Arts + Culture
Formerly the Virginia Theatre, which became the first Broadway to bear the name of an African American in 2005
August Wilson Theatre
Formerly named Cassius Clay before he converted to Islam.
He was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War but refused. This lead to a high profile ban from boxing for three years.
He was famous for taking pride in his excellence, saying “I am the greatest,” and for his poetic statements, such as “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
Muhammad Ali
He is the first African American governor of Massachusetts (elected in 2006).
The second African American ever elected governor of a U.S. state.
Deval Patrick
She was the first African American woman astronaut.
She entered space on the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor in 1992.
Mae C Jemison
He was one of the first Cape Verdean businessmen to move to Massachusetts and became a very successful whaling captain
He was born on December 16, 1858, on the island of Brava, Cape Verde Island,s and started working on whaling ships when he was 11
He became an American citizen on November 11, 1882
During his career, killed more than 140 whales, making the equivalent of $1.6 million worth of whale oil
His voyages included incredible survival stories from Arctic ice, 3 major hurricanes, an attack from a German U-boat submarine, and mutiny
Throughout all his voyages, he never lost a sailor
Captain John Theophilo Gonsalves
First American to train as a chef in France
Cooked the historic meal between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson (as featured in the musical “Hamilton” in the song “The Room Where It Happens”)
Introduced European-style macaroni and cheese, French fries, crème brûlée and ice cream to America
There are no photos or paintings of him, but the image on the left is his handwriting -- it’s a list of all the items in the kitchen where he cooked
James Hemings
The first Black man to dance for New York City Ballet, a major ballet company, in 1955.
Arthur Mitchell
One of the greatest women’s tennis players of all time, she tied the record for most consecutive weeks as the No. 1 ranked player in the world: 186 weeks.
Her 23 Grand Slam singles titles mark the record for any woman or man in the Open Era.
Serena Williams
In 2008, he became the first African American elected President of the United States.
Prior to that, he was only the fifth black U.S. senator in history.
Was the first black president of Harvard Law Review.
Barack Obama
He was a surgeon and professor at Howard University who did pioneering research on blood and blood transfusions.
He developed a method for preserving blood plasma and storing blood.
Allowed medics to save thousands of lives during World War II.
He protested the segregation of blood by the American Red Cross, which segregated blood by race until 1950.
Charles Drew
Was the first Black American woman bank president
Maggie Lena Walker
America’s most influential Creole chef, she cooked for presidents, civil rights leaders, and many famous people; Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” was based on her
She opened her own restaurant, Dooky Chase's. It became a gathering place for the Black community
She fed the Freedom Riders and countless civil rights activists, allowing Black and white activists to gather in her restaurant even though it was illegal
Leah Chase
Only black actor to win multiple Oscars for acting - in 1990 for Glory and in 2002 for Training Day.
Denzel Washington
In 2002, she became the first African American woman to hold the world No. 1 ranking.
She became the second African American to win Wimbledon in the Open Era, after Arthur Ashe.
She’s tied with her sister with four Olympic gold medals for singles tennis and three doubles gold medals.
Venus Williams
In 1966, he was the first African American popularly elected to the U.S. Senate.
He served two terms in the U.S. Senate representing Massachusetts.
Edward Brooke
Lived in the 1950s, her cells were taken for research without her consent
Scientists realized that her cells divided indefinitely and were “immortal”
Her cells helped scientists make the polio vaccine and improve treatments for cancer and other diseases that still save lives today.
Her story helped create new rules so patients must give permission before their cells are used.
Henrietta Lacks
Published the first Black American women‟s newspaper in the US
Josephine Ruffin
Born on a farm in Freetown, VA, a town founded by formerly enslaved people who worked together to support each other
Became a famous chef in New York City and an activist
Her 1976 book “The Taste of Southern Cooking” changed how America viewed Southern food, focusing on cooking with ingredients fresh from the farm
She wanted everyone to know that Black Southern cooks invented most of American food
Edna Lewis
She did advanced graduate school work at Columbia University under pioneering anthropologist Franz Boas.
Her collections of black Southern and Caribbean folk culture were published in Mules and Men (1935) and Tell My Horse (1938).
she worked with Langston Hughes and was a leading writer of the Harlem Renaissance.
Her most famous novel, written in black Southern dialect, was Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937).
Zora Neale Hurston
She became the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Simone Manuel
He was the president of the historically black Morehouse College for almost three decades, making it a nationally recognized institution.
His former student Martin Luther King, Jr. listed him as his spiritual mentor.
Mays was a leading black minister and educator of the 20th century and his autobiography is titled Born to Rebel.
Benjamin Elijah Mays
An African American mathematician known for her contributions to the mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, and her work on the development of the satellite geodesy models that were eventually incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS).
She was inducted into the United States Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018.
Gladys West
He was a Black and Wampanoag sailor and whaler born on Nantucket in 1785
He became the first Black whaling captain to sail with an all-Black crew on his ship The Industry
He owned an inn and multiple stores
He used his wealth and influence to support the abolitionist movement on Nantucket and successfully desegregated Nantucket public schools in 1845
Abselom Boston
Co-founded the Black Vegetarian Society of New York and started one of the earliest vegan websites, blackvegetarian.com
Wrote best-selling cookbooks By Any Greens Necessary and Ageless Vegan
Founded the 10 Million Black Vegan Women movement
Tracy McQuirter
Hits like "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "Get at Me Dog," which helped establish him as a dominant figure in hip-hop.
Actor and Icon: In addition to his music career, also made a name for himself as an actor. He starred in several films, including Belly (1998), Romeo Must Die (2000) alongside Jet Li and Aaliyah, and Exit Wounds (2001) alongside Steven Seagal.
Record-Setting Rapper: is the only artist to have released two albums that debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the same year. His albums ...And Then There Was X (1999) and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998) both achieved this feat, solidifying his place in rap history.
DMX
He won 4 gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
His achievement of setting three world records and tying another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport" and has never been equalled.
Jesse Owens
She was a groundbreaking Black feminist scholar, author, and cultural critic. Her work explored race, gender, class, love, and education, always centering the lived experiences of Black people—especially Black women
Writing in an accessible, no-nonsense style, she challenged systems of oppression and pushed for love, justice, and liberation as daily practices, not just theories.
Bell Hooks
an American computer security expert. She has previously been a top security officer at Intel, Fastly, Apple, and Mozilla Corporation.
She is co-author of Threat Modeling, a standard manual on application security.
Window Snyder
Born in Geneva, KY, became the owner of the first black radio station in Detroit in 1964
In 1975, became the first African American to own and operate a television station in the United States, WGPR-TV in Detroit, MI.
William Venoid Banks
Originally born into slavery in 1864, Young achieved many accomplishments in his life and was the first Black man in America to do so
First Black National Park Superintendent, meaning he worked to protect the nature in King’s Canyon National Park and to make the park more accessible to visitors
Entered the American military from a young age and became a prominent leader. At the time of his death, he was the highest-ranking Black officer in the military
Colonel Charles Young
a Boston-based multidisciplinary artist, educator, and storyteller known for his work in animation, illustration, and community arts.
Through his creative practice, he explores themes of identity, social justice, and cultural heritage, while mentoring young artists and fostering collaborative projects that amplify underrepresented voices.
Rob “Pro Blak” Gibbs
He was the first black player drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL).
The “Jackie Robinson” of ice hockey.
This happened when he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1958.
a legendary Boston community leader, civil‑rights activist, educator, and politician best known for his lifelong work advancing racial justice, neighborhood empowerment, and grassroots organizing in the city’s Black community.
Born and raised in Boston’s South End, he championed affordable housing, job training, and democratic participation, founding neighborhood organizations like CAUSE and later the South End Technology Center to support residents with resources and skills.
Mel King
He was chair of the Chemistry department at Morehouse College for decades.
His research on acetyl peroxide led to more effective treatment of prostate cancer.
45 of his students earned a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Henry Cecil Ransom McBay
Founded the magazine Ebony
John H Johnson
Known as the “Mother of Environmental Justice”
After her husband died of cancer in 1969, learned that her community had the highest concentration of hazardous waste sites in the entire country, meaning toxic chemicals were being dumped into the air, river, and ground where she lived every day
In 1982, she founded the organization People for Community Recovery
With her organization, pushed for new legislation to protect her community and others from industrial pollution and shut down the company that was polluting in her neighborhood
served on the Environmental Protection Agency’s first National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, which led to environmental racism being recognized on the national level
Hazel Johnson