Entertainment
Known as the “King of Pop,” this artist released the best-selling album of all time, Thriller, in 1982.
Michael Jackson
This general later became the first African American U.S. Secretary of State.
Colin Powell
This six-time NBA champion starred for the Chicago Bulls and is often called the greatest basketball player of all time.
Michael Jordan
This engineer helped develop the first home video game console with interchangeable game cartridges, paving the way for modern gaming systems.
Gerald "Gerry" Lawson
In 2008, he became the first African American elected President of the United States.
Barak Obama
This global superstar, known for albums like Lemonade, became the most-awarded artist in Grammy history in 2023.
Beyonce
This activist and Nation of Islam leader famously declared that change should come “by any means necessary.”
Malcolm X
Nicknamed “Iron Mike,” this youngest heavyweight champion in history won the title at age 20.
Mike Tyson
A NASA mathematician, she calculated flight paths for Project Mercury and Apollo 11.
Katherine Johnson
In 2021, she became the first African American and first woman to serve as U.S. Vice President.
Kamala Harris
This poet wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Maya Angelou
This NAACP leader served as executive secretary for over 20 years during the civil rights movement.
Roy Wilkins
Born Cassius Clay, this heavyweight boxing champion proclaimed himself “The Greatest.”
Muhammad Ali
This agricultural scientist developed crop rotation methods that improved soil health.
George Washington Carver
In 1951, she became the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license.
Bessie Coleman
Before winning an Academy Award for King Richard, this actor starred in the hit 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Will Smith
This investigative journalist exposed the horrors of lynching in the late 19th century.
Ida B Wells
This quarterback has won multiple Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020s.
Patrick Mahomes
This entrepreneur created a popular line of hair care products and became one of the first female self-made millionaires in the U.S.
Madame CJ Walker
In 1964, he became the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Martin Luther King Jr
This director made history with the groundbreaking Marvel film Black Panther in 2018.
Ryan Coogler
This future U.S. Congressman was a key organizer of the Selma marches and was beaten on “Bloody Sunday.”
Who is John Lewis
In 1947, this player broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Jackie Robinson
This IBM engineer helped invent the personal computer and holds three original IBM PC patents.
Mark Dean
In 1964, he became the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Halle Berry