African American Heroes

Top Fifty Famous Black Folks You Should Know

Akhenaton a pharaoh who established the belief in one God instead of many gods and goddesses Muhammed Ali refused to fight in Vietnam; won the heavyweight boxing title three times Richard Allen established the African Methodist Episcopal Church with Absalom Jones Benjamin Banneker helped to draw up the plans for the building of Washington, D.C. Mary McLeod Bethune she founded a college and was part of President Roosevelt's Black Cabinet Henry "Box" Brown was a slave who mailed himself to freedom Linda Brown the U.S. Supreme Court decision in her case abolished segregated schools in America Guion Bluford, Jr. was the first African American astronaut to go into space Ralph Bunche received a Nobel Peace Prize for a successful negotiation of peace in the Middle East Stokely Carmichael was the first to define the term "Black Power" George Washington Carver his discoveries from peanuts helped to revive the economy in the South Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman ever elected to Congress Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the first African American general David Dinkins was a mayor of New York City Frederick Douglass was an antislavery speaker; tricked his white playmate into teaching him the alphabet so he could learn to read and write W.E.B. DuBois was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University Duke Ellington big band composer and leader of Harlem's famous Cotton Club during the Harlem Renaissance Olaudah Equiano was taken as a slave from west Africa; wrote a narrative describing the atrocities of the slave trade Alex Haley wrote the book, Roots, about his ancestors Queen Hatshepsut was the first female pharaoh of Egypt Langston Hughes was the most famous poet of the Harlem Renaissance Zora Neale Hurston was a writer who was known for the realistic dialogue ("ebonics") in her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God Imhotep multi-talented Egyptian who designed the Step Pyramid Mae Jamison is the first African American female astronaut James Weldon Johnson with his brother, composed the Black National Anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" Martin Luther King, Jr. won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement Carter G. Woodson considered the father of Black History Week

Lewis Latimer was an inventor who worked with Thomas Edison; his invention helped light bulbs burn longer Malcolm X was the most famous spokesman for the Nation of Islam; made a pilgrimage to Mecca Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to become a Supreme Court Justice Claude McKay fiery Jamaican poet who gained fame with his protest poem, "If We Must Die" Nelson Mandela served 27 years in a South African prison for refusing to compromise his political beliefs; became South Africa's first black president James Meredith was shot while on a march from Tennessee to Mississippi to encourage African Americans to register to vote Elijah Muhammad established the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist organization, in the 1930's Mansa Musa ruler of the old kingdom of Mali; he gave away kilos of gold on his way to Mecca Huey Newton along with Bobby Seale, he started the Black Panther Party Queen Nzingha she launched a successful war against Portuguese slave traders and forced them to sign a treaty Rosa Parks helped spark the Civil Rights Movement by refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man Homer Plessy the U.S. Supreme Court decision in his case allowed white Americans to establish segregated facilities across the nation Hiram Revels was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate Jackie Robinson was the first African American to break the color barrier to play major league baseball Dred Scott the U.S. Supreme Court decision in his case allowed slave owners to go into free territories and take back escaped slaves William Still was described as the "president" of the Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman was known as the "Moses of Her People," she helped over 300 people escape slavery on the Underground Railroad Nat Turner led a bloody slave revolt in Virginia in 1831 Denmark Vesey organized a slave revolt in South Carolina in 1822 but was betrayed before he could carry out his plans Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Color Purple Booker T. Washington was head of Tuskegee Institute; believed blacks could improve their lives by educating themselves and working hard Ida B. Wells-Barnett publicized the lynchings of black men in America

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Last Modified: February 18, 2003