James Baldwin was an essayist, playwright, novelist and voice of the American Civil Rights movement known for works including 'Notes of a Native Son,' 'Nobody Knows My Name" and 'The Fire Next Time.'

• Writer
  (1924–1987)

From The Sound of Music to Oklahoma! to South Pacific, Richard Rodgers helped change the face of Broadway musicals, giving them stories and making them both memorable and "hum-able."

• Composer
  (1902–1979)

Comedic actor Tracy Morgan, known for his unpredictable antics, got his big break on Saturday Night Live. His 30 Rock character was loosely based on his over-the-top personality.

• Film Actor, Television Actor, Comedian
  (1968–)

Writer Countee Cullen was an iconic figure of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poetry, fiction and plays.

• Playwright, Poet, Author
  (1903–1946)

Broadway playwright Paddy Chayefsky picked up two Academy Awards for his films 'The Hospital' and 'Network.'

• Playwright, Screenwriter
  (1923–1981)

American photographer Richard Avedon was best known for his work in the fashion world and for his minimalist, large-scale character-revealing portraits.

• Photographer
  (1923–2004)

Bill Graham was a legendary rock concert promoter who arranged tours for bands like Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones from the 1960s until the '90s.

• Rock Music Promoter
  (1931–1991)

Bernard Herrmann was an American composer best known as the author of scores for Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock films including Citizen Kane and Psycho.

• Songwriter
  (1911–1975)

Will Eisner was a cartoonist and writer known for creating Hawks of the Sea and, more notably, The Spirit.

• Illustrator
  (1917–2005)

Actor Chazz Palminteri starred opposite Robert De Niro in the 1993 film adaptation of A Bronx Tale, and performed in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway (1994).

• Theater Actor, Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Producer, Writer
  (1952–)

Congressman Charles Rangel has served New York's Harlem district since 1971. He was censured by his peers for ethics violations in 2010.

• Activist, U.S. Representative
  (1930–)