Famous Black Miscellaneous

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 1 
Harriet Tubman
(Activist and Abolitionist Known for Her Efforts in Rescuing Slaves and Abolition of Slavery)
Harriet Tubman
37
Birthdate: 1822
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dorchester County, Maryland, United States
Died: March 10, 1913

Born to parents who were bonded slaves, Harriet Tubman life was a difficult one from the very beginning. Yet with her remarkable courage and determination, she not only escaped slavery herself, but also led other enslaved people to freedom. The prominent political activist and abolitionist was also the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the American Civil War.

 2 
Booker T. Washington
(American Educator Who was the Dominant Leader of the African-American Community Between 1890 and 1915)
Booker T. Washington
29
Birthdate: April 5, 1856
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Westlake Corner, Virginia, United States
Died: November 14, 1915
Booker T. Washington was born into slavery but rose to be an advisor to many U.S. presidents and also became the director of the Tuskegee Institute. His Atlanta Compromise, initially accepted and later rejected by black leaders, urged the blacks to work for their freedom through education and not revolt.
 3 
Kofi Annan
(Former UN Secretary General)
Kofi Annan
25
Birthdate: April 8, 1938
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kumasi, Ghana
Died: August 18, 2018

Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. He was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation and a co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. During his stint with the UN, he launched the UN Global Compact and worked to combat HIV/AIDS. 

 4 
Sidney Poitier
(Director and the First African-American to Win an Academy Award for Best Actor)
Sidney Poitier
25
Birthdate: February 20, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, United States
Died: January 6, 2022

Sidney Poitier was a Bahamian-American actor who became the first Afro-Bahamian and Black male actor to receive an Oscar for Best Actor in 1964. In 2009, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His life and work inspired a couple of documentary films, including the 2008 film Sidney Poitier, an Outsider in Hollywood.

 5 
Condoleezza Rice
(66th United States Secretary of State (2005-09))
Condoleezza Rice
30
Birthdate: November 14, 1954
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

The 66th United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made history in 2005 when she became the first female black Secretary of State. She is also the first female to serve as National Security Advisor, a position which she served from 2001 to 2005. One of the most powerful women in the world at one point of time, she has been depicted in Hollywood films.

 6 
Vanessa Williams
19
Birthdate: March 18, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
 7 
Desmond Tutu
(First Black African Archbishop of Cape Town & Nobel Peace Prize Winner)
Desmond Tutu
65
Birthdate: October 7, 1931
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Klerksdorp, South Africa
Died: December 26, 2021
Desmond Tutu is known for his anti-Apartheid activism in South Africa. The first black Archbishop of Cape Town, he has also been the Bishop of Johannesburg. His efforts to eradicate AIDS, poverty, anti-LGBT sentiments, and human rights violations earned him the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
 8 
Master P
(Rapper)
Master P
23
Birthdate: April 29, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
 9 
Mae Jemison
(First African American Woman To Travel To Space)
Mae Jemison
21
Birthdate: October 17, 1956
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Decatur, Alabama, United States

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to fly into space, as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. A qualified physician, she has served as a Peace Corps doctor, too. She has written several books and established a non-profit and a tech research organization.

 10 
Ida B. Wells
(Women's Rights Activist and Civil Rights Leader)
Ida B. Wells
17
Birthdate: July 16, 1862
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States
Died: March 25, 1931
Civil rights and women's rights activist Ida B. Wells is remembered for speaking up against the lynching of Blacks in the U.S. She was born a slave and freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. She later co-founded the NAACP. She also co-owned and wrote for Memphis Free Speech and Headlight.
 11 
Ricky Williams
(American Football Players)
Ricky Williams
7
Birthdate: May 21, 1977
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: San Diego, California, USA
 12 
Lupe Fiasco
(Rapper)
Lupe Fiasco
7
Birthdate: February 16, 1982
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 13 
Rhonda Ross Kendrick
(Actress and Singer, Best Known as the Daughter of Singer and Actress 'Diana Ross')
Rhonda Ross Kendrick
8
Birthdate: August 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Rhonda Ross Kendrick, daughter of singer Diana Ross and Motown founder Berry Gordy, is best known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Toni Burrell in the soap Another World. She has also appeared in series such as The Temptations and Cosby. She grew up believing Robert Ellis Silberstein was her father. 
 14 
Betty Shabazz
(Educator and Activist Best Known as the Wife of African-American Activist Malcolm X)
Betty Shabazz
10
Birthdate: May 28, 1934
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pinehurst, Georgia, United States
Died: June 23, 1997

Civil rights activist and educator Betty Shabazz, or Betty X, was the wife of Black nationalist leader Malcolm X. Raised by her adoptive parents in Detroit, she met Malcolm X at a Nation of Islam event in Harlem. She died when her apartment was set on fire set by her grandson.

 15 
Vince Staples
(Rapper)
Vince Staples
16
Birthdate: July 2, 1993
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Compton, California, United States
 16 
Marsha P. Johnson
(Civil Rights Activist)
Marsha P. Johnson
34
Birthdate: August 24, 1945
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Died: July 6, 1992
 17 
Bessie Coleman
(American Civil Aviator and the First African-American Woman to Hold a Pilot License)
Bessie Coleman
28
Birthdate: January 26, 1892
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Atlanta, Texas, United States
Died: April 30, 1926

Bessie Coleman was an American civil aviator and the first African-American woman to hold a pilot license. Nicknamed Queen Bess, Coleman became a high-profile pilot in the air shows organized in the United States. Bessie Coleman died at the age of 34 in a plane crash. Her efforts to promote aviation inspired the Native American communities.

 18 
A'Lelia Walker
(Businesswoman)
A'Lelia Walker
8
Birthdate: June 6, 1885
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States
Died: August 17, 1931
 19 
Floyd Mayweather Sr.
(Boxing Trainer & Former Boxer)
Floyd Mayweather Sr.
14
Birthdate: October 19, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Amory, Mississippi, United States
 20 
Marie Laveau
(American Voodoo Priestess and Herbalist)
Marie Laveau
7
Birthdate: September 10, 1801
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: June 15, 1881

Occultist and herbalist Marie Laveau was known as the Vodoo Queen of New Orleans. Though a hairdresser, she was chiefly known for her spiritual practices which she used to heal the sick and the poor. She has inspired several books, such as Robert Tallant's The Voodoo Queen.

 21 
Patrick Kluivert
(Retired Dutch Football Striker)
Patrick Kluivert
4
Birthdate: July 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Patrick Kluivert was one of the star Dutch footballers of his time who played as a striker for clubs such as Ajax, Barcelona, and AC Milan. The UEFA Euro 2000 Golden Boot winner has also managed teams such as Netherlands and Cameroon. He later held administrative positions at Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

 22 
Dred Scott
(American slave)
Dred Scott
2
Birthdate: 1799 AD
Birthplace: Southampton County, Virginia
Died: September 17, 1858
 23 
Seretse Khama
(Politician)
Seretse Khama
2
Birthdate: July 1, 1921
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Serowe, Botswana
Died: July 13, 1980
 24 
Yasiel Puig
(Cuban-born American Baseball Player Who Plays as a Right Fielder)
Yasiel Puig
9
Birthdate: December 7, 1990
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cienfuegos, Cuba
 25 
T. D. Jakes
(Priest, Author, Writer)
T. D. Jakes
2
Birthdate: June 9, 1957
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: South Charleston

Known for his baritone voice and his signature goatee, T. D. Jakes is a bishop at The Potter's House and a filmmaker, too. He has produced and appeared in films such as Jumping the Broom and Not Easily Broken, the latter being based one of his novels.

 26 
Doris Miller
(Navy Man)
Doris Miller
5
Birthdate: October 12, 1919
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Waco, Texas, United States
Died: November 24, 1943

Doris Miller was a US Navy cook third class. He became the first black American to be honored with the Navy Cross for saving the lives of many sailors aboard West Virginia by manning an anti-aircraft machine gun to shoot down Japanese planes during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was killed in action while serving in World War II.

 27 
Ennis Cosby
(Teacher)
Ennis Cosby
5
Birthdate: April 15, 1969
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 16, 1997

The only son of comedian Bill Cosby, Ennis Cosby made headlines when he was shot dead at 27, in an attempted robbery on a deserted Southern California road. He was dyslexic and discussed his disability with the children he taught as a student-teacher at the Alfred E. Smith Elementary School.

 28 
Ken Carter
(Coach)
Ken Carter
5
Birthdate: February 13, 1959
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fernwood, Mississippi, United States
 29 
Black Thought
(Rapper)
Black Thought
10
Birthdate: October 3, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 30 
Wynton Marsalis
(Trumpeter)
Wynton Marsalis
5
Birthdate: October 18, 1961
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
 31 
John Conyers
(Politician)
John Conyers
4
Birthdate: May 16, 1929
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Highland Park, Michigan, United States
Died: October 27, 2019
 32 
James Prince
(Music Executive)
James Prince
1
Birthdate: October 31, 1965
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
 33 
Mamie Till
(American Civil Rights Activist, Who Lost Her Son 'Emmett Till' to a Racist Attack)
Mamie Till
8
Birthdate: November 23, 1921
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Webb, Mississippi, United States
Died: January 6, 2003

Following the violent lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till by a group of white men, his mother Mamie Till-Mobley made a marked contribution to the fight against racism. She became a prominent civil rights activist and established the Emmett Till Players, a group that lectured on hope and unity.

 34 
Earl Woods
(Father of Tiger Woods)
Earl Woods
6
Birthdate: March 5, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Died: May 3, 2006

Better known as the father of renowned golfer Tiger Woods, Earl Woods had initially been a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. He excelled in baseball in college and learned to play golf much later, at 42. Addicted to the sport, he taught it to his son, who later became a golf legend.

 35 
Susan Rice
(23rd U.S. National Security Advisor ( 2013 – 2017))
Susan Rice
11
Birthdate: November 17, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Susan Rice has been the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and the national security advisor. She was chosen by Joe Biden as the director of the Domestic Policy Council. Rice was supposed to become the secretary of state, replacing Hillary Clinton in 2013, but withdrew due to the Benghazi attack.
 36 
Alberta Williams King
(Martin Luther King Jr.'s Mother)
Alberta Williams King
10
Birthdate: September 13, 1904
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: June 30, 1974
 37 
Kevin Johnson
(Politician)
Kevin Johnson
5
Birthdate: March 4, 1966
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, United States
 38 
Graça Machel
(First Lady of Mozambique (1975-1986), First Lady of South Africa (1998-1999))
Graça Machel
3
Birthdate: October 17, 1945
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gaza Province, Mozambique

Graça Machel is known for her association with Mozambique’s FRELIMO movement and has been the country’s first education minister. She has also been married to both former Mozambican president Samora Machel and South African president Nelson Mandela. Through The Elders, she is devoted to working for women’s and children’s rights.

 39 
Patrice Motsepe
(8th President of Confederation of African Football)
Patrice Motsepe
7
Birthdate: January 28, 1962
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa

The first black African to be featured on the Forbes billionaires’ list, African Rainbow Minerals founder Patrice Motsepe also owns a football club. In 2021, he took over as the president of the Confederation of African Football. The mining tycoon has also signed The Giving Pledge.

 40 
Jimmy Cliff
(Singer, Actor, Music artist, Artist, Musician)
Jimmy Cliff
5
Birthdate: April 1, 1948
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint James Parish

Jimmy Cliff is best known for popularizing reggae. After beginning his music career singing at local fairs in Jamaica, he scored his first hit, Hurricane Hattie, at 14. He later sang the iconic single Hakuna Matata from The Lion King. He was also the star of the film The Harder They Come.

 41 
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
(Nigerian-American Economist Who Has Served in Several Ministerial Positions in Nigeria)
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
6
Birthdate: June 13, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ogwashi Ukwu, Nigeria
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a Nigerian-American economist and political figure. She served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006 before serving as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy of Nigeria from 17 August 2011 to 29 May 2015. Ngozi also served as the Minister of Finance on two separate occasions; from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2015.
 42 
Attallah Shabazz
(Malcolm X's Daughter)
Attallah Shabazz
6
Birthdate: November 16, 1958
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Queens, New York City, New York
 43 
Myles Munroe
(Writer)
Myles Munroe
7
Birthdate: April 20, 1954
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Nassau, Bahamas
Died: November 9, 2014
 44 
General Butt Naked
(Evangelical preacher, writer and former warlord best known for his role during the First Liberian Civil War)
General Butt Naked
7
Birthdate: September 30, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Monrovia, Liberia
 45 
John McWhorter
(American Linguist and Author)
John McWhorter
0
Birthdate: October 6, 1965
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia
 46 
Andrew Young Jr.
(55th Mayor of Atlanta (1982 - 1990))
Andrew Young Jr.
6
Birthdate: March 12, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Andrew Young Jr. is an American activist, politician, and diplomat. Young is best known for his role in the civil rights movement; a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young served as the executive director of a civil rights organization called Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Andrew Young is a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

 47 
Wendy Raquel Robinson
(Actress)
Wendy Raquel Robinson
4
Birthdate: July 25, 1967
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
 48 
Rudy Ray Moore
(Comedian and Actor Known for His Character ‘Dolemite’ in the Film ‘Dolemite’ and its Sequels)
Rudy Ray Moore
13
Birthdate: March 17, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States
Died: October 19, 2008

A multifaceted personality, Rudy Ray Moore was a comedian, singer, actor, and film producer. He is remembered for playing the title character in the crime comedy film, Dolemite, and its sequels. He served in the army as a young man and began his career in the entertainment industry following his discharge. Many black comedians consider him an inspiration.

 49 
Emmett Till
(Victim of Racial Violence)
Emmett Till
32
Birthdate: July 25, 1941
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 28, 1955

In the 1950s, a teenage African-American boy, Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured and brutally killed for allegedly misbehaving with a white woman. Those responsible were never convicted but the brutality of the crime brought focus on racial discrimination and African-American Civil Rights Movement. It eventually played a crucial role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

 50 
Carter Woodson
(Historian)
Carter Woodson
2
Birthdate: December 19, 1875
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New Canton, Virginia, United States
Died: April 3, 1950

Historian Carter Woodson was is remembered for pioneering Black studies in schools and colleges. He began the Negro History Week, which is now celebrated as the Black History Month. Poverty had pushed him to work in the coal mines initially, and he couldn’t join high school before 20.