African Americans From Tennessee

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

Famous black celebrities from Tennessee, include Aretha Franklin, NLE Choppa, Maurice White.
Vote for Your Favourite African Americans From Tennessee
 1 
Aretha Franklin
(One of the Best-Selling Music Artists in the World & 'Queen of Soul')
Aretha Franklin
123
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 25, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 16, 2018

Widely regarded as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was a singer-songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Aretha was ranked number one on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list in 2010. Having sold over 75 million records, she is also one of the best-selling musicians ever.

 2 
NLE Choppa
(Rapper Best Known for His Single ‘Shotta Flow’)
NLE Choppa
125
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: November 1, 2002
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

NLE Choppa is one of the youngest male rappers to make a name for himself in the American rapping scene. Also a well-known Internet personality, NLE Choppa has posted several videos on his YouTube channel Awakened Choppa, inspiring many of his followers to fall back on spirituality and veganism.

 3 
Isaac Hayes
(Singer-songwriter)
Isaac Hayes
12
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: August 20, 1942
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Covington, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 10, 2008
 4 
Penny Hardaway
(American College Basketball Coach and Former Professional Player)
Penny Hardaway
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 18, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Penny Hardaway is a college basketball coach who is currently serving as the head coach for the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team. A former player, Hardaway played for teams like Miami Heat and New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association where he was a two-time All-NBA First Team member and a four-time NBA All-Star. 

 5 
Oscar Robertson
(Former Basketball player who played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star)
Oscar Robertson
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 24, 1938
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Charlotte, Tennessee, United States
 6 
Jalen Ramsey
(American football player)
Jalen Ramsey
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 24, 1994
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Smyrna, Tennessee, United States
 7 
Mookie Betts
(Baseball Player)
Mookie Betts
13
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 7, 1992
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 8 
Maurice White
9
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 19, 1941
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: February 4, 2016
 9 
Leslie Jones
(Comedian)
Leslie Jones
35
Birthdate: September 7, 1967
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
 10 
Wilma Rudolph
(The First American Woman to Win Three Gold Medals in a Single Olympic Games)
Wilma Rudolph
19
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 23, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Clarksville, Tennessee, United States
Died: November 12, 1994

Sprinter Wilma Rudolph made history by becoming the first American female athlete to win three track and field gold medals in a single Olympic game. As a child, she needed orthopedic shoes to help her walk. The sports icon lost her life to cancer but was immortalized through books and movies.

 11 
Quinton Jackson
(Mixed Martial Artist, Actor and Former Professional Wrestler)
Quinton Jackson
12
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 20, 1978
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Quinton Jackson is a mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler turned actor. He is famous for his eccentric personality traits and aggressive style of fighting. He is credited with making MMA a popular sport worldwide. As an actor, he has appeared in a few films, including Miss March and Bad Guys. He is a controversial person. 

 12 
Lou Williams
(Basketball player)
Lou Williams
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 27, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
 13 
Lark Voorhies
(Actress)
Lark Voorhies
10
Birthdate: March 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 14 
K Michelle
(Singer-songwriter who Rose to Fame as Breakout Star of 'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta')
K Michelle
11
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 4, 1986
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
 15 
Thomas Hearns
(American Former Professional Boxer)
Thomas Hearns
10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 18, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Thomas Hearns is an American retired boxer who became the first boxer in the history of boxing to win world titles in five different weight classes. Nicknamed the Hitman, Thomas Hearns was named Fighter of the Year in 1980 by The Ring magazine. He was also named Fighter of the Year in 1984 by the Boxing Writers Association of America. 

 16 
Carla Hall
(Chef who appeared in the fifth and eighth seasons of Top Chef, Bravo's cooking competition show)
Carla Hall
5
Listed In: Food Experts
Birthdate: May 12, 1964
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 17 
Lynn Swann
(American football player)
Lynn Swann
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 7, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Alcoa, Tennessee, USA
 18 
Van Jefferson
(American Football player)
Van Jefferson
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 26, 1996
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brentwood, Tennessee, United States
 19 
Bianca Belair
(American Professional Wrestler)
Bianca Belair
15
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 9, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
 20 
Project Pat
(Rapper)
Project Pat
5
Birthdate: February 8, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
 21 
Nikki Giovanni
(Poet, Writer)
Nikki Giovanni
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 7, 1943
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Knoxville
 22 
Adrienne C. Moore
2
Birthdate: August 14, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
 23 
BlocBoy JB
(Rapper)
BlocBoy JB
9
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 19, 1996
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
 24 
Booker T. Jones
(Musician)
Booker T. Jones
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 12, 1944
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
 25 
Dont'a Hightower
(American Football player)
Dont'a Hightower
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 12, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lewisburg, Tennessee, United States
 26 
Ed Jones
(Football player)
Ed Jones
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 23, 1951
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Jackson, Tennessee, United States
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 27 
James Wiseman
(Basketball player)
James Wiseman
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 31, 2001
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 28 
Dontari Poe
(American football player)
Dontari Poe
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 18, 1990
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
 29 
Luh Kel
(Rapper)
Luh Kel
11
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 20, 2002
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tennessee
 30 
Mary Church Terrell
(African-American Suffragist, Civil Rights Activist)
Mary Church Terrell
2
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: September 23, 1863
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 24, 1954

Mary Church Terrell was an African-American suffragist and civil rights activist. She was one of the first women of African-American heritage to earn a college degree. Terrell helped establish the National Association of Colored Women and served as its first president. Mary Church Terrell was made an inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2020.

 31 
Yusef Abdul Lateef
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: October 9, 1920
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Died: December 23, 2013
 32 
Frank McRae
(Actor, American Football Player)
Frank McRae
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 18, 1941
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: April 29, 2021
 33 
Brandan Wright
(Basketball Player)
Brandan Wright
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 5, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 34 
Brownie McGhee
(American Folk Music and Piedmont Blues Singer and Guitarist)
Brownie McGhee
2
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: November 30, 1915
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Died: February 16, 1996

Brownie McGhee was an American blues singer, songwriter and musician who developed an interest in guitar at the age of six and learned to play the piano at eight. Impressed by itinerant blues musicians, he later dropped out of school to perform at carnivals and minstrel shows, eventually forming a long-lasting partnership with Sonny Terry,  in-between publishing several solo albums, including Brownie's Blues.

 35 
Cameron Payne
(Basketball player)
Cameron Payne
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 8, 1994
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bartlett, Tennessee, United States
 36 
DeFord Bailey
(Harmonica player in the early twentieth century who became the Grand Ole Opry's first major star)
DeFord Bailey
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 14, 1899
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Smith County, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 2, 1982
 37 
Corey Brewer
(Basketball player)
Corey Brewer
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 5, 1986
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Portland, Tennessee, United States
 38 
Keon Johnson
(Basketball player)
Keon Johnson
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 10, 2002
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States
 39 
Jim Gilliam
(Baseball player)
Jim Gilliam
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 17, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Died: October 8, 1978
 40 
Mary Fields
(Mail carrier)
Mary Fields
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1832 AD
Birthplace: Hickman County, Tennessee, United States
Died: 1914 AD
 41 
Marjorie Lee Browne
(Mathematics Educator)
Marjorie Lee Browne
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 9, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Memphis
Died: October 19, 1979
 42 
Edmund Sylvers
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 25, 1957
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: March 11, 2004
 43 
Bobby Hebb
(Singer-songwriter)
Bobby Hebb
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: July 26, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 3, 2010
 44 
Vada Pinson
(Baseball player)
Vada Pinson
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 11, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: October 21, 1995
 45 
Tony Delk
(Basketball player, Basketball coach)
Tony Delk
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 28, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Covington, Tennessee, United States
 46 
Brandon Curry
(American Professional Bodybuilder)
Brandon Curry
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 19, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 47 
Ramon Foster
(American football player)
Ramon Foster
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 7, 1986
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Henning, Tennessee, United States
 48 
Trey Smith
(American Football Player)
Trey Smith
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 16, 1999
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Humboldt, Tennessee, United States
 49 
Booker Little
(Trumpeter)
Booker Little
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 2, 1938
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: October 5, 1961
 50 
Amari Rodgers
(American Football Player)
Amari Rodgers
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 23, 1999
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States