Al Green, born on April 13, 1948 in Forrest City, Arkansas, is known as one of the great rhythm and blues singers of the 1970s. He was born Albert Greene to Cora and Robert Greene who were sharecroppers and parents of ten other children. Greene and some of his … Read MoreAl Green (1948- )
Gene Lipscomb, also known as “Big Daddy”, is best known for his career as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Gene Lipscomb was born on August 9, 1931, in Uniontown, Alabama. He never knew his father and when he was three years old, he moved … Read MoreGene Lipscomb (1931-1963)
Keith Ellison is an American politician and lawyer, who is currently the Attorney General-elect of Minnesota. Ellison was born on August 4, 1963 in Detroit, Michigan. He is the third of five sons born to Leonard and Clida (Martinez). Since childhood Ellison was involved with the civil rightsmovement and briefly worked … Read MoreKeith M. Ellison (1963- )
John Conyers Jr., who served in the U.S. Congress fifty years (1965 to 2017), was born on May 16, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended public schools and graduated from Northwestern High School in 1947. After high school, he followed in his father’s footsteps and joined … Read MoreJohn Conyers (1929-2019)
Lyric soprano soloist Alyne Dumas Lee was born on March 22, 1903, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Joseph and Clora Dumas. She spent her childhood in Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois developing her musical abilities. At age eight, Lee was her local church’s organist, and by thirteen she had obtained a musical diploma … Read MoreAlyne Dumas Lee (1903-1970)
Charles Frederick McDew was a civil rights and community activist, teacher, labor organizer, and one of the founding members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) where he worked towards increasing black voter registration and racial desegregation. McDew was born on June 23, 1938, in Massillon, Ohio to Eva McDew, a nurse, and James McDew, … Read MoreCharles Frederick McDew (1938-2018)
Della Reese, born Delloresse Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in the Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, is best known for her work as a blues and gospel singer, minister, and later as an actress. Reese was born to Richard Thaddeus Early, an African … Read MoreDella Reese (1931-2017)
Robert George Clark Jr. was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1967. He was the first African American elected to the Mississippi State Legislature since the Reconstruction era and remained in office until 2003, making him the longest-serving state representative in the United States. Clark was born October 3, 1928 to … Read MoreRobert G. Clark Jr. (1928- )
Best known for his roles as Norman Wilson, newspaper-man turned-political-operative in The Wire (2006 and 2008), and as Freddy Hayes in House of Cards, owner of the BBQ joint frequented by Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), both HBO series, Reg E. Cathey was a well-known character actor. Nominated three times, … Read MoreReg E. Cathey (1958-2018)
Rick James was a singer-songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist, who was born on February 1, 1948 and raised in Buffalo, New York. His Father James Ambrose Johnson, Sr., was said to be abusive and ended up leaving when James was eight years old. His mother Mabel Gladden worked as … Read MoreRick James/James Ambrose Johnson (1948-2004)
