Arts
This was the first Black American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Alice Walker for “The Color Purple”
This African country was established by freed Black Americans in the 19th century.
Liberia
This former quarterback for the 49ers protested racial injustice in America by kneeling during the national anthem before an NFL game in 2016.
Colin Kaepernick
This is the most Grammy Awarded artist of all time.
Beyonce
This mathematician's calculations for NASA were critical to the success of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.
Katherine Johnson
This poet, author and activist in the civil rights, antiwar and women’s liberation movements is known for works such as “Sister Outsider” and “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name”.
Audre Lorde
This person became the first African American appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967.
Thurgood Marshall
This athlete became the first Black gymnast to win an Olympic title and the first American to win all-around and team golds at the London Games in 2012.
Gabby Douglas
This was the first Black person to win an Oscar for this movie.
Hattie McDaniel for “Gone with the Wind”
This scientist co-discovered the structure of DNA in 1953, but was largely unrecognized due to racial and gender bias
Dr. Rosalind Franklin
This sculptor co-founded the Harlem Artists Guild and created The Harp, inspired by the famous “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.
Augusta Savage
This organization, founded by students in Chicago in 1942, pioneered the use of nonviolent direct action in America’s civil rights struggle.
CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)
Known as one of the greatest players in WNBA history, this athlete left her basketball career to fight for criminal justice reform. She received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for her work on transforming the criminal legal system.
Maya Moore
The famous cartoon character Betty Boop was based off this Jazz performer.
Esther Jones, Harlem-based Jazz singer
This computer scientist created the first system for encrypting digital communications, which laid the groundwork for modern cybersecurity.
Dr. Gladys West
A Detroit native, this fashion designer is known as a champion of women’s empowerment and an advocate for sustainable practices in the clothing industry. She is famous for her vibrant, floral designs and famously dressed Michelle Obama for the 2012 Democratic Convention.
Tracy Reese
These Black businesses were collectively known as “Black Wall Street” in this area.
Greenwood District businesses in Tulsa
This former NFL player left the league after 5 years to become a full-time educator, artist, and advocate for racial and economic equality in his hometown of Baltimore.
Aaron Maybin
This famous record label, founded by Berry Gordy in 1959, was instrumental in the launching of the careers of popular acts such as Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, & The Miracles.
Motown Records
Dr. Patricia Bath developed the first effective treatment for this condition in the 1980s.
Glaucoma
Known as the grande dame of Southern cooking, this chef was a pioneer in farm-to-table dining. Her foundation creates opportunities for African Americans in the fields of cooking, agriculture, food studies and storytelling.
Edna Lewis
This human rights advocate was a key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington and later became a part of the LGBTQ+ movement and an advocate for AIDS education. His life was depicted in the 2023 biopic starring Colman Domingo.
Bayard Rustin
This Olympic athlete became the first Black woman in the world to win an Olympic gold medal while competing in the high jump.
Alice Coachman
This person was the first Black American to host their own TV show.
Nat King Cole for the “Nat King Cole Show”
Known as one of the fathers of modern gaming, this engineer designed the first interchangeable video game console, paving the way for modern gaming as we know it today.
Jerry Lawson