Scientists
She worked at NASA and was referred to as "a human computer," performing complex mathematical calculations. The movie Hidden Figures was based on her life.
Who is Annie Easley?
She wrote Beloved, The Bluest Eye, Sula and The Song of Solomon. In 1993, she became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Who is Toni Morrison?
In a moment that transcended sports an became one of the defining moments in American history, he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945 and made his Major League debut in 1947, becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues.
Who is Jackie Robinson?
In 2002, she became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress and spoke out about the lack of diversity in the Awards community.
Who is Halle Berry?
Hailed as The King of Soul, he was one of the first music superstars, helping to move soul music into the mainstream. He inspired Al Green, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder and is perhaps best known for his powerful song, A Change is Gonna Come.
Who is Sam Cooke?
She created a line of haircare products for African American women, leading her to later become the first female African American self-made millionaire. There is now a Netflix series based upon her journey title, Self Made.
Who is Madam C.J. Walker?
The first African American to earn a Ph.D. from any American university and the sixth person of any race to receive a Ph.D. in physics from an Amercian university.
Who is Edward Bouchet?
She was the first African Amercian to publish a book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, in 1773.
Who is Phillis Wheatley?
In one of the most significant athletic performances of all time, this American sprinter won gold medals in the 100m sprint, the long jump, 200m sprint, and the 4x100m relay during the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Who is Jesse Owens?
These days, she is known as a moderator on The View, but this actress and comedian is a pioneer in her own right. In 2000, she won a Tony Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie and became the first Black EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) recipient. She was the second Black woman to win the Best supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Ghost.
Who is Whoopi Goldberg?
Her nicknames are the Queen of Jazz and The First Lady of Song. She is among the most influential Black musicians of jazz's golden age. Her hits include, Dream a Little Dream of Me and It Don't Mean A Thing.
Who is Ella Fitzgerald?
This agricultural scientist was responsible for creating over 500 new products made from peanuts and sweet potatoes, including cooking oils, paint and soap.
Who is George Carver?
Born and raised in Virginia, she leveraged her mathematical and programming expertise to invent an accurate model of the Earth, which was used as the foundation for the creation of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Who is Gladys West?
His works helped to raise public awareness of racial oppression. His honest portrayal of his personal experiences in a nation context challenged America to uphold the values it promised on equality and justice. His most famous works are "Go Tell It On The Mountain," "If Beale Street Could Talk," and "The Fire Next Time."
Who is James Baldwin?
The definition of a barrier-breaker, he was not only a tennis champion but an activist whose reach extended far beyond the court. He remains the first and only Black man to win Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open.
Who is Arthur Ashe?
Long before he became a screen legend, he launched his career in the NYC theater, most famously appearing in the original Broadway product of A Raisin in the Sun. In 1964, he made history as the first Black man to win a Best Actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field.
Who is Sidney Poitier?
One of the most influential Black musicians in any genre, his impact is undeniable. He started out with his brothers in a popular Motown act before going solo and releasing timeless albums such as Off The Wall and Bad.
Who is Michael Jackson?
This electronics pioneer was an American nurse and innovator. In 1966, she invented a video home security system with her husband, Albert.
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown?
She is an American engineer, physician and NASA astronaut, she became the first African American woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on Sept 12, 1992.
Who is Mae Carol Jemison?
She was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies and television shows spanning over 50 years. Her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, tells of her life up to the age of 17.
Who is Maya Angelou?
A cultural icon, she is the winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a six-time US Open singles winner and the oldest woman to ever reach a Wimbledon final.
Who is Serena Williams?
She released Just As I Am: A Memoir just three days before her death on Jan. 28, 2021. She captivated audiences with unforgettable roles in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, The Women of Brewster Place, Fried Green Tomatoes, How to Get Away With Murder and more. She was the first Black person to star in a primetime drama and the first Black actress on the soap opera Guiding Light.
Who is Cicely Tyson?
She was the first female and the first black artist to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Her triumphant-tragic-triumphant story is often told, and her voice is known the world over.
Who is Tina Turner?
This inventor, entrepreneur, engineer, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, innovated mobile refrigeration technology. He received 61 patents, 40 for refrigeration technology.
Who is Frederick McKinley Jones?
He was a research chemist and pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants, such as cortisone, steroids and birth control pills.
Who is Percy Julian?
He was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist. He is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance.
Who is Langston Hughes?
Her name is now synonymous with gymnastics. An otherworldly talent, she has won 24 world championship medals, seven Olympic medals and has four gymnastic skills named after her.
Who is Simone Biles?
As the first Black woman to integrate Broadway, this singer and actress was a trailblazer who made her own rules. During her career, she became the first Black person to star in her own series, Beulah, the first to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy and the first to be nominated for a dramatic role for her guest appearance on Route 66.
Who is Ethel Waters?
Renowned singer and jazz pianist, he was the first Black American to host a TV show.
Who is Nat King Cole?
This computer scientist assisted with the 1995 creation of Shockwave, essential technology that led to the development of web animation.
Who is Lisa Gelobter?