Lights, Camera, Action!
Before she played Storm in the X-Men movies, she was the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress.
Who is Halle Berry?
History fact: Unfortunately, no Black woman has won Best Actress since :( (Berry's win was in 2001.)
He remains the best-selling solo artist of all time (Taylor Swift could never).
Who is Michael Jackson?
History fact: Thriller won 8 Grammys... the most ever in one night/ceremony.
He was the first Black President of the United States.
Who is Barack Obama?
History fact: In 1888, Fredrick Douglass was technically the first Black person to ever be considered for President. He received 1 vote at the Republican National Convention.
Baseball became a desegregated sport in 1947 when this man was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Who is Jackie Robinson?
History fact: Baseball had been a segregated sport since the 1880s, with Black players being relegated to the "Negro Leagues" before Robinson's time on the Dodgers.
She was the first Black woman to go to space.
Who is Mae Jemison?
History fact: Among many other accolades, she was also the first real astronaut to appear on an episode of Star Trek.
Known for playing Mace Windu and Nick Fury, he is 3rd on the list of highest grossing actors of all time.
Who is Samuel L Jackson?
History fact: He once held Martin Luther King Sr. hostage as he and several other students demanded reform at Morehouse College from its Board of Trustees.
His songs "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" could be heard in the finale of Stranger Things.
Who is Prince?
History fact: Prince recorded all 27 credited instruments on his debut album For You. He was a musical prodigy.
He advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
History fact: In his final years, he expanded his focus to include opposition towards poverty and the Vietnam War.
She is the most decorated gymnast in history.
Who is Simone Biles?
History fact: Her 2023 routine on vault and her 2024 routine on floor exercise are the most difficult ever performed in women's artistic gymnastics.
Portrayed in the film Hidden Figures, her calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.
Who is Katherine Johnson?
History fact: She graduated high school at the age of 14.
In 1977, he lent his voice to the iconic character, Darth Vader.
Who is James Earl Jones?
History fact: He is one of 27 people to have achieved "EGOT" status (he's won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony).
This woman holds the record for most Grammy wins ever.
Who is Beyonce?
History fact: In 2025, Beyonce became the first Black woman to win best country album at the Grammys.
This superhero shares a name with this black power political organization.
Who is Black Panther/the Black Panther Party?
History fact: From 1969 onward, the party created social programs, including the Free Breakfast for Children Programs, education programs, and community health clinics.
He is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.
Who is Muhammad Ali?
History fact: In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War. He was arrested and denied the right to box in all 50 states until 1970.
He was a scientist who developed hundreds of products from peanuts, sweet potatoes, and pecans.
Who is George Washington Carver?
History fact: Contrary to popular belief, he did NOT invent peanut butter.
She created the hit TV shows Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, and Bridgerton.
Who is Shonda Rhimes?
History fact: She was the first woman to create three television dramas that achieved the 100 episode milestone.
She's the Queen of Soul, put some respect on her name!
Who is Aretha Franklin?
History fact: Aretha Franklin had a close relationship with MLK Jr. and sang at his funeral.
This man differed from Martin Luther King, Jr. in that he did not oppose using violence as a means to attain equality.
Who is Malcolm X?
History fact: Malcolm X only met Martin Luther King Jr. once (and only long enough to be photographed).
This 6-time MVP held the NBA's career scoring record until LeBron James broke it in 2023.
Who is Kareem Abdul-Jabar?
History fact: In 1971, Abdul-Jabar converted to Islam and changed his name. He has advocated against anti-Islamic viewpoints for decades.
An early innovator of jazz poetry, he is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance.
Who is Langston Hughes?
History fact: Hughes came from an activist family.
The success of his Black Panther films have made him the most successful Black director of all time.
Who is Ryan Coogler?
History fact: Coogler graduated from Sacramento State on a football scholarship in 2007.
This blind musician is self-taught. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Who is Stevie Wonder?
History fact: In 1980, Wonder's song "Happy Birthday" was created for his campaign to establish Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday.
After escaping slavery, this woman went on some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad.
Who is Harriet Tubman?
History fact: During the American Civil War, Tubman served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army.
This man won 4 gold medals in various track events at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Who is Jesse Owens?
History fact: During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Adolf Hitler attempted to use the Games as a showcase for the supposed superiority of the Aryan race (white people). Jesse Owens turned that theory on its head by defeating all his white competitors.
She was an American memoirist, essayist, poet, and civil rights activist, working tirelessly during the Civil Rights Movement with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Who is Maya Angelou?
History fact: As a teenager, she also became the first Black woman to conduct a cable car in San Francisco.