Billy Taylor was an African American jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, educator, and broadcaster. Born in Greenville, North Carolina on July 24, 1921, Taylor was one of two children of William, Sr., a dentist and Antoinette, a schoolteacher. When Taylor was young his family moved … Read MoreBilly Taylor (William Edward Taylor, Jr.) (1921-2010)
Jeffrey Townes is an actor, comedian, record producer, and is more commonly known as “DJ Jazzy Jeff.” Townes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 22, 1965. He began working in music by the age of 10. Townes attended local schools and graduated from John … Read MoreJeffrey Allen (DJ Jazzy Jeff) Townes (1965- )
Dr. John Baldwin West was one of a handful of African American pulp detective fiction writers. In the 1950s his books were described by critics as white life novels, placing him in a category with better-known writers such as Willard Motley, William Gardner Smith, and … Read MoreJohn Baldwin West (1905-1960)
Charlamagne Tha God is a radio presenter, television personality, and author who is best known as the co-host of the radio show The Breakfast Club alongside Raashaun “DJ Envy” Casey and Angela Yee. Charlamagne was born Lenard Larry McKelvey on June 29, 1978 to Larry … Read MoreCharlamagne Tha God (1978- )
Darryl Lynn Hughley, also known as D.L. Hughley, is a standup comedian, actor, political commentator, and radio host. Hughley was born on March 6, 1963 to Audrey and Charles Hughley in Portsmouth, Virginia. His family stayed in Portsmouth for two months before moving to Los … Read MoreDarryl Lynn (D.L.) Hughley (1963- )
Luther Roderick Campbell, also known as Uncle Luke or Luke Skyywalker, is an African American rapper, promoter, actor, and record executive. Campbell was born on December 22, 1960, in Miami, Florida. His father has Jamaican ancestry and worked as a custodian, and his mother had … Read MoreLuther Campbell (1960- )
Former magazine owner Linda Johnson Rice was born on March 22, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois to John and Eunice Johnson. Rice’s father in 1942 founded Johnson Publishing Company which published Ebony and Jet magazines and as a result was the largest black-owned magazine publisher in … Read MoreLinda Johnson Rice (1958- )
Actor Michael Bakari Jordan was born on February 9, 1987 in Santa Ana, California to Donna Jordan and Michael A. Jordan. He also has an order sister, Jamila, and a younger brother, Khalid. When Michael was two years old, his family moved to Newark, New … Read MoreMichael Bakari Jordan (1987- )
Leslie “Les” Payne, raised in the Jim Crow South, was dedicated to utilizing the realm of journalism to improve living conditions of African Americans. As a Pulitzer Prize recipient for his 33-part series titled “The Heroin Trail,” Payne’s late career continues to inspire rising generations … Read MoreLes Payne (1941-2018)
De Arthur Woodrow Miller or “Woody,” as he was most popularly known, was a trailblazer in the African American community of Fresno, California. He was the first African American to own a radio station in California’s Central Valley and was a leader of the local the civil rights movement. De Arthur Woodrow Miller … Read MoreDe Arthur Woodrow ‘Woody’ Miller (1927-2017)
