Harlem Renaissance & Film
This author wrote “The Color Purple” and won the Pulitzer Prize for it.
Alice Walker
Melvin Van Peebles
This director launched the Blaxploitation film era
This actor is one of the only Black actors to win two Oscars.
Mahershala Ali
Mahalia Jackson
This is known as the "Queen of Gospel."
Don Cornelius
This man created and hosted the TV show "Soul Train."
Who are The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron, and Amiri Baraka?
These artists are considered the godfathers of spoken word and early hip-hop.
This director became one of the most influential filmmakers of the 1980s and opened doors for many actors in the 1990s
Spike Lee
Ruth Carter
This costume designer became the first Black person to win the Oscars for Best Costume Design and now has two.
This singer influenced Elvis Presley, who took much of his sound from him in the 1950s
Roy Hamilton (with Elvis Presley as the inspired artist)
Issac Hayes
This musician became the first Black person to win an Oscar for Best Original Song.
This actress became the first Black person to win an Oscar.
Hattie McDaniel
This director became the first Black filmmaker nominated for Best Director at the Oscars for "Boyz in the Hood"
John Singleton
This designer won the Oscars for Best Production Design.
Hannah Beachler
Big Mama Thornton
This singer preformed the original "Hound Dog," which Elvis later covered.
This artist became the first Black performer to appear on MTV
Michael Jackson
This man became the first Black actor to win Best Actor at the Oscars for “Lilies of the Field.”
Sidney Poitier
Denzel Washington
This actor is most Oscar-nominated Black actor and the first to win two Academy Awards.
this musician is known as the "father of the Blues."
W.C. Handy
This producer founded Motown Records
This superstar won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score for "Purple Rain"
Prince
Diahann Carroll
This actress became the first Black woman to star in a TV show where she was not a maid or servant.
Halle Berry
This actress is the first and only Black woman to win Best Actress at the Oscars.
This musician is considered the "Father of Gospel Music."
Thomas Dorsey
This musician is known as the "Father of Funk."
James Brown
This DJ is known as the "Father of House Music."
Frankie Knuckles