Occupation-Entertainer-Dancer
Thelma Beatrice Johnson Streat (1912-1959)
African American artist and dancer Thelma Johnson Streat was born in Yakima, Washington on August 29, 1912, the second of...
Wanda Evans Coleman (1946-2013)
Wanda Evans Coleman was an American poet and writer who won critical acclaim for her avant-garde work, but remained relatively...
Geoffrey Lamont Holder (1930-2014)
“Image Ownership: Nightscream” Geoffrey Lamont Holder, acclaimed choreographer and legendary figure in the dance world, was also a respected actor,...
Lazaro Medina (1965 -2013)
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Lazaro Medina was an Afro-Paraguayan who was best known as the founder and director of the...
Janet Faye Collins (1917-2003)
In 1951 Janet Collins became the first black prima ballerina to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York...
Stanley Kirk “M.C. Hammer” Burrell (1962- )
M.C. Hammer, pioneering West Coast rapper, dancer, producer, actor, and entrepreneur, was born Stanley Kirk Burrell on March 30, 1962,...
Judith Ann Jamison (1943-2024)
Judith Ann Jamison was known as one of the most influential African American dance figures of the late 20th century....
Bessie Smith (1894-1937)
Bessie Smith was a jazz and blues vocalist whose powerful, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the...
Leonard Reed (1907-2004)
Leonard Reed, a noted dancer and entertainment businessman, co-created the famous Shim Sham Shimmy tap routine that has been replicated...
