Group A
Successfully argued the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, ending legal segregation in public schools.
Thurgood Marshall
Legendary jazz singer known as the "First Lady of Song." Recorded over 200 albums and won 13 Grammy Awards.
Ella Fitzgerald
Pioneering entrepreneur and philanthropist, often regarded as the first self-made female millionaire in America.
Madam C. J. Walker
Renowned photographer, filmmaker, and writer. Directed the film "Shaft," one of the first major Hollywood films directed by an African American.
Gordon Parks
Directed the critically acclaimed film "One Night in Miami," which explores the meeting of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke.
Regina King
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts towards racial equality.
Dr. Martin Luther King
Author of "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," one of the first narratives by a former slave woman.
Harriet Jacobs
Refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War, citing religious and moral objections.
Muhammad Ali (Casius Clay)
First African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
W.E.B. Du Bois
Broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
Jackie Robinson
Served as a Union spy during the Civil War, leading a raid that freed over 700 slaves.
Harriet Tubman
Gave the famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech at the 1851 Women's Rights Convention.
Sojourner Truth
Prominent civil rights activist and leader of the Nation of Islam.
Who is Malcolm X
Founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, a leading educational institution for African Americans.
Booker T. Washington
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Color Purple," which explores the lives of African American women in the South.
Alice Walker
Escaped slavery and became a prominent abolitionist and orator.
Frederick Douglass
Best known for her autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
Maya Angelou
Ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1972, becoming the first African American major-party candidate for President.
Shirley Chisholm
First African American man to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.
Arthur Ashe
First African American woman to travel in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. Trained as a physician before becoming an astronaut.
Mae Jemison
Became the first African American President of the United States in 2009.
Barak Obama
Authored works such as "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Montage of a Dream Deferred."
Langston Hughes
Served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020.
John Lewis
Renowned author, anthropologist, and folklorist during the Harlem Renaissance.
Zora Neale Hurston
Pioneering jazz musician, composer, and band leader. Composed thousands of musical pieces, including jazz standards like "Take the A Train" and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)."
Duke Ellington