The author, poet, and playwright Ntozake Shange was born Paulette Williams on October 18, 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey. Until she was eight, she lived in a racially diverse community among well-educated upper middle class black and white families. She socialized with prominent musicians and performers, including Dizzy … Read MoreNtozake Shange (Paulette Williams) (1948-2018 )
Carl Brewer served as the 100th Mayor of Wichita, Kansas, only the second African American elected to that office. Brewer was born on March 8, 1957 in Wichita, Kansas. He attended Wichita North High school, and graduated in 1975. He obtained his first job at … Read MoreCarl Brewer (1957-2020)
Kevin Maurice Johnson served as Mayor of Sacramento, California, from December 2, 2008 to December 13, 2016. Johnson, the son of Georgia West and Lawrence Johnson, was born in California’s capital city on March 4, 1966. He graduated from Sacramento High School, where he led … Read MoreKevin Maurice Johnson (1966- )
On December 1, 2005, Mark Mallory was sworn in as the first black mayor elected by popular vote in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three other black mayors preceded him but were chosen by the City Council. He served in that position until December 1, 2013. Born on … Read MoreMark Mallory (1962– )
Eight-time world No. 1-ranked professional tennis player Serena Williams was born September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. She holds 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 12 in women’s doubles, and two in mixed doubles for 39 total—the most of any active player. Formerly coached by parents Richard Williams and … Read MoreSerena Williams (1981 – )
Albert Turner Reid, born in Hampton, Virginia, November 13, 1927, the son of William Thaddeus Reid and Mae Elaine Beamon Reid, was a renowned mathematician who earned his bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University in 1949. From 1950 to 1953, he studied probability and statistics at the University of … Read MoreAlbert T. Bharucha-Reid (1927-1985)
Elbert Williams is the first known member of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to be murdered for his civil rights activities. Williams was born on October 15, 1908, in rural Haywood County, Tennessee, the son of farmer, Albert Williams, and … Read MoreElbert Williams (1908-1940)
Born February 12, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, Arsenio Hall is a comedian, talk show host, writer, producer, and actor. He hosted the late night show Arsenio Hall Show from 1989 to 1994. A Baptist preacher’s son, Hall he grew up in a poor East Cleveland … Read MoreArsenio Hall (1956- )
Ann Cole Lowe was the first African American to become a noted fashion designer. Lowe’s one-of-a-kind designs were favored by wealthy and socially prominent women from the 1920s to the 1960s. In 1953, Lowe designed the ivory silk taffeta wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Bouvier … Read MoreAnn Cole Lowe (1898-1981)
Lusia “Lucy” Harris, a former American basketball player, is considered to be one of the pioneers of women’s basketball. She played for Delta State University in Mississippi and won a silver medal with the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team in the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic Games … Read MoreLusia Harris (1955- )
