Benny Cristo (aka Ben da Silva Cristóvão) (1987- )

Singer-composer, champion athlete, and actor Benny Cristo was born Ben da Silva Cristóvão in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), on June 8, 1987. The son of a Czech woman and an Angolan man (Bénis Cristóvão), he has not publicly shared many details of his early … Read MoreBenny Cristo (aka Ben da Silva Cristóvão) (1987- )

Cornell “Nelly” Iral Haynes Jr. (1974- )

Rapper, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur known by his stage name, Nelly, was born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., on November 2, 1974, in Austin, Texas to Rhonda (Mack) and Cornell Haynes. Haynes’ father was in the U.S. Air Force, and shortly after his birth, the family … Read MoreCornell “Nelly” Iral Haynes Jr. (1974- )

Lydia Fedorovna Arkhipova (1914-1997)

Lydia Fedorovna Arkhipova was a prolific painter who achieved fame in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and abroad. She also developed her original style which challenged the major trends in Soviet-era art. Arkhipova’s father was Frederick Bruce Thomas, widely known before the Russian Revolution … Read MoreLydia Fedorovna Arkhipova (1914-1997)

Ladinos and Bozales: A Brief Early History of Africans in Colombia: 1500-1800

Few people realize that the percentage of people of African ancestry in the South American nation of Colombia (7%) is slightly more than half the percentage of people of African ancestry in the United States (13%). Yet we know even less about the origins of … Read MoreLadinos and Bozales: A Brief Early History of Africans in Colombia: 1500-1800