Athletes
This person has a long list of athletic achievements, particularly in basketball, but his shoes are how you might know him best.
Who is Michael Jordan?
This Oakland woman is well known as one of the founders of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Who is Alicia Garza?
This musical artist is ranked as the second best-selling female artist of the 21st century with record sales of over 37 million dollars.
Who is Beyonce Knowles?
This person was the first Black man to be elected US President.
Who is Barack Obama?
After this man escaped from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement. He is also a famous orator and writer, know for this quote: "If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”
Who is Frederick Douglass?
This professional tennis player has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any player in the Open Era.
Who is Serena Williams?
This person’s refusal to give up her seat on a public bus sparked a boycott of Montgomery, AL buses from 1955-1956.
Who is Rosa Parks?
This Californian is a famous poet. She was named the first ever National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017.
Who is Amanda Gorman?
This woman, who was born in Oakland, made history as the first female elected as US Vice President.
Who is Kamala Harris?
This poet and social activist was a leader in the Harlem Renaissance. This famous quote is attributed to hem: “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
Who is Langston Hughes?
This athlete was the first Black PGA (Professional Golf Association) tour champion.
Who is Tiger Woods?
This woman created her own line of hair products and became the first black female self-made millionaire.
Who is Madam C.J. Walker?
This Bay Area rapper/actor is considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, and is well known for his song, "Changes."
Who is Tupac Shakur (or 2Pac)?
This politician was a long time member of US Congress and represented Oakland. He was also the mayor of Oakland from 2007-2011.
Who is Ron Dellums?
This famous civil rights leader is well known for the quote, "The time is always right to do what is right."
Who is Martin Luther King, Jr?
This amazing man is the self–proclaimed “greatest [boxer] of all time” was originally named after his father, who was named after the 19th century abolitionist and politician Cassius Marcellus Clay.
Who is Muhammad Ali?
This person is a Stanford graduate, WNBA champion, and the current president of the WNBA Players Association.
Who is Nneka Ogwumike?
This man was an American fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, and editor-at-large of Vogue magazine. He also served as a judge on America's Next Top Model.
Who is Andre Leon Talley?
This New Yorker was the first black woman to be elected to the US Congress, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's nomination for US President.
Who is Shirley Chisholm?
The quote “When they go low, we go high” is attributed to this person. She was recently a leader in the White House.
Who is Michelle Obama?
This gymnast has won a total of 32 Olympic and World Championship medals and is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time.
This person is a leading national voice on restorative justice, and the founder of RJOY (Restorative Justice of Oakland Youth).
Who is Fania Davis?
This author became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature. (Hint: Her resume includes "Sula" and "The Bluest Eye").
Who is Toni Morrison?
This woman is currently in her 12th term (24 years!) as a member of the US House of Representatives (representing Oakland's district).
Who is Barbara Lee?
This ground-breaking astronaut said, “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”
Who is Mae Jemison? (first black female astronaut)