List of African Americans
This is a list of famous African Americans .
Please add more notable people here.
A
Aaliyah (1979-2001), singer, actress
Hank Aaron (born 1934), Baseball Hall of Famer
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born 1947), basketball legend
Michael Abels (born 1962), composer
Ralph Abernathy (1936-1996), civil rights leader
Muhal Richard Abrams (born 1930), musician
Mumia Abu-Jamal (born 1954), prisoner and activist
Alvin Ailey (1931-1989), dancer
Muhammad Ali (born 1942), boxer , war protester, member of the Nation of Islam , civil rights protester, and poet
Richard Allen (Reverend) (1760-1831), ex-slave, religious leader, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Ivie Anderson (1904-1945), jazz singer with Duke Ellington 's band
Marian Anderson (1897-1993), famous opera and concert singer
Carmelo Anthony NBA star
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), jazz musician
Arthur Ashe (1943-1993), tennis star and activist
Emmett L. Ashford , first African-American umpire in organized baseball
Crispus Attucks (1723-1770), killed in Boston Massacre
B
David Baker (born 1931), composer
Josephine Baker , singer, entertainer
William Banfield (born 1961), composer
Tyra Banks , supermodel
Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), 18th century astronomer
Charles Barkley , (born 1963), NBA basketball power forward
Angela Bassett (born 1958), actor
Count Basie (1904-1984), pianist, band leader
Daisy Bates (1914-1999), civil rights leader
Sidney Bechet (1897-1959), jazz musician
James A. Bell , interim President and CEO of Boeing (2005 )
Shelton Benjamin pro Wrestler
Halle Berry (born 1966), Oscar-winning actor and model
Eubie Blake (1883-1983), composer and musician
Mary J. Blige (born 1971) American R&B and soul singer and record producer.
Barry Bonds (born 1964), baseball star
Carol Moseley Braun (born 1947), former senator and presidential candidate
Anthony Braxton (born 1945), composer and multi-reedist
Arthur M. Brazier , Minister,community activist, and civil rights leader
Edward Brooke , former Massachusetts Attorney General, first African American elected to the United States Senate (November 8 , 1966 ).
Shelton Brooks (1886-1975), songwriter and entertainer
James Brown (born 1933), R&B, soul and funk singer
Jim Brown (born 1936), football legend, actor, activist
Ron Brown (1941-1996), served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee becoming the first African American to lead a major American political party .
Kobe Bryant (born 1978), professional basketball player
George Washington Buckner , physician and diplomat , U.S. minister to Liberia , 1913 - 1915 , first African American to serve as minister to a foreign country.
Ralph Bunche (1904-1971), diplomat , Nobel Laureate 1950
Busta Rhymes , (born 1972), rap musician, also known as Trevor Smith Jr.
C
Marcus Camby (born 1974), NBA basketball star
John Carlos (born 1945), Olympic athlete
William Harvey Carney (1842-1908), American Civil War hero
George Washington Carver (1860-1943), plant scientist
Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999), basketball legend
Tracy Chapman (born 1964), singer-songwriter
Dave Chappelle (born 1972), comic
Ray Charles (1930-2004), pop musician
Charles Chesnutt (1858-1932), author
Chingy (born 1980), rapper, also known as Howard Bailey Jr.
Clarence 13x , (1928-1969) religious leader, also known as Clarence Smith
Eldridge Cleaver (1935-1998), Black Panther
Emanuel Cleaver, II (born 1944), former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri and U.S. House member-elect
Gary Coleman (born 1968) actor
John Coltrane (1926-1967), jazz musician
Ward Connerly (born 1939), University of California Regent , political activist
John Conyers (born 1929), congressman
Marvel Cooke (1903-2000), journalist, writer, civil rights activist
Coolio (born 1963), rapper, also known as Artis Ivey
Roque Cordero (born 1917), composer
Bill Cosby (born 1937), actor, comic, entertainer
D
Angela Davis (born 1944), author and activist
Benjamin J. Davis (1903-1964), communist leader, NY city councilman
Benjamin O. Davis Sr. , general
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. (1912-2002), military airman
Miles Davis (1926-1991), jazz musician
Dominique Dawes (born 1976), first African American female gymnast to medal in an Olympics (Gold (Team) and Bronze (Floor) Medalist at the 1996 Olympic Games)
Martin R. Delany (1812 -1885 ), abolitionist
Oscar DePriest (1871 -1951 ), first black Congressman elected in the 20th century
Chris Dickerson (born 1939), bodybuilder
Taye Diggs , actor
David Dinkins , (born 1927), mayor of New York City from 1990-1993
DMX (born 1970), rapper
Rockin' Dopsie , (born Alton Rubin) February 10, 1932 Carencro LA - 1993 Zydeco musician
Bob Douglas , first African American elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame .
Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), orator and abolitionist, ex-slave
Dr. Dre (born 1965), rap musician, founded Death Row Records , member of rap group NWA
Charles R. Drew (1904-1950), physician, pioneer of blood transfusion techniques
W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963), writer, activist, communist
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), poet
Oscar Dunn , first African American lieutenant governor of a US state (Louisiana )
E
F
50 Cent (born 1976), New York City rapper Real Name Curtis Jackson
James L. Farmer, Jr. (1920-1999), civil rights activist
Louis Farrakhan (born 1933), Nation of Islam Leader
Jessie Fauset , novelist
Colin Ferguson , LIRR gunman who killed 6
Aneesa Ferreira , reality tv contestant
Ella Fitzgerald (1918–1996), singer
Ishmael Flory (1907–2004), Communist labor organizer
George Foreman (born 1949), boxer, TV pitchman, minister
Aretha Franklin (born 1942), singer, often referred to as the Queen of Soul
G
Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), political leader and nationalist
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (born 1950), literary critic and Harvard professor
Marla Gibbs (born 1931), actress (The Jeffersons 227 Bob Gibson (born 1935), Baseball Hall of Famer
Whoopi Goldberg (born 1950), actress and activist
Cuba Gooding Jr. (born 1968), actor
Louis Gossett, Jr. (born 1936), actor
Grandmaster Flash (born 1958), DJ and early hip hop pioneer
Bryant Gumbel (born 1948), NBC and CBS news anchor
H
Benjamin Hacker , (1935-2003), First U.S. Naval Flight Officer (NFO) to achieve Flag rank.
Adolphus Hailstork (born 1941), composer
MC Hammer (born 1962), 1980s and early 1990s rap artist, also known as Stanley Kirk Burrell
W.C. Handy (1873-1958), blues composer
Frances E. W. Harper , poet, novelist, lecturer and activist in turn of the century temperance and racial uplift movements.
Jackée Harry (born 1956), actress
Mya (born 1979) singer/actress (real name: Mya Marie Harrison)
Isaac Hayes (born 1942), singer
Sherman Hemsley (born 1938), actor (The Jeffersons Fletcher Henderson , band leader, orchestrator, pianist
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970), rock and roll musician
George Herriman (1880-1944), cartoonist
Lauryn Hill (born 1975), hip hop singer for the Fugees
Robert L. Hill (1892-?), black leader at Elaine Race Riot
Billie Holiday (1915-1959), singer
Whitney Houston (born 1963), singer
Langston Hughes (1902-1967), poet
I
Ice Cube (born 1969), rapper, member of NWA , also known as O'Shea Jackson
Ice T , (born 1958), rapper, also known as Tracy Marrow
Allen Iverson , (born 1975), NBA basketball star, all-star guard for Philadelphia 76ers
India Arie , (born 1976), neo-soul singer-song writer
J
Ja Rule (born 1976), rap artist, also known as Jeff Atkins; famous for his duets with Jennifer Lopez and other female artists
Beau Jack (1921-2000), boxer, two time world champion
LeBron James (1984-), Famous NBA baller.
Rick James (1948-2004), musician, born James Johnson, Jr.
Janet Jackson (born 1966), musician, sister of Michael (see below)
Jesse Jackson (born 1941), civil rights activist and political leader
Michael Jackson (born 1958), musician
Samuel L. Jackson (born 1948), actor & golfer
Tony Jackson (1876-1921), pianist & composer
Jay-Z , rap artist, also known as Shawn Carter
Mae Carol Jemison , first African-American woman in space
Leroy Jenkins (born 1932), composer and musician
George W. Johnson (c.1855-1914), pioneer recording artist
Jack Johnson (1878-1946), first black heavyweight champion of the world
James P. Johnson (1894-1955), pianist & composer
James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), author, poet, folklorist, and civil rights leader
Earvin "Magic" Johnson (born 1959), basketball legend and entertainment entrepreneur
Robert Johnson (1911-1938), legendary blues guitarist
Robert L. Johnson (born 1946), media entrepreneur, first African American to be the principal owner of a major-league sports franchise (NBA 's Charlotte Bobcats )
Scipio Africanus Jones (1863-1943), attorney for Elaine Race Riot accused
Edward P. Jones , writer
Scott Joplin (1868-1917), ragtime composer
Barbara Jordan (1936-1996), first African-American woman elected to Texas Senate
Michael Jordan (born 1963), professional basketball player
Louis Jordan (1908-1975), jazz musician and bandleader
Hubert Julian (born 1900), aviator
K
Ulysses Kay (1917-1995), composer
Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992), musician, former member of The Temptations
Alan Keyes (born 1950), diplomat and only 20th century African American to become a major Republican presidential candidate
Alicia Keys 1981-, musician, R&B, Soul real name Alicia Augello Cook
Lil Kim (born 1976), female rap artist, also known as Kimberly Jones
B.B. King (born 1925), blues musician
Coretta Scott King (born 1927), activist and widow of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), civil rights activist, minister, Nobel laureate
Regina King (born 1971), actress
Rodney King (born 1965), motorist beaten by police, videotaped by bystander
Gladys Knight (born 1944), singer
Suge Knight , rap mogul, cofounder of Death Row Records
Ellis O. Knox (1900-1975), first African-American to earn doctorate on West Coast (1931), educator, civil rights leader
Lenny Kravitz , (1964), rock/pop musician
Kurupt (born 1972), rapper, also known as Ricardo Brown
R.Kelly (1966) Singer Robert Kelly
L
Lil flip Rapper
Nella Larsen (1891-1964), novelist
Queen Latifah (born 1970), rapper (born Dana Owens)
Oliver Law (1899-1937), officer in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade , first African American to command white soldiers
Spike Lee (born 1957), filmmaker
Carl Lewis (born 1961), track and field legend, nine-time Olympic gold medalist
John Lewis (born 1940), congressman and civil rights activist
Reginald Lewis (1942-1993), business
LL Cool J , rap artist, also known as James Todd Smith
Robert Jr. Lockwood (born 1915), blues musician
Nia Long (born 1970), actress
Joe Louis (1914-1981), boxer, longest-reigning world heavyweight champion
Ludacris (born 1976), rap performer
Frank Lumpkin (born 1916) communist union leader
Jair Lynch (born 1971), first African American male gymnast to medal in an Olympics (Silver Medalist on Parallel Bars at the 1996 Olympic Games)
M
Bernie Mac (born 1958), actor and comedian, star of Fox Network's Bernie Mac Show
Elijah J. McCoy (1844–1929), inventor
Cynthia McKinney (born 1955), politician
Wynton Marsalis (born 1961), jazz trumpeter
Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993), first non-white U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
Three members of the Dave Matthews Band —but NOT Dave Matthews , a white South African
Willie Mays (born 1931), Baseball Hall of Famer
Method Man (born 1972), rapper also known as Clifford Smith, member of rap group Wu-Tang Clan
Oscar Micheaux (1884–1951), author and pioneer filmmaker
Arthur W. Mitchell (1883–1968), first black Congressman from the Democratic Party
Roscoe Mitchell (born 1940), composer and musician
Thelonious Monk (1917–1982), composer and musician
Shemar Moore (born 1970), actor (The Young and the Restless Debbi Morgan (born 1956), soap opera actress (Angie Baxter on All My Children Toni Morrison (born 1931), author, Nobel laureate 1993
Mya R&B Singer
Mystikal , rapper
Khalid Abdul Muhammed (1948–2001), Nation of Islam leader
N
Nas (born 1973), rap artist also known as Nasir Jones
Huey P. Newton , (1942-1989), founder of the Black Panther Party
Nelly (born 1978), rapper, also known as Cornell Haynes Jr.
Brandy Norwood (born 1979), singer and actor
Willie 'Ray-J' Norwood Jr. (born 1981), singer and actor, brother of the precedent
Notorious B.I.G. (1972 - 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls or Christopher Wallace, New York City rapper
O
P
P. Diddy , (born 1970), rap artist and record executive, real name Sean Combs
Charlie Parker (1920-1955), jazz musician
Rosa Parks , started the Birmingham bus boycott
William L. Patterson (1890-1980), communist, civil rights lawyer
Walter Payton (1954-1999), football legend
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson , (born 1932), composer
P. B. S. Pinchback (1837-1921), first serving African American governor of a US state (Louisiana )
Leonard Pitts , columnist for the Miami Herald
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (1745-1813), first resident of Chicago
Colin Powell (born 1937), outgoing (2004) U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush , former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Percival Prattis , the first African American news correspondent allowed in the United States House of Representatives and Senate press gallery.
Richard Pryor (born 1940), comedian
Kirby Puckett (born 1961), Baseball Hall of Famer
R
A. Philip Randolph (1889-1979), socialist , labor leader, and civil rights activist
Tim Reid (born 1941), actor (WKRP in Cincinnati Hiram Rhoades Revels , a Republican from Mississippi , the first African American ever to sit in the U.S. Congress
Willy T. Ribbs , the first African-American driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 (May 19 , 1991 )
Condoleezza Rice (born 1954), U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush
Jerry Rice (born 1962), holder of almost all major NFL receiving records
Little Richard (born 1932), pioneer of rock and roll
Norbert Rilleaux (1806-1894), inventor
RuPaul (born 1960), drag queen
Paul Robeson (1898-1976), athlete, actor, singer, scholar, communist
David Robinson (born 1965), professional basketball player and U.S. Navy veteran
Frank Robinson (born 1935), Baseball Hall of Famer , first African American manager in Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), Baseball Hall of Famer , first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the 20th century
Chris Rock (born 1966), comedian
The Rock (born 1972), professional wrestler turned actor (real name: Dwayne Johnson)
Victoria Rowell (born 1960), actress (The Young and the Restless Bill Russell (born 1934), basketball legend
Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), civil rights activist
S
Kristoff St. John (born 1966), actor (The Young and the Restless Barry Sanders (born 1968), NFL Hall of Fame inductee, running back for the Detroit Lions
Isabel Sanford (1917-2004), actress (The Jeffersons Bobby Seale (born 1936), co-founder of the Black Panther Party
Al Sharpton (born 1954), clergyman and politician
Assata Shakur (born 1947), exile and political activist
Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapper, actor
Art Shell first ever African American NFL head coach
Kimora Lee Simmons CEO of Baby Phat, Wife of Russell Simmons
OJ Simpson , football star, accused of murdering his wife and acquitted after one of the most highly publicized trials of the 20th century
Bessie Smith (1894-1937), blues singer
Clara Smith , blues singer
Hale Smith (born 1925), composer
Mamie Smith , blues singer
Tommie Smith (born 1944), Olympic athlete
Willie The Lion Smith (1897-1963), pianist & composer
Will Smith (1968-) rapper, actor, director, writer
Wesley Snipes (born 1962), actor and producer
Snoop Dogg , rap artist, also known as Calvin Broadus
Thomas Sowell (born 1930), economist and author
Peter Spencer (1782-1843), ex-slave, religious leader, A.U.M.P. Church founder
Michael Steele (born 1958), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Shelby Steele (born 1946), author, educator
William Grant Still (1895-1978), composer
T
Marshall Taylor (1878-1932), aka "Major Taylor", champion competition cyclist
Clarence Thomas (born 1948), U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
Debi Thomas (born 1967), first African American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics
Vivien Thomas (1910-1985) was an African-American surgeon who developed the procedures used to treat Blue Baby Syndrome.
Ike Turner (born 1931), singer
Nat Turner (1800 -1831 ), leader of major slave revolt
Tina Turner (born 1939), singer, actor, former wife of Ike
Sojourner Truth (1797?-1883), ex-slave, abolitionist
Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), ex-slave, writer, abolitionist
Tamara Tunie (born 1959), actress (As the World Turns Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mike Tyson (born 1966), professional boxer
U
Usher (born 1978), famous R&B Singer
V
W
C. J. Walker , she was the first African-American millionaire
George Walker , (born 1922), composer
Fats Waller (1904-1943), composer, singer, jazz musician
Rhonda S. Walker , (born 1980), poet from Cleveland, OH
Dionne Warwick (born 1940), singer
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), educator
Denzel Washington (born 1954), Oscar-winning actor
Ethel Waters (1896-1977), vocalist
Muddy Waters (1915-1983), blues musician
Cornel West (born 1953), public intellectual , author, Princeton University professor
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), poet
Jaleel White (born 1976), actor, star in ABC and CBS sitcom Family Matters as Steve Urkel
Joseph White (1835-1918) Cuban born composer
Carl Whitney (1919-1986), Negro League baseball player
Douglas Wilder (born 1931), first elected African American governor of a US state (Virginia )
Flip Wilson (1933-1998), television host and comedian
Harriet E. Wilson , author of "Our Nig" and first African American novelist
William Julius Wilson (born 1935), sociologist
Billy Dee Williams actor
Clarence Williams (1893-1965), composer, publisher, jazz musician
Darnell Williams (born 1955), soap opera actor (Jesse Hubbard on All My Children Paul Williams (1939-1973), former member of The Temptations
Paul R. Willams (1894-1980), architect
Robert F. Williams (1925-1996), organizer, civil rights activist
Serena Williams (born 1981), tennis star
Venus Williams (born 1980), tennis star, sister of Serena
Sonny Boy Williamson (1897-1965), blues musician
Paul Winfield , African American actor
Oprah Winfrey (born 1954), talk show host, magazine publisher, news anchor
Henry Winston (1911-1986), US communist leader
Stevie Wonder (born 1950), musician
Tiger Woods (born 1975), first African American (and Asian American) to win a major golf championship
X
Malcolm X (1925-1965), (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, born Malcolm Little), one time Nation of Islam and civil rights leader
Y
Andrew Young (born 1932), civil rights activist and politician
Omali Yeshitela civil rights leader and was another one of the African-americans to stop violence to black americans.
See also
