Francis Lewis Cardozo was a minister, educator, and politician, who was born free in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 1, 1836. Cardozo was of mixed ancestry, as his father, Isaac Nunez Cardozo, was a Sephardic Jew, and his mother, Lydia Williams Weston, was a free … Read MoreFrancis Cardozo (1836-1903)
Carmen Arlene Balthrop-Delaney, soprano and arts advocate, was born May 14, 1948, in Washington, D.C., to John W. Balthrop, who was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the Printing Office, and Clementine E. Jordan Balthrop, a homemaker. Carmen was the youngest and only … Read MoreCarmen Balthrop (1948-2021)
Mezzo-soprano Muriel Burrell Smith was born on February 23, 1923, in Harlem, New York City, to Sigourney Burrell Smith and Olive Gilmore Smith. At age 14, Muriel got an artistic boost when she appeared on The Major Bowes Amateur Hour that aired live every Thursday … Read MoreMuriel Burrell Smith (1923-1985)
Montero “Lil Nas X” Lamar Hill is a rapper and singer-songwriter. Hill was born on April 9, 1999, to Robert Stafford and Shawnita Hathaway in Lithia Springs, Georgia. He was named after the Mitsubishi Montero car. His parents divorced when he was 6 years old … Read MoreMontero “Lil Nas X” Lamar Hill (1999- )
Shep and the Limelites were a doo-wop group of the early 1960s. Doo-wop groups became popular among Black singers in major urban areas like New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Baltimore because many young singers at the time didn’t have access to instruments or music lessons. They … Read MoreShep and The Limelites (1961- )
R&B Singer Doris Troy was born Doris Elaine Higginsen in Bronx, New York, on January 6, 1937. Both a singer and a songwriter, her biggest hit, “Just One Look,” was released in 1963 and peaked at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Troy’s … Read MoreDoris Troy (1937-2004)
Genevieve Scott Neal-Perry is a distinguished professor, chair of obstetrics and gynecology, and reproductive endocrinologist at the University of North Carolina who specializes in minimally-invasive surgical procedures that aim to restore fertility. Born in 1955 in Newark, New Jersey, she became the first person in … Read MoreGenevieve Scott Neal-Perry (1955- )
The Exciters were one of the first girl groups to have a no. 4 hit on the U.S. pop chart in 1962 and no. 5 on the R&B chart in 1964. Their first hit single “Tell Him” sold over a million records. The original members … Read MoreThe Exciters (1961-1974)
New York Congressman Mondaire Jones was born in Nyack, New York, on May 18, 1987. He grew up in a single-parent household with his mother in Spring Valley, New York. Although he had humble beginnings, his mother did everything possible—including living in Section 8 housing, … Read MoreMondaire L. Jones (1987- )
Singer and songwriter known by the stage name H.E.R. was born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson on June 27, 1997, in Vallejo, California. Wilson is of mixed ancestry, as her mother, Agnes, is Filipino, and her father, Kenny, is African American. Her father was a member of … Read MoreH.E.R. / Gabriella Wilson (1997- )
