and current Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, after succeeding Abdou Diouf in January 2015; she is the first […]
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, OOnt (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the “Maharaja of the keyboard” by Duke Ellington, but simply “O.P.” by his friends.[1][2] He released over 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, […]
Christopher Paul “Chris” Gardner (born February 9, 1954) is an American entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist who, during the early 1980s, struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son, Christopher, Jr.[1] Gardner’s book of memoirs, The Pursuit of Happyness, […]
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm (November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician, educator, and author.[3] She was aCongresswoman, representing New York’s 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. In 1968, she became the first African-American woman […]
Dorothy Irene Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010)[1] was an American administrator, educator, and a Civil Rights and Women’s Rights activistspecifically focused on the issues of African American women. Some issues she worked on are unemployment, illiteracy, and voter awareness.[2] She was the […]
Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman (January 26, 1892 – April 30, 1926) was an American civil aviator. She was the first female pilot of African American descent[1] and the first person of African American descent to hold an international pilot […]
Scott Joplin (c. 1867/1868? – April 1, 1917) was an African-American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed “The King of Ragtime”. During his brief career, he wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, […]
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC.[15] Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful, vulgar and profane language, as well as racial epithets. […]
Christopher Julius “Chris” Rock III[6] (born February 7, 1965)[7][8] is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central.[9] He was also […]
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, screenwriter, director and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama St. Elsewhere, playing Dr. Philip Chandler for […]
Henry Ossian Flipper (21 March 1856 – 3 May 1940) was an American soldier and the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Biography Flipper was born into slavery in Thomasville, Georgia the […]
Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first African American woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992. […]
Daniel Hale Williams (January 18, 1858[1] – August 4, 1931) was an American surgeon. He was the first African-Americancardiologist, and is attributed with performing the first successful surgery on the heart. He also founded Provident Hospital, the […]
Venus Ebony Starr Williams (born June 17, 1980) is an American professional tennis player . She is considered to be one of the greatest women’s tennis players of all time,[3]she has been ranked World No. 1 […]
Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1and currently ranked World No. 12 in singles and No. 20 in doubles with sister Venus Williams. The Women’s […]
Colin Luther Powell (pronounced /ˈkoʊlɨn/; born April 5, 1937) is a United States statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army.[1] He was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001–2005), serving […]
Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High […]
Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., (born September 16, 1950) is an American literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, andpublic intellectual. He was the first African American to receive the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship. He has received […]
Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731 – October 9, 1806) was a free African American astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, almanacauthor and farmer. Family history and early life It is difficult to verify much of Benjamin Banneker’s family history. Some writers have stated that […]
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement […]
Charles Richard Drew (3 June 1904 – 1 April 1950) was an African-American physician, surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions, developing improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge to […]
Mark E. Dean Computer Inventions (born March 2, 1957) is an inventor and a computer scientist. He holds three of the nine original IBM patents upon which the IBM PC personal computers were based. He led the team […]
George Washington Carver (January 1864[1][2] – January 5, 1943), was an American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. The exact day and year of his birth are unknown; he is believed to have been born before slavery was abolished in […]
Home Security Inventions While home security systems today are more advanced than ever, back in 1966 the idea for a home surveillance device seemed almost unthinkable. That was the year famous African-American inventor Marie Van […]
Otis Frank Boykin (August 29, 1920-1982) was an inventor and engineer.[1] Otis Frank Boykin was born in 1920 in Dallas, Texas. His mother was a homemaker and his father was a carpenter. He worked as a […]
George Edward Alcorn, Jr. (born March 22nd, 1940) is a pioneer African American physicist and inventor for Rockwell International who invented a method of fabricating an imaging X-ray spectrometer. [ Biography He was born on […]
Patricia Era Bath (born November 4, 1942, Harlem, New York) is an ophthalmologist credited as the first African American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical purpose.[citation needed] Bath received the patent in […]
Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE (pronounced /ˈpwɑːtjeɪ/ or /ˈpwɑːti.eɪ/; born February 20, 1927) is a Bahamian American actor, film director, author, and diplomat. He broke through as a star in acclaimed performances in American films and plays, which, by consciously defying racial […]
Asafa Powell C.D (born November 23, 1982) is a Jamaican sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres. He held the 100 m world recordbetween June 2005 and May 2008, with times of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds respectively. Powell has consistently […]
Alfred Charles “Al” Sharpton, Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and radio talk showhost.[1][2] In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election. He hosts his own […]
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness […]
Barack Hussein Obama II (i /bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States […]
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player, active businessman, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is […]
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry, Jr. September 13, 1969) is an American actor, director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, and author.[1]Already a successful artist in Southern theatre, Perry began to make national celebrity status in 2005 with the release of his first movie,Diary of […]
Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Poole October 7, 1897 — February 25, 1975) was an African American religious leader. He was the leader of the Nation of Islam organization from 1934 until his death at age 77. Muhammad was […]
Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for herself-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.[3] She has been ranked […]
Malcolm X (pronounced /ˈmælkəm ˈɛks/; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz[1] (Arabic: الحاجّ مالك الشباز), was an African-American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist.[2][3][4][5]To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate […]
William Henry “Bill” Cosby, Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a […]
Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. (pronounced /ˈjuːseɪn/;[7] born 21 August 1986), is a Jamaican sprinter and a three-time World and Olympicgold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and (along with his teammates) the4 x 100 metres […]
Condoleezza Rice (pronounced /kɒndəˈliːzə/; born November 14, 1954) is an American professor, politician, diplomat and author. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second to hold that office in the […]
Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods (born December 30, 1975)[4][5] is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Currently the World No. 1, he is the highest-paid professional athlete […]
Dr. Benjamin S. “Ben” Carson, Sr., M.D. (born September 18, 1951) is an American neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008. Background and education Benjamin […]
Michael Gerard “Mike” Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American boxer. Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the […]
Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is the National Representative of the Nation of Islam. He is an advocate forblack interests, and a critic of American society. Farrakhan has been both widely praised and […]
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. (born October 8, 1941) is an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for theDemocratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia […]
Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer, politician, and a Democrat. He became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the open seat for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, which centers […]
David Khari Webber “Dave” Chappelle[4] (pronounced /ʃəˈpɛl/; born August 24, 1973)[1] is an American comedian, screenwriter,television/film producer and actor. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in […]
Warith Deen Mohammed (born Wallace D. Muhammad; October 30, 1933 – September 9, 2008) was an African American Muslimleader and the son of Clara and Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam from 1933 to 1975.[1][2] He became […]
Maya Angelou (pronounced /ˈmaɪ.ə ˈændʒəloʊ/;[1] born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 – 28 May 2014)[2] was an American autobiographer and poet who has been called “America’s most visible black female autobiographer” by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She […]
Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the drummer, pianist and trumpet player for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers (1964–1974) […]
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Obama […]
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; January 17, 1942) is a former American boxer and three-time World Heavyweight Champion, who is widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. As an amateur, he […]
