Sandra Hollins is the first African American woman to serve in the Utah State Legislature. She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 11, 1970 to Iola Robinson-Seals and Freddie Seals II. In 1988, Hollins graduated from McDonough #35 High School and enrolled in … Read MoreSandra Hollins (1970- )
Daisy Nelson Moore was a teacher and civil rights activist in Arizona best known for her legal fight to teach in integrated classrooms before the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. Moore was born on December 7, 1910 in Barthsville, Oklahoma to … Read MoreDaisy Nelson Moore (1910-1985)
Danita Johnson is a business executive affiliated with the WNBA, NBA, and NBA G leagues. In December 2020, Johnson was appointed as the third woman and the first Black person to serve as a Major League Soccer (MLS) team president of business operations, for the … Read MoreDanita Johnson (1984- )
Benny Nelson Napoleon was an attorney, law enforcement officer, and politician. Napoleon was born on September 10, 1955 to Reverend Harry and Betty Napoleon, in Detroit, Michigan. Napoleon played little league baseball in his youth and graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1973. He … Read MoreBenny Napoleon (1955-2020)
George Washington Biggs was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. Biggs was born on July 2, 1925 in Nogales, Arizona to Dolores and Levi Biggs. Biggs’ father was a member of the 25th Infantry (Buffalo Soldiers) where he rose to the rank of master sergeant. … Read MoreGeorge Washington Biggs (1925-2020)
Beth A. Brown was an American astrophysicist and the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Michigan. Born on July 15, 1969, Brown grew up with her parents, younger brother, and an older cousin in Roanoke, Virginia. Her curiosity … Read MoreBeth A. Brown (1969-2008)
Ed Dwight, the first African American astronaut candidate, IBM computer systems engineer, real estate developer, professional sculptor, and former Air Force test pilot, was born in Kansas City, Kansas on September 9th, 1933. From a young age, Dwight was an avid reader and a talented … Read MoreEd Dwight (1933- )
Joseph Bernard Rogers was a Republican politician who served as the 45th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. Rogers was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 8, 1964, to Joe Louis and Lola Marie Rogers. His parents divorced in 1966, and his mother moved to Denver, Colorado. … Read MoreJoseph Bernard Rogers (1964-2013)
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)
Meadow “Meadowlark” Lemon III was most famous as the longtime star player of the Harlem Globetrotters. Lemon was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on April 25, 1932. He adopted the name “Meadowlark” while he was with the Harlem Globetrotters. Lemon attended Williston Industrial School in … Read MoreMeadow “Meadowlark” Lemon III (1932-2015)
