Thomas Fountain Blue, the first African American to head a public library in the United States, was also a civic, educational, and religious leader. Blue was born in Farmville, Virginia, on March 6, 1866, to Noah Blue, a carpenter, and Henry Ann Crawley Blue. They … Read MoreThomas Fountain Blue (1866-1935)
Clarence Edwin “Cito” Gaston is a baseball manager, coach, and outfielder. He became the first African American baseball manager to win the World Series when the Toronto Blue Jays won in 1992. Clarence Gaston was born to Sammy Gaston and Gertrude Coley on March 17, … Read MoreClarence Edwin “Cito” Gaston (1944- )
Her Excellency, The Most Honorable Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, is the first president of the Republic of Barbados. Mason was born on January 17, 1949, in East Point, Saint Philip, Barbados. Her early education began at St. Catherine’s Primary School in 1955, and she left … Read MoreSandra Prunella Mason (1949- )
Hannibal Caesar Carter, the second African American to serve as Secretary of State in Mississippi, was born on February 11, 1835, in New Albany, Indiana. Though he spent his early childhood in Toronto, Canada, Carter received a common school education in New Albany. When he … Read MoreHannibal Caesar Carter (1835-1904)
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- )
Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo is a professional basketball player for the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Bucks who played for the National Association Basketball Association (NBA). Antetokounmpo was born on December 6, 1994 to Charles Antetokounmpo and Veronica Antetokounmpo in Athens, Greece. Antetokounmpo’s parents immigrated from Nigeria to … Read MoreGiannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo (1994- )
William B. Hartgrove, Jr. one of the founders of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) was born sometime in November 1877 in Washington, D.C. to William B. Hartgrove, Sr. and Rebecca Perry Hartgrove, former slaves. He studied at Howard … Read MoreWilliam B. Hartgrove, Jr. (1877-1918)
Anna R. Woodbey, an early suffragist and minister, was the first known African American woman to be nominated on a state ticket by a political party. Born in Pennsylvania in February of 1855, little is known of Woodbey’s parents other than her mother was born … Read MoreAnna R. Woodbey (1855-1901)
Dr. Claire Karekezi is the first and sole female neurosurgeon in all of Rwanda and has served as a consultant neurosurgeon at the Rwandan Military Hospital in the country’s capital, Kigali, since 2018. As a child, Dr. Karekezi’s fondness for the sciences blossomed into the … Read MoreClaire Karekezi (1984- )
Percy Robert Miller is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor best known under the stage name, Master P. Miller was born on April 29, 1970, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Miller is the oldest of his five siblings, including two brothers who are fellow rappers, Corey … Read MoreMaster P\Percy Robert Miller (1970- )
