Langston Hughes: The Black poet laureate, excelled as a poet, playwright, novelist, lyricist, and humorist.
Sterling Brown: Teacher, poet, writer, Professor Emeritus of Literature at Howard University, has a special foundation for folk culture and jazz music.
Roland Hayes: Internationally known tenor of the 1920's; sang in five different languages.
Max Roach: Internationally known drummer.
William H. “Bill” Cosby: Comedian, author, and actor.
William (Count) Basie: Internationally known pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader.
Not Pictured:
Joe Torry: Comedian, author, actor, and producer.
Steve Harvey: Comedian and actor.
Rickey Smiley: Comedian and actor.
Tom Joyner: Radio show host.
William DeHart Hubbard: University of Michigan sprinter; first black person to represent the United States in the Olympic Games in 1924.
Joe Black: All-time great Brooklyn Dodger baseball pitcher. Lowest ERA in the Major Leagues in 1952.
Ed “Too Tall” Jones: Former Outstanding player with the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael Jordan: Outstanding former player with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Voted to NBA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Mo Vaughn: Former outstanding baseball player with the Boston Red Sox.
Steve McNair: Outstanding former NFL player with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.
Not Pictured:
Jerry Ball: 3-time Pro Bowler and former NFL defensive lineman.
Vince Carter: 8-time All-Star. 2-time All-NBA guard for the New Jersey Nets. 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Mark Duper: 3-time Pro Bowler and 2-time All-Pro former wide receiver with Miami Dolphins.
Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines: Hall of Fame Basketball coach. Coached at Winston-Salem State University from 1946 – 1993. Also, 4-year All-CIAA lineman in football.
Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson: Captain and outstanding player on the Washington 12th Streeters (1906-1910). He is known as the “Father of Black Sport History”. First Black male to become certified to teach Physical Education in public schools.
Keith Jackson: 5-time Pro Bowler and 5 time All Pro former NFL Tight end. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell: Outstanding former professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics and other teams. 1981 NBA Finals MVP.
Shaquille O’Neal: Star center with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers is a 14-time NBA All-star. He is 3-time NBA Final MVP and 2000 NBA MVP.
Brice Taylor: University of Southern California football legend. Guard on mid 1920’s team. Schools first All-American.
Terrence Trammell: 2-time (2000, 2004) Olympic silver medalist in 110m hurdles.
Charlie Ward: 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and former NBA guard with the NY Knicks.
Jessie Hill: President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company.
Earl Graves: Chairman and CEO of Black Enterprise Magazine.
Therman McKenzie: Former Co-Owner of M & M Products (Sta Soft Fro).
Nathaniel Bronner: Co-Owner of Bronner Brothers Beauty.
Grant Reynolds: Played a major role in President Truman’s 1948 decision to desegregate the United States Armed Forces.
James Nabrit: Former Dean of the Howard University Law School and former president of Howard University. A leader in the training of the early Civil Rights lawyers.
Roy Wilkins: Long-time Executive Director of the NAACP.
Jesse Jackson: Former Director of Operation PUSH; Founder, National Rainbow Coalition.
Vernon Jordan: Noted Attorney and Former Executive Director of the National Urban League.
Not Pictured:
Wiley Branton: Attorney of the “Little Rock Nine” and former Dean of Howard University School of Law.
Oliver Hill: Civil Rights attorney whose work against racial discrimination helped end the doctrine of “separate but equal”. 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.
Benjamin Hooks: Succeeded Roy Wilkins as Executive Director of the NAACP, the most effective of all civil rights organizations.
Carter G. Woodson: The earliest and most outspoken proponent for the study of Black History.
Benjamin Mayes: President Emeritus of Morehouse College, writer and lecturer
Herman Dreer: Teacher, minister, writer, and author of the History of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 1911-1961.
William Hastie: First Governor of the Virgin Islands.
Robert C. Weaver: Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.: Secretary, Department of the Army.
Lawrence Douglas Wilder: Former Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Togo West: Secretary of the Army.
Not Pictured:
James E. “Jim” Clyburn: The House Majority Whip in the 110th Congress. (2nd Black to hold that position).
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Founder of both entities that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH. Candidate for the United States Presidency in 1984 and 1988. Served as “Shadow Senator” for DC from 1991 to 1997.
Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.: 2001 Springarn Medal recipient. Executive Director of United Negro College Fund and a former president of the National Urban League. He also served as a close adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Clarence Lightner: 1st Black Mayor of Raleigh, NC. Held the posts of the Director of the CDC and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry from 1993 to 1998.
Walter E. Washington: 1st Home-Rule mayor of the District of Columbia. Former Executive Director of the National Capital Housing Authority.
George L.P. Weaver: Former U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Kendrick B. Meek: Congressman serving the 17th Congressional District of Florida since 2003. A former trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol where he became Florida’s 1st African American to promoted to the rank of Captain.
Dr. Ernest Everett Just: Internationally known biologist and professor at Howard University.
Dr. Charles Drew: Perfected the use of blood plasma, Professor of Surgery at Howard University.
Percy Julian: Discovered the use of foam to extinguish fires and discovered a method of producing cortisone synthetically.
Charles Bolden: Astronaut, graduate of the United States Naval Academy (pilot).
NASA Administrator (July 17, 2009 – January 19, 2017).
Dr. Ronald E. McNair: Astronaut, graduate of M.I.T., Ph.D. in Physics (civilian).
Not Pictured:
Dr. Fred Drew Gregory: Astronaut, graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (pilot).
Dr. Hildrus Poindexter: Bacteriologist who studied the epidemiology of tropical diseases.