Sultry, soulful vocalist, lyricist, composer, actor, and activist Oleta Adams was born in Seattle, Washington, on May 4, 1953, and began piano lessons at seven. When she was 11, her family moved to Yakima, Washington, where she sang in the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church choir, … Read MoreOleta Adams (1953- )
Aviation pioneer Sibongile Sambo, who was born in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa, in 1974, holds the distinction of being the first woman to become a South African airline executive. Sambo founded SRS Aviation in 2004. She is a graduate of the College of Zululand, where … Read MoreSibongile Sambo (1974- )
Stella Chinyelu Okoli is a Nigerian pharmacist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. She is the founder and current CEO of Emzor, a pharmaceutical company she started in 1977. Okoli was born on July 30, 1944, in Kano State to Felix Ebelechukwu and Margaret Modebelu. She attended All … Read MoreStella Chinyelu Okoli (1944- )
Yewubdar Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou was an Ethiopian nun and musician. Her music reflected a life that experienced several unexpected moves as well as a devotional commitment to Christian orthodoxy. Yewubdar was born in Addis Ababa on December 12, 1923, to Kessaye Yelemtu, a relative of … Read MoreEmahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou (1923-2023)
Ibtihaj Muhammad is an American saber and fencing team member who won a bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She became the first Muslim American woman to wear a hijab (headscarf) while competing in the Olympics. Muhammad was born … Read MoreIbtihaj Muhammad (1985- )
Pamela Sutton-Wallace is a healthcare executive. In 2022, she was appointed COO of Yale New Haven Health, Connecticut’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare system. Wallace was born in September 1969. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and African American Studies from … Read MorePamela Sutton-Wallace (1969-)
Claudia Lynn Thomas is an orthopedic surgeon, civil rights activist, and change agent. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1950 and raised in Queens, New York. She studied classical ballet with Bernice Johnson at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center in Queens. Thomas … Read MoreClaudia Lynn Thomas (1950- )
Patricia Ann Blackmon is a prosecutor and former judge in Cleveland, Ohio. Blackmon was born in 1950 in Oxford, Mississippi, and was the sixth child of 11. Blackmon attended the segregated Rowan Junior School in Jackson, Mississippi, and graduated from Lanier High School in 1968. … Read MorePatricia Ann Blackmon (1950-)
Jessie Maple Patton, a pioneer for African American women in the film industry, was born on February 14, 1937, in McComb, Mississippi. There were 11 children in the Maple family, including sisters Lorrain Maple Crosby, Peggy Maple Lincoln, Debbie Maple Reed, Camilla Maple Clarke Doremus, … Read MoreJessie Maple Patton (1937-2023)
Journalist Mary Alice Jervay Thatch was persistent, dedicated, and influential throughout her extensive career. Born on July 6, 1943, Thatch was a third-generation editor and publisher of The Wilmington Journal, closely following the steps of her father and grandfather. In 1927, Thatch’s grandfather, Mr. Robert … Read MoreMary Alice Jervay Thatch
