African American
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African American
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Former Creator and Executive Producer of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How To Get Away With Murder” and “Scandal”
Shonda Rhimes is the prolific writer, executive producer and creator of the hit ABC series “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Scandal.” In addition to creating the “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff series “Private Practice,”…
Grammy-Winning Singer & Cookbook Author
Beautiful, simply does not describe the incomparable force known to the world as Patti LaBelle. As time continues to evolve, the soulful songbird’s name has become synonymous with grace, style,…
Seattle Seahawks Quarterback
Russell Wilson, the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year for the 2012 season, became the first rookie in NFL history to lead his team to an undefeated home record. The…
Selma Executive Producer
Paul Garnes has served as producer, line producer and/or production manager on films and television series for Disney, Dreamworks, HBO, ABC, NBC, BET, Sony/Screen Gems, Magnolia Films, and Paramount Pictures.…
Host, ESPN's "SportsCenter on the Road"
Sage Steele is one of ESPN’s most popular and respected commentators, currently serving as the lead host for SportsCenter on the Road and for the weekend editions of NBA Countdown,…
General, U.S. Army (Ret.), and Former Commander of U.S. Central Command
Lloyd J. Austin III General, U.S. Army (Ret.), and Former Commander of U.S. Central Command General Austin is a retired U.S. Army General with nearly 41 years of military service.…
Author, Life Coach and Reality Television Personality
From welfare mother to New York Times best-selling author, from the Brooklyn projects to Emmy Award winner, from broken pieces to peace, Iyanla Vanzant is one of the country’s most…
Former Special Assistant to President Obama and Social Secretary
A Philadelphia native, Deesha Dyer’s unconventional story is woven together by themes of heart, dedication, and an incessant quest for excellence. After graduating from Milton Hershey School, a private philanthropic…
Social Ethicist and Scholar of American Religions
Social ethicist and scholar of American religions Jonathan L. Walton, Ph.D., is the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard University and Pusey Minister in Harvard's Memorial Church. He is…
Singer-Songwriter and Child Prodigy; "Isn't She Lovely" and "Superstition"
American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, Stevland Morris AKA Stevie Wonder, is one of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music, who at the age of 13, was…
Former Secretary of Homeland Security
Jeh Charles Johnson was sworn in on Dec. 23, 2013, as the fourth Secretary of Homeland Security. Prior to joining DHS, Secretary Johnson served as general counsel for the Department…
Professor, Author and Activist
Charles M. Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago, where he is also an affiliate of…
Award-Winning Author & Novelist
Novelist, essayist and cultural critic Zadie Smith was born in North London in 1975 to an English father and a Jamaican mother. She studied English at Kings College, Cambridge, where…
Writer, Director & Producer
Nicci Gilbert-Daniels is an entertainment industry veteran with over two decades in the business. As the lead singer and songwriter for Brownstone, the accomplished songbird has sold millions of records…
Scholar, Teacher, Author, Administrator and Race Relations Expert
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a psychologist, administrator, and educator who has conducted research and written books on the topic of race, focusing specifically on race in education, racial identity…
Award-Winning Actress
Classically trained, award-winning actor, Viola Davis has conquered every medium from stage to television to film.
Attorney, TV Host, Legal Analyst and Civil & Human Rights Advocate
Areva Martin is known to audiences across the country from her regular appearances on Dr. Phil, The Doctors, Anderson Cooper 360, Nancy Grace, Good Morning America and various other daytime…
Walt Disney Film "Queen of Katwe" & Candidate Master And National Chess Champion
From living in the streets in the slums of Katwe to learning chess in a Sports Outreach Institute missionary program
Actress & Youth Volunteer. Star of "Black-ish"
Tracee Ellis Ross, actress, motivational speaker and performance artist, is the star of the new hit ABC comedy series Black-ish. For her role, Ross won the 2015 NAACP Image Award…
Star and Creator of HBO's "Insecure," Writer, Director & Producer of the YouTube Comedy "Awkward Black Girl"; Author of "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl."
With her own unique flare and infectious sense of humor, Issa Rae’s content has garnered over 20 million views and close to 160,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Actor, Singer, Theatrical Producer and Hamilton Actor
Brandon Victor Dixon, following his Tony Award nominated role as Eubie Blake in Shuffle Along on Broadway, now has joined the cast of Hamilton on Broadway in the role of…
Grammy Award Winning Hip-Hop Artist and Author of the Autobiography, Unashamed
Lecrae is a two-time GRAMMY Award winning hip-hop artist whose 2014 album, Anomaly, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, Rap, Digital, Christian, Gospel, and Independent charts.
Professor, Author and Activist
Horace G. Campbell is a noted international peace and justice scholar and Professor of African American Studies and Political Science at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Born in 1945…
First African American Woman United States Senator & Former United States Ambassador
In an historic effort, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun was elected to serve as the only black member of the United States Senate in 1992, and the first and only woman…
Civil Rights Advocacy and Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago
The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, IL. A leading progressive Christian activist and cultural critic, Dr. Moss is…
Activist for Civil Rights & Social Justice. Former President of the NAACP
Cornell W. Brooks, president and chief executive officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In May 2014 Brooks became the 18th president of the NAACP,…
One of the Nation’s Leading Historians of African American Photography
Deborah Willis, Ph.D, is University Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and has an affiliated…
Education Correspondent for NBC News
Rehema Ellis joined NBC NEWS in 1994 as a general assignment correspondent. In 2010 she was named Education Correspondent and was an integral part of NBC’s first annual Education Nation…
Former NFL Player, Equality Advocate & Educator
Former NFL player Wade Davis is a thought leader, writer, public speaker, and educator on gender, race, and orientation equality. Davis played for the Tennessee Titans, the Washington Redskins, and…
Award-Winning Author, The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities
Dr. Lawrence Ross is the author of several books about African American culture – namely The Divine Nine: History of African American Fraternities and Sororities – Mr. Ross will discuss…
Seen on America Got Talent, Hypnotist
ChrisJones (one word) is one of the newest and most energetic performers in the college market. chrisjones has been taking his insane hypnosis show to high schools and universities across…
Award-Winning Artist, Activist and Philanthropist
David Banner, born Lavell Crump in Jackson, Mississippi, is a Grammy Award winning music producer, recording artist, philanthropist, civic activist and actor who recently appeared in Lee Daniel’s The Butler…
Urban Revitalization Strategist
Majora Carter is a visionary voice in city planning who views urban renewal through an environmental lens. The South Bronx native draws a direct connection between ecological, economic and social…
Entrepreneur, Music Icon & Spiritual Leader
One of the most influential men in American pop culture, Joseph “Reverend Run” Simmons knows how to leave a legacy. After all, as the front man of seminal hip hop…
Award-Winning Filmmaker. He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for Directing O.J.: Made in America (2016)
Ezra Edelman is an award-winning filmmaker. In 2016, he directed O.J.: Made In America, which won both Academy Award for Best Documentary and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing. It…
TV Persona, Entrepreneur and President & CEO of Emmitt and Pat Smith Enterprises
Pat Smith, a successful television personality and inspirational speaker, is President & CEO of Pat Smith Enterprises. The company manages Smith’s many business interests, chief among them Treasure You a…
Filmmaker and Founder and Creative Director of World Trust, Is a Dynamic Educator In The Field of Diversity and Racial Equity
Shakti Butler, PhD, filmmaker and Founder and Creative Director of World Trust, is a dynamic educator in the field of racial equity. She engages her audience with participatory keynotes and…
Standup Performer, Actor and Writer
Jerrod Carmichael is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is currently the executive producer, writer, and star of the NBC comedy The Carmichael Show. In…
MSNBC Correspondent, Political Author & Former Host of "The Reid Report"
Joy Reid is the former host of The Reid Report on MSNBC. Reid is the former Managing Editor of theGrio.com, a daily online news and opinion platform devoted to delivering…
Award-Winning Columnist
A former writer for Casey Kasem's radio program "American Top 40," Leonard Pitts, Jr. was a pop music critic at the Miami Herald where he began writing about race and…
Human Rights Activist and is the great-great grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great grandson of Booker T. Washington
Kenneth Morris descends from two of the most important names in American history: he is the great-great-great grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great grandson of Booker T. Washington. His…
Grammy Award-Winning Singer & Author
Grammy-winning I Will Survive was recorded in 1978 as Gloria Gaynor’s tale of personal strength and would become the greatest disco anthem of all time and the banner for social…
Award-Winning Teacher | Acclaimed Spoken Word Poet and staff writer at The Atlantic
Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic.
Talented Actor, Voiceover Artist and Inspirational Speaker
Gerald C. Rivers is a talented Actor, Voiceover Artist and Inspirational Speaker. He is known for his voiceover work in cartoons and animated internet series as well as several internationally…
Educator, Social Activist and Author. Inner-City Youth & Education Advocate
Geoffrey Canada has been president and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone, for the past 20 years. Canada is nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families in…
Presidential Endowed Professor in Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest University, Executive Director of the Pro Humanitate Institute, & Former MSNBC Host
Melissa Harris-Perry is the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University. There she is the Executive Director of the Pro Humanitate Institute and founding director of the Anna Julia…
Actor, Writer and Comedian. MTV Girl Code & MTV2 Guy Code||Women’s Rights Advocate
Tanisha Long is a West Philadelphia born and raised actor, writer, and comedian. Tanisha is currently a cast member of MTV’s Girl Code & Guy Code and has also appeared…