Who was the first African-American boxing champ? How about World Cycling champ? Who was the first African-American to win an Olympic gold medal? What year did Jackie Robinson break baseball's color barrier? Who was Althea Gibson and what first did she achieve? Detail our collection of pioneering African-American athletes for the answers to these and many more questions, and explore our African-American Firsts: Athletes photos gallery.
Meet famous people born in August. Barack Obama, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Tim Tebow, Ingrid Bergman, Halle Berry, Tony Bennett, Jack Black, Coco Chanel, and Andy Warhol are just some of the names you'll find share an August birthday.
They've sprinted, served, batted, slam-dunked and TKO'd their way into sports history. Sprinter Jesse Owens's Olympic triumphs put Hitler to shame. Basketball star Michael Jordan taught kids that they could fly. Gymnast Gabby Douglas showed that champions can come in pint-size packages, and Tiger Woods brought the game of golf to another level. Explore biographies of famous black athletes who broke records and barriers and, ultimately, captured our imaginations.
They've sprinted, kicked, backflipped, triple-lutzed, and TKO'd their way into sports history. Learn more about notable female athletes such as Bonnie Blair, Hope Solo, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Browse notable golfers such as Jack Nicklaus, Michelle Wie, and Greg Norman.
After the Civil War, many of the country's best and brightest black advocates, artists, entrepreneurs and intellectuals moved to the New York City neighborhood of Harlem. Thanks largely to the efforts of these residents, Harlem became both the cradle of a cultural revolution and the heart of the civil rights movement. Meet some of the many people who gave—and continue to give—this neighborhood a voice, simply by calling it home.
Take a look at famous people named Gibson, such as Althea Gibson, Dorothy Gibson, and Deborah Gibson.
View famous people who died in 2003 such as Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, and Katharine Hepburn.
Meet famous people such as Johnny Cash, Dorothy Dandridge, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Jimi Hendrix, and Steve Irwin, who died in the month of September.
Throughout the history of tennis, there have been champs who have captivated fans with their achievements. From the history-making record of Arthur Ashe, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon, to the Olympic medal-winning athleticism of players like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal to the colorful on and off-court personalities of players like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, these tennis players have made history acing their sport.
Michael Jackson is one, so is Stephen King and Greta Garbo. Some say typical traits of Virgoans are helpful, critical, shy, and meticulous. Meet some famous people who share the astrological sign Virgo.