- Home
- •
- People
- •
- Groups
- •
- African-American Biopics
- • Photos
Black History People
-
Black History Groups
Learn more about the lives of African-Americans who have made extraordinary achievements in their fields, with our collection of Black History Groups.
Explore our curated collections of African-American figures, including:
Black History Videos
-
Black History Videos
Watch full episodes of Black History icons, record-breakers and leaders. See how famous figures like Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln and Jackie Robinson changed history. See all videos.
Black History Photos
-
Black History Photos
Flip through these photos of some of Black History's most important, controversial and inspiring figures. Check out our African-American Firsts - Athletes, Black Comedians, Million-Dollar Ideas, African-American Biopics, African-American Expats, or explore all of our Black History photos.
Classroom
-
Black History Timeline
Celebrate the historical icons of America's black community through this interactive journey.
1 / 12 photos African-American Biopics
Actress Angela Bassett (pictured above, right) has portrayed a pantheon of African-American activists including Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X (1992) and Panther (1995), Rosa Parks in The Rosa Parks Story (2002) and Coretta Scott King (pictured above, left), the widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Lifetime biopic Betty & Coretta (2013).
Coretta Scott King
Angela Bassett
Nine-time Grammy Award winning singer Mary J. Blige shows off her acting talent, playing Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcom X, opposite Angela Bassett as Coretta Scott King in Lifetime’s Betty & Coretta. The 2013 biopic explores how the two women inherited the mantle of the Civil Rights movement and formed a deep friendship through their personal tragedies.
Betty Shabazz
Mary J. Blige
Popular jazz musician Nina Simone, known for her uniquely deep voice and skills as a pianist, impacted music with her one-of-a-kind image and undeniable talent. Actress Zoe Saldana is scheduled to play the singer in the upcoming biopic that has yet to set a release date.
Nina Simone
Zoe Saldana
In order to portray legendary blind pianist Ray Charles in the biopic, Ray, comedian Jamie Foxx first had to get the musician's blessing. Upon their meeting, Charles gave Foxx a hug and declared, "He's the one." Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the movie, but Charles passed away before the film was completed.
(Getty Images)Ray Charles
Jamie Foxx
Dorothy Dandridge became the first black woman to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the 1954 film, Carmen Jones. Two years after Halle Berry took on the role of Dandridge in the performer's biopic, Berry became the first black woman to actually win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster's Ball. She thanked Dandridge in her acceptance speech.
(Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image)Dorothy Dandridge
Halle Berry
Multi-award winning artist Tina Turner is best known for her wild sense of style, her rocky romance with Ike Turner, and her distinct contributions to rock music. Angela Bassett's portrayal of the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll in the 1993 film What's Love Got to Do With It? earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win for best actress.
(AFP/Getty Images)Tina Turner
Angela Bassett
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's light-footed tap moves made him one of the best, and highest-paid, entertainers of his time. Actor Gregory Hines worked as both the producer and star of the film Bojangles, which explored Robinson's life as an American tap sensation. The film went on to win two Emmy Awards.
(Getty Images)Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Gregory Hines
Sean "Diddy" Combs is the man behind Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide, and is well known for his discovery of hip-hop legend Biggie Smalls. Actor Derek Luke portrayed Diddy in the 2009 film, Notorious, which gave audiences an inside look at the Bad Boy empire.
(Getty Images)Sean "Puffy" Combs
Derek Luke
Jazz, blues, and soul artist Etta James blew audiences away with her powerful voice. Her hit song, "At Last", continues to be an American favorite. Beyonce Knowles' performance as James in the film Cadillac Records earned the artist critical recognition, and her rendition of the single "At Last" garnered a Grammy nomination.
(WireImage)Etta James
Beyoncé Knowles
Billie Holiday's distinct voice captivated audiences worldwide, and her improvisational style forever changed the face of American jazz and pop vocals. Motown superstar Diana Ross portrayed the legendary singer in the film, Lady Sings the Blues, nabbing a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for her depiction.
(Redferns)Billie Holiday
Diana Ross
Chuck Berry, "The Father of Rock and Roll", established the rock genre with tunes such as "Johnny B. Goode" and "Maybellene." Berry's larger-than-life personality was depicted on the big screen by hip-hop pioneer Mos Def in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records.
(Getty Images)Chuck Berry
Charlie "Bird" Parker was a notable jazz saxophonist whose musical style greatly contributed to the genre. Forest Whitaker took on the role of Bird in the self-titled film, which landed him the award for Best Actor at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.
(Getty Images)Charlie Parker
Forest Whitaker
-
EXPLORE
PEOPLE - Best Known For
Choose One
- Academics
Best Known For Academics
- Archaeologists
- Anthropologists
- Historians
- Linguists
- Mathematicians
- Philosophers
- Scholars
- Sociologists
- Teachers
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Activists
Best Known For Activists
- Animal Rights Activists
- Antiwar Activists
- Children's Activists
- Civil Rights Activists
- Environmental Activists
- Suffragettes
- Women's Rights Activists
- World Record Setters
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Actors & Actresses
Best Known For Actors & Actresses
- Actors Turned Politicians
- Film Actors
- Film Actresses
- Screen Presidents
- Theater Actors
- Theater Actresses
- Television Actors
- Television Actresses
- TV Moms
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Artists
Best Known For Artists
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Astronauts
- Architects
- Athletes
Best Known For Athletes
- Baseball Players
- Basketball Players
- Boxers
- Coaches
- Cyclists
- Figure Skaters
- Football Players
- Golfers
- Gymnasts
- Hockey Players
- Martial Arts Experts
- Racecar Drivers
- Soccer Players
- Tennis Players
- Track and Field Athletes
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Chefs
- Chess Players
- Comedians
- Computer Programmers
- Criminals & Notorious
Best Known For Criminals & Notorious
- Assassins
- Cult Leaders
- Drug Lords
- Executed
- Gangsters
- Kidnappers
- Mobsters
- Serial Killers
- Spree Killers
- Terrorists
- White Collar Criminals
- Women Gone Mad
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Critics
Best Known For Critics
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Dancers
- Engineers
- Explorers
- Fashion Designers
- Filmmakers
Best Known For Filmmakers
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- First Ladies
- Inventors
- Legal Professionals
Best Known For Legal Professionals
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Magicians
- Medical Professionals
Best Known For Medical Professionals
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Military Leaders
- Models
- Musicians
Best Known For Musicians
- Bass Players
- Conductors
- Drummers
- Guitarists
- Pianists
- Music Producers
- Rappers
- Saxophone Players
- Songwriters
- Trumpet Players
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Philanthropists
- Pilots
- Politicians
Best Known For Politicians
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Radio Personalities
Best Known For Radio Personalities
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Religious Figures
Best Known For Religious Figures
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Royalty
Best Known For Royalty
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Scientists
Best Known For Scientists
- Astronomers
- Biologists
- Botanists
- Chemists
- Geneticists
- Immunologists
- Neurologists
- Physicists
- Physiologists
- Zoologists
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
- Singers
- Television Personalities
Best Known For Television Personalities
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Writers
Best Known For Writers
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
- Academics
- Life Events
Choose One
- Awards & Honors
Life Events Awards & Honors
- Academy Award Winners
- Beauty Pageant Winners
- Emmy Winners
- Grammy Winners
- Knighted
- Military Medal Recipients
- Music Hall of Fame Inductees
- Nobel Prize Winners
- Olympic Medal Winners
- Pulitzer Prize Winners
- Sports Hall of Fame Inductees
- Tony Award Winners
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
- Adoption
Life Events Adoption
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Business Launches
Life Events Business Launches
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Education
Life Events Education
- Amherst College
- Arizona State University
- Barnard College
- Boston University
- Brown University
- Cambridge University
- City College of New York
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Dartmouth College
- Emerson College
- Fordham University
- George Washington University
- Georgetown University
- Harvard University
- Harvard Law School
- Howard University
- Hunter College
- Indiana University
- Julliard
- McGill University
- New York University
- Northwestern University
- Oberlin College
- Ohio State University
- Oxford University
- Princeton University
- Radcliffe College
- Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Stanford University
- Syracuse University
- Trinity College
- University of Berlin
- University of California
- University of Cambridge
- University of Chicago
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Illinois
- University of Kansas
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of North Carolina
- University of Oxford
- University of Paris
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Southern California
- University of Texas
- University of Toronto
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Wellesley College
- West Point
- Yale Law School
- Yale School of Drama
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
- Discoveries
Life Events Discoveries
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Immigration
Life Events Immigration
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Political Office
Life Events Political Office
- Removed from Office
- Resigned From Office
- Supreme Court Justices
- U.S. Presidents
- U.S. Vice Presidents
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
- Scandals
Life Events Scandals
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Unnatural Deaths
Life Events Unnatural Deaths
- Assassinated
- Committed Suicide
- Died in an Accident
- Died in Military Battle
- Executed
- Murdered
- Overdosed
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
- Wealth
Life Events Wealth
Featured Groups
-
Famous Philanthropists
Browse notable philanthropists such as John D Rockefeller Jr., Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
-
The 27 Club
The 27 club is a group of artists who died tragically at the young age of 27. They were some of the most talented minds of their generation, and in their short lives each made an enormous impact. Sadly, many led hard-partying lifestyles, abusing drugs and alcohol. These are the musicians and artists who make up the 27 club.
-
- Awards & Honors
- Nationality
Choose One
- Argentine
- Australian
- Austrian
- Belgian
- Brazilian
- British
- Canadian
- Chilean
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Cuban
- Czech
- Dominican
- Dutch
- Egyptian
- Filipino
- French
- German
- Ghanaian
- Greek
- Hungarian
- Indian
- Iranian
- Irish
- Israeli
- Italian
- Jamaican
- Japanese
- Mexican
- New Zealander
- Nigerian
- Norwegian
- Pakistani
- Peruvian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Scottish
- Serbian
- South African
- Spanish
- Swedish
- Swiss
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Date
*please fill in the month
- biographies a-z groups short listsphoto galleries

John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Anthony Weiner
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived


