Antoine “Fats” Domino, early rock and roll musician, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 26, 1928 to Antoine Domino, a former plantation worker, and Donatile Gros, a Creole of light complexion. Fats, as he was soon called because of his weight, was raised in a large family … Read MoreAntoine “Fats” Domino (1928-2017)
Image Ownership: Public domain Soul Singer Wilson Pickett was born on March 18, 1941, in Prattville, Alabama, as the fourth of eleven children. Throughout his childhood, he sang in Baptist church choirs and was trained as a gospel singer. During this period, he began to … Read MoreWilson Pickett (1941-2006)
Image Ownership: Public domain Bobby Womack, American musician and soul singer, was born on March 4, 1944, to Friendly and Naomi Womack in Cleveland, Ohio. Bobby was the middle child of five siblings who were all boys: Friendly Jr., Curtis, Bobby, Harry, and Cecil. Bobby … Read MoreBobby Womack (1944-2014)
Image Ownership: Public domain Born February 12, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, Arsenio Hall is a comedian, talk show host, writer, producer, and actor. He hosted the late night show Arsenio Hall Show from 1989 to 1994. A Baptist preacher’s son, Hall he grew up in … Read MoreArsenio Hall (1956- )
John Ridley IV is an American screenwriter, film director, and novelist known best for the 2013 film, 12 Years a Slave, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Ridley was born in October 1965, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to an ophthalmologist father, … Read MoreJohn Ridley IV (1965- )
"Image Ownership: Public Domain" Gladys Maria Knight is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, and humanitarian. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 28, 1944, to Sarah and Merald Knight Sr. and began singing in church as a child. At age seven, she … Read MoreGladys Knight (1944– )
"Image Ownership: Public Domain" Lester Walton was a journalist, entertainment professional, and diplomat who promoted civil rights at home and abroad. Born Lester Aglar Walton on April 20, 1882 in St. Louis, Missouri, his early life was spent as a journalist. At the age of … Read MoreLester Aglar Walton (1882-1965)
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)
Deborah “Debbie” Allen, dancer, choreographer, actress, director, and producer was born January 16, 1950 in Houston, Texas to Arthur Allen, a dentist and Vivian Ayers, a poet. Allen comes from a creative family: Allen’s brother “Tex” Allen is a jazz musician, and older sister Phylicia … Read MoreDebbie Allen (1950- )