(1942?- )

First Black woman in the Sisters of Mercy; foundress of Nat. Black Sisters Conference, 1968; left religious life in 1974.

(1931-1989)

Dancer, choreographer, director, founder of the American Dance Theatre, activist.

(1983- )

American artist/ activist/ co-founder of Black Lives Matter

(1950- )

First African American woman neurosurgeon/ “retired” to be chief of pediatric neurosurgery/ Sacred Heart, Pensacola

(1822-1913)

Abolitionist/political activist/ part of the “Underground Railroad”

(1957- )

Actor/film director/ screenwriter/ professor

(1934-1992)

NYC public school librarian/ feminist writer/ civil rights activist

(1976-2020)

Award winning actor/ playwright/ played Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall, Black Panther

(1920-1951)

Exploited for medical research/ “immortal cells” which have helped countless patients

(1838-1918)

Laborer/ barber/ inventor of automatic elevator doors/ inducted into Inventors Hall of Fame 2007

(1924-2005)

NY state politician/ educator/ author/ first Black candidate for major party nomination for President

(1973-2020)

Son/ father/ truck driver/ security guard

(1945-1992)

Gay liberation activist/ self-identified drag queen/prominent figure in Stone Wall Uprising

(1892-1926)

First Black/ Native American US female pilot/first Black international pilot/activist

(1987- )

Athlete/ activist/ philanthropist

(1897-1993)

Opera contralto/ first Black person to perform a leading role at the Met/ diplomat/ activist

(1908-1993)

Lawyer/activist/ argued Brown v Board of Education/ first Black Supreme Court Justice

(1940-1994)

Polio survivor/ gold medal Olympian/ coach/ activist

(1940-2020)

Politician/Civil Rights Activist

(1922 - 1999)

Nurse/Inventor/invented closed circuit TV initially for home security/Jamaica, Queens native

(1901-1971)

Musician/Trumpeter/Among most influential in Jazz/Nickname: Satchmo/NYC Native

(1862 - 1931)

Journalist/ Anti-lynching activist/Women’s Suffragist

(1957- )

Catholic priest/author/activist/ theologian

(1918 - 2020)

NASA Mathematician/provided calculations of orbital mechanics for first US space flights/Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

(1917-2000)

Painter/best known works, The Migration Series which depicts the migration of African-Americans from the rural south to the urban north.

(1972- )

Actress/first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award

(1947- )

Catholic Priest/First African American Cardinal in the United States/ Archbishop of Washington, DC

(1998 - )

Catholic/Poet/ Activist/ First National Youth Poet Laureate/ Youngest Poet to read at the Inauguration