#BLACHeroes
In the 1988 Olympic Trials, this track and field athlete set the women's world record for the fastest 100M time at 10.49 seconds. She went on to win three gold medals at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
Florence Joyner (Flo-Jo)
Born Sarah Breedlove, this entrepreneur became widely known as the first Black female millionaire with her revolutionary hair care products
Madame CJ Walker
This filmmaker received his Bachelors at Sacramento State before receiving acclaim for films like "Fruitvale Station", "Black Panther" and the newly released "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Ryan Coogler
Coined the term "entanglement."
Jada Pinkett-Smith
Things your mother is not....
One of your lil friends
Boo boo the foo
This educator, orator and former Presidential advisor was one of the founders and first principal of Tuskegee University
Booker T. Washington
This former Army general was the first Black United States Secretary of State
Colin Powell
This Sacramento native is the only Major League Baseball manager to lead five different teams to postseason berth. During his playing career, he and former teammate Glenn Burke are recognized as the originators of the "high five"
This "Awkward Black Girl" is rooting for everybody Black
Issa Rae
You were brought in this from your mother, and she can also take you out of it
This world
This woman unknowingly "donated" her cells providing researchers with the first of know "immortal" cells that helped break ground in the medical science world
This actress/singer became the first Black winner of an Academy Award for her role in the 1939 film "Gone with the Wind"
Hattie McDaniel
This actor and Sacramento native is best known for his role as Kunta Kinte in "Roots" and Geordi La Forge in "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
LeVar Burton
This "Grown-ish" sister is slated to play Ariel in the Little Mermaid
Halle Bailey
The response you get when you ask for McDonalds
You got McDonalds money?????
This Oakland native and former baseball player became a key figure in labor history by helping athletes secure free agency when he took the MLB to the US Supreme Court over its reserves clause, which bound players to teams for the duration of their careers
Curt Flood
In 1920, he became the first Black head coach in the National Football League. Today, an organization in his name advocates for minority hiring in the NFL
Fritz Pollard
This philosopher, author, activist, and professor has been known for his critical analysis of race, gender, and class
Cornel West
She was the first Black actress to play Cinderella in a movie
Brandy
DONT TOUCH NOTHIN
DONT ASK ME FOR NOTHIN
This early 20th century recording artist that influenced the style of modern jazz and was nicknamed "The Empress of the Blues"
Bessie Smith
In 1966, she became the first Black woman to be elected to the California State Assembly
Yvonne Brathwaite Burke
This Sacramento native and former Kings player was a high-profile proponent of AB 392 (Weber 2019), the police use of force bill
Matt Barnes
This iconic recording artist mentored the likes of Snoh Alegra and Alicia Keys
Prince
You get something to cry about