Marian Anderson
First black member of the Metropolitan Opera Company, in 1955. |
Arthur Ashe
First black man to win a Wimbledon singles title, defeating Jimmy Connors in 1975. |
Halle Berry
First African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, in 2001 for Monster's Ball . |
Beyoncé
In October 2003, black artists held all “Billboard” Top Ten chart positions for the first time in pop history. Beyoncé was No. 1. |
James Hubert (Eubie) Blake
Composed first Broadway musical written and directed by African-Americans. |
Guion Bluford
First African-American astronaut to launch into space, in 1983. |
Gwendolyn Brooks
First black to receive a Pulitzer Prize, in 1950. |
Ralph Bunche
First African-American to win a Nobel Peace Prize, in 1950. |
Shirley Chisholm
First black woman elected to Congress, in 1968 (from Brooklyn to 91st Congress). |
Nat King Cole
First back entertainer to host his own show on national television, in 1956. |
Elbert Frank Cox
First African-American to earn a PhD in Mathematics, in 1925 (Cornell University).
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Benjamin Oliver Davis
First black appointed to the rank of general, in 1940. His son, Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., was the first black general in the Air Force. |
Frederick Douglass
First black to receive a major US government appointment, in 1877. |
Rita Dove
First black female US Poet Laureate, 1993-1995. |
Keith Ellison
First Black Muslim elected to U.S Congress, in 2006 from Minnesota. |
Althea Gibson
First African-American to play in the US Open, winning the tournament twice, in 1957 and 1958. |
Whitney Houston
First artist ever to have seven consecutive singles hit number one. |
Dr. Mae Jemison
First black woman astronaut to launch into space, in 1992. |
Jack Johnson
First African-American world heavyweight boxing champion, in 1908. |
Robert Johnson
The owner of Black Entertainment Television, Johnson became the first black billionaire in 2001. |
Simmie Knox
First black artist to paint an official presidential portrait (Bill Clinton). |
John Mercer Langston
First African-American elected to public office, in 1855 in Ohio. |
Oliver Lewis
First jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, in 1875. Thirteen of the 14 jockeys in the first Derby were black. |
Reginald Lewis
First black to own billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice Lewis opened TLC Group, a venture capital firm. |
Thurgood Marshall
First African-American appointed to the Supreme Court, in 1963. |
Hattie McDaniel
First African-American to win an Oscar, in 1940 for Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind .
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