Olympians
An American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games. He set three world records and tied another, all in less than an hour, at the 1935 Big Ten track meet, a feat that has never been equaled and has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport".
Who is Jesse Owens?
An American novelist became the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1982 for her work, "The Color Purple".
Who is Alice Walker?
An American mathematician and "human computer" who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and NASA. She was played by Octavia Spencer in Hidden Figures
Who is Dorothy Vaughan?
Is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America for developing and marketing a line of cosmetics & hair care products for black women
Who is Madame CJ Walker?
Richmond, VA's native son was the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He won three Grand Slam titles in singles and two in doubles
Who is Arthur Ashe?
The 2012 Olympic all-around champion and the 2015 World all-around silver medalist as well as a member of the gold-winning teams at both the 2012 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, dubbed the "Fierce Five" and the "Final Five".
Who is Gabby Douglas?
An American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer, director, and producer; been nominated 20 times for an Emmy Award (winning 5), two Tony Awards, and won a Golden Globe Award. She started and owns her own Dance Academy and is the sister of a certain "Huxtable".
Who is Debbie Allen?
Invented the very first Internet search engine in 1989 called "Archie" while looking for ways to save time when locating software.
Who is Alan Emtage?
An entrepreneur whose firm, the ActOne Group, was the first Black female-led company to bring in more than $1 billion in annual revenue.
Who is Janice Bryant Howroyd?
As a player-coach—the first black head coach in NBA history and professional sports, led his team to two championships in three years. He has 11 championships totals.
Who is Bill Russell?
A sprinter who overcame childhood polio and went on to become a world-record-holding Olympic champion. Became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic Games.
Who is Wilma Rudolph?
An American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre, was the first African American woman to be promoted to a principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history.
Who is Misty Copeland?
Was one of the first Black American women to receive a doctorate in physics in the U.S. and was the first Black woman to receive a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Who is Shirley Ann Jackson?
Was the first black woman to graduate from Yale Law School, the first to join the New York City Bar Association and the first to join the New York City Law Department. Bolin became the first black woman to serve as a judge in the United States in 1939
Who is Jane Bolin?
This 'Cuse legend for both lacrosse and football still holds the NFL Career rushing yards per game (104.3) AND Career rushing yards per attempt by a running back (minimum 1,500 carries) at 5.22.
Who is Jim Brown?
Was the first Black American to win an Olympic medal in 1904
Who is George Poage?
An American filmmaker whose film "Daughters of the Dust" became the first full-length film directed by an African-American woman to obtain general theatrical release in the United States and then was named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its "cultural, historical and aesthetic significance".
Who is Julie Dash?
Is the innovator most known for the Super Soaker! Is president and founder of a Research and Development company that develops and engineers consumer products for license and manufacture from rechargeable batteries to a device that can convert thermal energy to electrical energy.
Who is Lonnie Johnson?
Was the second African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. and first to receive one in economics in the United States. In 1927, she was first Black woman to receive a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and went on to become the first Black woman to practice law in the state.
Who is Sadie T. M. Alexander?
An American tennis player (and professional golfer), became the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam event (the French Open) and then following year, won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (precursor of the US Open)
Who is Althea Gibson?
Hailing from Albany, GA she was an athlete who specialized in high jump and was the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
Who is Alice Coachman?
An American painter, author, mixed media sculptor, performance artist, perhaps best known for her narrative quilts. Her first quilt story was called "Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima?".
Who is Faith Ringgold?
Innovated mobile refrigeration technology; received 61 patents, including 40 for refrigeration technology; co-founded Thermo King and also served as a sergeant in World War I. Is called the "Father of Refrigerated Transportation", and the "King of Cool".
Who is Frederick McKinley Jones?
Was the first African-American brigadier general in the USAF. In 1998 he was advanced to four-star general by President Bill Clinton.
Who is Benjamin O Davis?
A Jersey gal, American professional baseball player who was one of three women, and the first female pitcher, to play in the Negro leagues.
Who is Mamie "Peanut" Johnson?