List of African Americans Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

This is a list of famous African-Americans.

Please add more notable people here.

Table of contents

1 A 2 B 3 C 4 D 5 E 6 F 7 G 8 H 9 I 10 J 11 K 12 L 13 M 14 N 15 O 16 P 17 R 18 S 19 T 20 V 21 W 22 X 23 Y

A

• Aaliyah (1979-2001), singer, actor
• Hank Aaron (born 1934), Baseball Hall of Famer
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born 1947), basketball legend
• Michael Abels (born 1962), composer
• Ralph Abernathy (1936-1996), civil rights leader
• Muhal Richard Abrams (born 1930), musician
• Mumia Abu-Jamal (born 1954), prisoner and activist
• Muhammad Ali (born 1942), boxer, war protester, member of the Nation of Islam, civil rights protester, and poet
• Richard Allen (Reverend) (1760-1831), ex-slave, religious leader, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
• Marian Anderson (1897-1993), famous opera and concert singer
• Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), jazz musician
• Arthur Ashe (1943-1993), tennis star and activist
• Emmett L. Ashford, first African-American umpire in organized baseball
• Crispus Attucks (1723-1770), killed in Boston Massacre

B

• David Baker (born 1931), composer
• Josephine Baker, singer, entertainer
• William Banfield (born 1961), composer
• Tyra Banks, supermodel
• Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), 18th century astronomer
• Charles Barkley, (born 1963), NBA basketball power forward
• Angela Bassett (born 1958), actor
• Count Basie (1904-1984), pianist, band leader
• Daisy Bates (1914-1999), civil rights leader
• Sidney Bechet (1897-1959), jazz musician
• Halle Berry (born 1966), actor and model
• Eubie Blake (1883-1983), composer and musician
• Mary J. Blige (born 1971) American R&B; and soul singer and record producer.
• Barry Bonds (born 1964), baseball star
• Carol Moseley Braun (born 1947), former senator and presidential candidate
• Anthony Braxton (born 1945), composer and multi-reedist
• Arthur M. Brazier, Minister,community activist, and civil rights leader
• Edward Brooke, former Massachusetts Attorney General, first African-American elected to the United States Senate (November 8, 1966).
• Shelton Brooks (1886-1975), songwriter and entertainer
• Jim Brown (born 1936), football legend, actor, activist
• Ron Brown (1941-1996), served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee becoming the first African American to lead a major American political party.
• Kobe Bryant (born 1978), professional basketball player
• Ralph Bunche (1904-1971), diplomat, Nobel Laureate 1950
• Busta Rhymes, (born 1972), rap musician, also known as Trevor Smith Jr.

C

• Marcus Camby (born 1974), NBA basketball star
• John Carlos (born 1945), Olympic athlete
• William Harvey Carney (1842-1908), American Civil War hero
• George Washington Carver (1860-1943), plant scientist
• Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999), basketball legend
• Tracy Chapman (born 1964), singer-songwriter
• Dave Chappelle (born 1972), comic
• Ray Charles (1930-2004), pop musician
• Charles Chesnutt (1858-1932), author
• Chingy (born 1980), rapper, also known as Howard Bailey Jr.
• Eldridge Cleaver (1935-1998), Black Panther
• John Coltrane (1926-1967), jazz musician
• Ward Connerly (born 1939), University of California Regent, political activist
• John Conyers (born 1929), congressman
• Marvel Cooke (1903-2000), journalist, writer, civil rights activist
• Coolio (born 1963), rapper, also known as Artis Ivey
• Roque Cordero (born 1917), composer
• Bill Cosby (born 1937), actor, comic, entertainer

D

• Angela Davis (born 1944), author and activist
• Benjamin J. Davis (1903-1964), communist leader, NY city councilman
• Benjamin O. Davis Sr, general
• Benjamin O. Davis Jr (1912-2002), military airman
• Miles Davis (1926-1991), jazz musician
• Dominique Dawes (born 1976), first African American female gymnast to medal in an Olympics (Gold (Team) and Bronze (Floor) Medalist at the 1996 Olympic Games)
• Martin R. Delany (1812-1885), abolitionist
• Oscar DePriest (1871-1951), first black Congressman elected in the 20th century
• Chris Dickerson (born 1939), bodybuilder
• Taye Diggs, actor
• David Dinkins, (born 1927), mayor of New York City from 1990-1993
• DMX (born 1970), rapper
• Rockin' Dopsie, (born Alton Rubin) February 10, 1932 Carencro LA - 1993 Zydeco musician
• Bob Douglas, first African American elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), orator and abolitionist, ex-slave
• Dr. Dre (born 1965), rap musician, founded Death Row Records, member of rap group NWA
• Charles R. Drew (1904-1950), physician, pioneer of blood transfusion techniques
• W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963), writer, activist, communist
• Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), poet
• Oscar Dunn, first African American lieutenant governor of a US state (Louisiana)

E

• Julius Eastman (1940-1991), composer and musician
• Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds (born 1958), music producer and performer
• Duke Ellington (1899-1974), jazz composer and musician
• Missy Elliott, (born 1971), hip hop artist
• Ralph Ellison (1914-1994), writer
• Julius Erving (born 1950), basketball legend
• Medgar Evers (1925-1963), civil rights activist

F

• 50 Cent (born 1976), New York City rapper Real Name Curtis Jackson
• James L. Farmer, Jr (1920-1999), civil rights activist
• Louis Farrakhan (born 1933), Nation of Islam Leader
• Jessie Fauset, novelist
• Colin Ferguson, LIRR gunman who killed 6
• Ella Fitzgerald (1918–1996), singer
• Ishmael Flory (1907–2004), Communist labor organizer
• George Foreman (born 1949), boxer, TV pitchman, minister
• Aretha Franklin (born 1942), singer, often referred to as the Queen of Soul

G

• Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), political leader and nationalist
• Bob Gibson (born 1935), Baseball Hall of Famer
• Cuba Gooding Jr (born 1968), actor
• Louis Gossett, Jr (born 1936), actor
• Grandmaster Flash (born 1958), DJ and early hip hop pioneer
• Bryant Gumbel (born 1948), NBC and CBS news anchor

H

• Hacker, Benjamin Thurman, (1935-2003), Rear Admiral, US Navy
• Adolphus Hailstork (born 1941), composer
• MC Hammer (born 1962), 1980s and early 1990s rap artist, also known as Stanley Kirk Burrell
• W.C. Handy (1873-1958), blues composer
• Frances E. W. Harper, poet, novelist, lecturer and activist in turn of the century temperance and racial uplift movements.
• Mya born 1979 Singer/Actress Real Name Mya Marie Harrison
• Fletcher Henderson, band leader, orchestrator, pianist
• Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970), rock and roll musician
• George Herriman (1880-1944), cartoonist
• Lauryn Hill (born 1975), hip hop singer for the Fugees
• Robert L. Hill (1892-?), black leader at Elaine Race Riot
• Billie Holiday (1915-1959), singer
• Whitney Houston (born 1963), singer
• Langston Hughes (1902-1967), poet

I

• Ice Cube (born 1969), rapper, member of NWA, also known as O'Shea Jackson
• Ice T, (born 1958), rapper, also known as Tracy Marrow
• Allen Iverson, (born 1975), NBA basketball star, all-star guard for Philadelphia 76ers
• India Arie, (born 1976), neo-soul singer-song writer

J

• Ja Rule (born 1976), rap artist, also known as Jeff Atkins; famous for his duets with Jennifer Lopez and other female artists
• Janet Jackson (born 1966), musician, sister of Michael (see below)
• Jesse Jackson (born 1941), civil rights activist and political leader
• Michael Jackson (born 1958), musician
• Samuel L. Jackson (born 1948), actor & golfer
• Tony Jackson (1876-1921), pianist & composer
• Jay-Z, rap artist, also known as Shawn Carter
• Mae Carol Jemison, first African-American woman in space
• Leroy Jenkins (born 1932), composer and musician
• George W. Johnson (c.1855-1914), pioneer recording artist
• Jack Johnson (1878-1946), first black heavyweight champion of the world
• James P. Johnson (1894-1955), pianist & composer
• James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), author, poet, folklorist, and civil rights leader
• Earvin "Magic" Johnson (born 1959), basketball legend and entertainment entrepreneur
• Robert Johnson (1911-1938), legendary blues guitarist
• Robert L. Johnson (born 1946), media entrepreneur, first African American to be the principal owner of a major-league sports franchise (NBA's Charlotte Bobcats)
• Scipio Africanus Jones (1863-1943), attorney for Elaine Race Riot accused
• Scott Joplin (1868-1917), ragtime composer
• Barbara Jordan (1936-1996), first African-American woman elected to Texas Senate
• Michael Jordan (born 1963), professional basketball player
• Louis Jordan (1908-1975), jazz musician and bandleader
• Hubert Julian (born 1900), aviator

K

• Ulysses Kay (1917-1995), composer
• Eddie Kendricks(1939-1992), musician, former member of The Temptations
• Alan Keyes (born 1950), diplomat and only 20th century African American to become a major Republican presidential candidate
• alicia Keys 1981-, musician, R&B, Soul real name Alicia Augello Cook
• Lil Kim (born 1976), female rap artist, also known as Kimberly Jones
• B.B. King (born 1925), blues musician
• Coretta Scott King (born 1927), activist and widow of Martin Luther King Jr.
• Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1968), civil rights activist, minister, Nobel laureate
• Rodney King (born 1965), motorist beaten by police, videotaped by bystander
• Gladys Knight (born 1944), singer
• Suge Knight, rap mogul, cofounder of Death Row Records
• Lenny Kravitz, (1964), rock/pop musician
• Kurupt (born 1972), rapper, also known as Ricardo Brown
• R.Kelly (1966) Singer Robert Kelly

L

• Nella Larsen (1891-1964), novelist
• Queen Latifah (born 1970), rapper (born Dana Owens)
• Oliver Law (1899-1937), officer in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, first African American to command white soldiers
• Spike Lee (born 1957), filmmaker
• Carl Lewis (born 1961), track and field legend, nine-time Olympic gold medalist
• John Lewis (born 1940), congressman and civil rights activist
• LL Cool J, rap artist, also known as James Todd Smith
• Robert Jr. Lockwood (born 1915), blues musician
• Joe Louis (1914-1981), boxer, longest-reigning world heavyweight champion
• Ludacris (born 1976), rap performer
• Frank Lumpkin (born 1916) communist union leader
• Jair Lynch (born 1971), first African American male gymnast to medal in an Olympics (Silver Medalist on Parallel Bars at the 1996 Olympic Games)

M

• Bernie Mac (born 1958), actor and comedian, star of Fox Network's Bernie Mac Show
• Elijah J. McCoy (1844–1929), inventor
• Cynthia McKinney (born 1955), politician
• Wynton Marsalis (born 1961), jazz trumpeter
• Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993), first non-white U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
• Three members of the Dave Matthews Band—but NOT Dave Matthews, a white South African
• Willie Mays (born 1931), Baseball Hall of Famer
• Method Man (born 1972), rapper also known as Clifford Smith, member of rap group Wu-Tang Clan
• Oscar Micheaux (1884–1951), author and pioneer filmmaker
• Arthur W. Mitchell (1883–1968), first black Congressman from the Democratic Party
• Roscoe Mitchell (born 1940), composer and musician
• Thelonious Monk (1917–1982), composer and musician
• Debbi Morgan (born 1956), soap opera actress (Angie Baxter on All My Children)
• Toni Morrison (born 1931), author, Nobel laureate 1993
• Mystikal, rapper
• Khalid Abdul Muhammed (1948–2001), Nation of Islam leader

N

• Nas (born 1973), rap artist also known as Nasir Jones
• Huey P. Newton, (1942-1989), founder of the Black Panther Party
• Nelly (born 1978), rapper, also known as Cornell Haynes Jr.
• Brandy Norwood (born 1979), singer and actor
• Willie 'Ray-J' Norwood Jr (born 1981), singer and actor, brother of the precedent
• Notorious B.I.G (1972 - 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls or Christopher Wallace, New York City rapper

O

• Shaquille O'Neal (born 1972), nicknamed "Shaq", NBA basketball star
• Barack Obama (born 1961), politician
• Jesse Owens (1913-1980), track and field athlete, embarrassed Adolf Hitler by winning four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics

P

• P. Diddy, (born 1970), rap artist and record executive, real name Sean Combs
• Charlie Parker (1920-1955), jazz musician
• Rosa Parks, started the Birmingham bus boycott
• William L. Patterson (1890-1980), communist, civil rights lawyer
• Walter Payton (1954-1999), football legend
• Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, (born 1932), composer
• P. B. S. Pinchback (1837-1921), first serving African American governor of a US state (Louisiana)
• Leonard Pitts, columnist for the Miami Herald
• Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (1745-1813), first resident of Chicago
• Colin Powell (born 1937), U.S. Secretary of State, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Percival Prattis, the first African American news correspondent allowed in the United States House and Senate press gallery.
• Richard Pryor (born 1940), comedian
• Kirby Puckett (born 1961), Baseball Hall of Famer

R

• A. Philip Randolph (1889-1979), socialist, labor leader, and civil rights activist
• Hiram Rhoades Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, the first African American ever to sit in the United States Congress
• Willy T. Ribbs, the first African-American driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 (May 19, 1991)
• Condoleezza Rice (born 1954), National Security Advisor under President George W. Bush
• Jerry Rice (born 1962), holder of almost all major NFL receiving records
• Norbert Rilleaux (1806-1894), inventor
• RuPaul (born 1960), drag queen
• Paul Robeson (1898-1976), athlete, actor, singer, scholar, communist
• David Robinson (born 1965), professional basketball player and U.S. Navy veteran
• Frank Robinson (born 1935), Baseball Hall of Famer, first African American manager in Major League Baseball
• Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), Baseball Hall of Famer, first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the 20th century
• Chris Rock (born 1966), comedian
• Bill Russell (born 1934), basketball legend
• Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), civil rights activist

S

• Barry Sanders (born 1968), NFL Hall of Fame inductee, running back for the Detroit Lions
• Bobby Seale (born 1936), co-founder of the Black Panther Party
• Al Sharpton (born 1954), clergyman and politician
• Assata Shakur (born 1947), exile and political activist
• Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapper, actor
• OJ Simpson, football star, accused of murdering his wife and acquitted after one of the most highly publicized trials of the 20th century
• Bessie Smith (1894-1937), blues singer
• Clara Smith, blues singer
• Hale Smith (born 1925), composer
• Mamie Smith, blues singer
• Tommie Smith (born 1944), Olympic athlete
• Willie The Lion Smith (1897-1963), pianist & composer
• Wesley Snipes (born 1962), actor and producer
• Snoop Dogg, rap artist, also known as Calvin Broadus
• Thomas Sowell (born 1930), economist and author
• Peter Spencer (1782-1843), ex-slave, religious leader, A.U.M.P. Church founder
• Michael Steele (born 1958), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
• Shelby Steele (born 1946), author, educator
• William Grant Still (1895-1978), composer

T

• Marshall Taylor (1878-1932), aka "Major Taylor", champion competition cyclist
• Clarence Thomas (born 1948), U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
• Debi Thomas (born 1967), first African American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics
• Ike Turner (born 1931), singer
• Nat Turner (1800-1831), leader of major slave revolt
• Tina Turner (born 1939), singer, actor, former wife of Ike
• Sojourner Truth (1797?-1883), ex-slave, abolitionist
• Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), ex-slave, writer, abolitionist
• Mike Tyson (born 1966), professional boxer

V

• Luther Vandross (born 1951), singer, actor

W

• C. J. Walker, she was the first African-American millionaire
• George Walker, (born 1922), composer
• Fats Waller (1904-1943), composer, singer, jazz musician
• Rhonda S. Walker, (born 1980), poet from Cleveland, OH
• Dionne Warwick (born 1940), singer
• Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), educator
• Denzel Washington (born 1954), actor
• Ethel Waters (1896-1977), vocalist
• Muddy Waters (1915-1983), blues musician
• Cornel West (born 1953), public intellectual, author, Princeton University professor
• Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), poet
• Jaleel White (born 1976), actor, star in ABC and CBS sitcom Family Matters as Steve Urkel
• Joseph White (1835-1918) Cuban born composer
• Douglas Wilder (born 1931), first elected African American governor of a US state (Virginia)
• Flip Wilson (1933-1998), television host and comedian
• Harriet E. Wilson, author of "Our Nig" and first African American novelist
• William Julius Wilson (born 1935), sociologist
• Clarence Williams (1893-1965), composer, publisher, jazz musician
• Darnell Williams (born 1955), soap opera actor (Jesse Hubbard on All My Children)
• Paul Williams (1939-1973), former member of The Temptations
• Paul_R._Willams (1894-1980), architect
• Serena Williams (born 1981), tennis star
• Venus Williams (born 1980), tennis star, sister of Serena
• Sonny Boy Williamson (1897-1965), blues musician
• Oprah Winfrey (born 1954), talk show host, magazine publisher, news anchor
• Henry Winston (1911-1986), US communist leader
• Stevie Wonder (born 1950), musician
• Tiger Woods (born 1975), first African American (and Asian American) to win a major golf championship

X

• Malcolm X (1925-1965), (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, born Malcolm Little), one time Nation of Islam and civil rights leader

Y

• Andrew Young (born 1932), civil rights activist and politician
• Omali Yeshitela civil rights leader

See also: list of people, list of people by nationality, list of Americans, African Americans in the United States Congress, List of Black Britons, List of Black Jews

This is an Article on List of African Americans. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About List of African Americans

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