Famous Black Media Personalities

Oprah Winfrey is arguably one of the most iconic figures in America who broke many barriers to become one of the most influential women in the country. She is a role model for the black community and is also a fierce feminist. Her path-breaking The Oprah Winfrey Show mostly based on lives of common people catapulted her to unprecedented stardom.

Trevor Noah is a writer, political commentator, comedian and television host and hosts the American satirical news programme, The Daily Show. He has also hosted several other shows, including the late-night talk show, Tonight with Trevor Noah. He is an actor too. He has written an autobiographical book, Born A Crime, and has received numerous accolades and awards, including the Emmy Award.

Lester Holt is an American journalist who is the face of 'NBC News' since 2000. He hosts and co-hosts some of NBC's important programs, such as Dateline NBC and NBC Nightly News. In 1990, he was honored with the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for his work. In 2015, he was made an inductee of the California Hall of Fame.

W. E. B. Du Bois was an American civil rights activist, sociologist, and Pan-Africanist. Du Bois played an instrumental role in fighting for full civil rights for people of color around the world. A co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Du Bois also played an important role as the leader of the Niagara Movement.

American football player Deion Sanders is considered one of the strongest pass defenders of the game. He was an electrifying athlete and played in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played for teams like Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He is now a coach and a sports analyst. He’s also a rapper.

Michael Strahan is a journalist, television personality, and former professional American football player. Strahan helped the New York Giants, where he spent his entire 15-year National Football League (NFL) career, win the Super Bowl XLII. After retiring from football, Michael Strahan co-hosted the talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan, for which he received a couple of Daytime Emmy Awards.

Broadcast journalist and television talk show host Tamron Hall is best known for her eponymous award-winning syndicated daytime talk show. She has previously worked for NBC News and MSNBC. An alumnus of Temple University, she is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. She is actively involved in anti-domestic violence campaigns.

Gayle King is an American author and TV personality. Since 2012, King has been co-hosting CBS News' popular program, CBS This Morning. She has also been serving as CBS News' broadcast journalist. Also an editor-at-large for the famous O, The Oprah Magazine, King was included in Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People in 2019.

Aaron McGruder is an American writer, cartoonist, screenwriter, producer, and lecturer. He is best known for writing a Universal Press Syndicate comic strip titled The Boondocks. He also wrote its TV series adaptation where he served as the creator, head writer, and executive producer.

Author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates gained international prominence while serving as the national correspondent at The Atlantic. His writings on socio-political issues related to African Americans and white supremacy garnered him much appreciation. He is a recipient of the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center Prize for Writing to Advance Social Justice. He also writes fiction and comics.

Lamorne Morris began his career with the BET shows HotWyred and 106 & Park. He gained game with his Teen Choice Award-nominated role of Winston in New Girl. He has appeared in many FunnyorDie shorts, in the docu-drama Valley of the Boom, and as Keef Knight in the series Woke.

Mychal Thompson is a Bahamian former basketball player. He played the center position for many National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, including Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers. He had a standout collegiate career at the University of Minnesota, following which he started playing professionally. Currently, he is the Lakers radio color commentator.

Newscaster and TV host, Harris Faulkner, is currently associated with  Fox News Channel.  She hosts her own prime time political franchise called Town Hall America with Harris Faulkner and also a daily daytime show The Faulkner Focus. A much-respected figure in the TV industry, she is the recipient of six Emmy Awards and the Amelia Earhart Pioneering Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Loni Love is an American comedian, actress, television host, and author. Love won the prestigious Daytime Emmy Award under the Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host category in 2018 for her work in the popular syndicated talk show, The Real. A former electrical engineer, Loni Love has worked in popular companies like Xerox Holdings Corporation and General Motors.

Ian Wright is an English former football player. Renowned for his speed, Wright played for popular clubs like Arsenal and helped his national team qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. After retiring from the sport, Wright went on to become a TV and radio personality; he currently contributes as a commentator for ITV Sport and BBC Sport.

Former American football player Keyshawn Johnson has had an illustrious 11-season career playing as an NFL wide receiver. He has played for teams such as the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. He later became an ESPN analyst and also appeared on Dancing with the Stars.

Especially known for his honest and poignant commentaries, Van Jones is an award-winning political contributor, commentator, and the host of popular CNN programs like Van Jones Show and The Redemption Project. Also a leader in the fight for criminal justice reform for more than twenty-five years, he has founded number of non-profit organizations and authored several best-selling books.

Mel B is an English television personality and singer-songwriter. She gained international recognition as part of the popular pop girl group Spice Girls, which has sold more than 85 million records. Over the years, Mel B has been an important TV personality, appearing in several reality series as a participant as well as a judge.

Trevor McDonald is a Trinidadian-British journalist and newsreader. Over the years, he has been contributing to the success of the Independent Television News' (ITN) Broadcast News division, working as its news presenter. In the 1999 Birthday Honours, McDonald was appointed Knight Bachelor for his services to journalism. At the 2011 BAFTA TV Awards, he was honored with a BAFTA fellowship.