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Tavares, a band of brothers, was a rhythm and blues and funk and soul group. They have also been known as The Tavares Brothers of Cape Verdean heritage (near Senegal) and Chubby & The Turnpikes. They comprised six of seven sons and one daughter of … Read MoreTavares (1969-1976)

Ziggy Marley is a Jamaican Grammy award-winning reggae musician, singer, and philanthropist. Marley was born in the Trench Town section of Kingston, Jamaica, on October 17, 1968, to parents and famed reggae artists Robert “Bob” Nesta and Alpharita “Rita” Constantia (Anderson) Marley. Ziggy’s family features … Read MoreDavid Nesta “Ziggy” Marley (1968- )

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- )

Political novelist Al-Tayyib Salih, whose family background was both Arab and Nubian, was one of Sudan’s most significant authors of the 20th century.  He was born on July 12, 1929, in Marawi, Sudan, to a poor Muslim farming family and was an only child. In … Read MoreAl-Tayyib Salih (1929-2009)

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 – )

Composer, master pianist Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernández, known by the stage name Bola de Nieve, was born Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernández on September 11, 1911, in Guanabacoa, Cuba, to Domingo Villa, a chef, and Inés Fernández, a professional rumba dancer. The couple had 12 children. … Read MoreIgnacio Jacinto Villa Fernández (1911-1971)