Francisca Van Dunem (née Francisca Eugénia da Silva Dias Van Dunem), an attorney and politician, became the first person of African-descent to serve as a cabinet minister in Portugal. Born on November 5, 1955 in Luanda, Angola, Van Dunem was one of six children born … Read MoreFrancisca Van Dunem (1955- )
Danny Lyon Scarborough made his mark in the world in two arenas, as an innovative, Emmy Award-winning choreographer/dancer, and as one of the first well-known African Americans to go public about having AIDS. Born on July 27, 1947, he grew up on a farm near Wake … Read MoreDanny Scarborough (1947-1989)
Image Ownership: Public Domain" Wanda Evans Coleman was an American poet and writer who won critical acclaim for her avant-garde work, but remained relatively unknown to a broader audience. Her 30 year literary career included a myriad of poetry and fiction publications. Born and raised … Read MoreWanda Evans Coleman (1946-2013)
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Geoffrey Lamont Holder, acclaimed choreographer and legendary figure in the dance world, was also a respected actor, Tony Award-winning director, costume designer, singer, music composer, voice-over artist, orator, painter, sculptor, and photographer. Holder was born to a middle-class family in Port … Read MoreGeoffrey Lamont Holder (1930-2014)
"Image Ownership: Public Domain" Vanoye Aikens was a star dancer and choreographer for the famous Katherine Dunham Dance Company. The Dunham Company popularized African American dance and pioneered the Dunham Technique, which combined Caribbean and African dance with European ballet. A native of Georgia, Aikens … Read MoreVanoye Aikens (1917-2013)
Image Ownership: Public Domain In 1951 Janet Collins became the first black prima ballerina to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York City, New York. As such she broke one of the last major color barriers in classical ballet. Janet Collins was born … Read MoreJanet Faye Collins (1917-2003)
Image Ownership: Public Domain Musician, composer, professor, and conductor Fela Sowande was born May 1905 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He was the son of Emmanuel Sowande, who was an Anglican priest and influential in the development of Nigerian sacred music. Fela Sowande was a musician and … Read MoreOlufela Sowande (Fela) Obafunmilayo (1905-1987)
In August 1955 at the age of 20, Raven Wilkinson became the first African American woman to receive a contract to dance full time with a major ballet company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo of New York City. She was promoted to soloist during … Read MoreAnne Raven Wilkinson (1935-2018)
Image Ownership: Public Domain Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, one of the most successful African American women artists in today’s music industry, was born on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas, to Mathew and Célestine Ann Knowles. Her father was a salesman and her mother owned a … Read MoreBeyoncé Giselle Knowles (1981- )
Image Ownership: Public Domain Judith Anna Jamison is among the most influential African American dance figures of the late 20th Century. She began her dance career at the age of ten and served as the Artistic Director at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from … Read MoreJudith Anna Jamison (1943- )