As a child, concert violinist and professor Elwyn A. Adams was a musical prodigy of some notoriety in the African American community of Cleveland, Ohio, where he was born on August 3, 1933. At age five he gave his first violin recital at East Mt. … Read MoreElwyn Albert Adams (1933-1995)
Anthony Brown served as lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015. Martin O’Malley, the former mayor of Baltimore, was his gubernatorial running mate. Prior to becoming lieutenant governor, Brown was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates to represent Prince George’s County. State Delegate … Read MoreAnthony Brown (1961- )
Lucius J. Barker was an African American political scientist who broke through racial barriers to become a leader in constitutional law, civil liberties, and African American politics. Born in Franklinton, Louisiana on June 11, 1928, Barker was the fifth of six children of teacher and … Read MoreLucius J. Barker (1928-2020)
Billy Taylor was an African American jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, educator, and broadcaster. Born in Greenville, North Carolina on July 24, 1921, Taylor was one of two children of William, Sr., a dentist and Antoinette, a schoolteacher. When Taylor was young his family moved … Read MoreBilly Taylor (William Edward Taylor, Jr.) (1921-2010)
Barack Obama Sr., father of the 43rd President of the United States, was born in the Rachuonyo District, in the then British colony of Kenya, on June 18, 1936, to Onyango Obama and Habiba Akumu Nyanjango. He was raised in the Nyang’oma Kogelo village, Siaya … Read MoreBarack Hussein Obama Sr. (1936-1982)
Myron Rolle is a neurosurgery resident who at one time played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tennessee Titans. Rolle was born on October 30, 1986 to Beverly Rolle and Whitney Rolle (his father) in Houston, Texas. The Rolle family were immigrants from … Read MoreMyron Rolle (1986- )
“Hill” Harper is an actor, author, and lawyer, best known for his roles on television shows CSI:NY and The Good Doctor. Harper was born in Iowa City, Iowa on May 17, 1966. His father, Harry D. Harper, II, is a psychiatrist and his mother, Marilyn … Read MoreFrancis Eugene “Hill” Harper (1966- )
On July 1, 2020, Darryll John Pines assumed the Presidency of the University of Maryland (UDM) at College Park, the second African American to lead the venerable school (the first was John B. Slaughter, 1982-1988) which was founded in 1856 and enrolls in excess of … Read MoreDarryll John Pines (1964- )
Kevin Darnell Hart is a comedian, actor, and producer. Hart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 6, 1979, to Nancy Hart and Henry Witherspoon. He graduated from George Washington High School and briefly attended The Community College of Philadelphia. Hart lived in New York … Read MoreKevin Darnell Hart (1979- )
World-class symphony conductor Rafael Payare was born February 23, 1980 in the northern port city of Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, the son of cartographer Juan R. Payare and elementary school teacher Trina Torres de Payare. In 1994, at age 13, Payare began studying French horn … Read MoreRafael Payare (1980- )
