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1931-1989, African-American modern dancer, founded eponymous dance school in Harlem
1942-2016, Heavyweight boxer, Vietnam War objector, Parkinson’s sufferer
1897-1993, Black opera singer who gave concert at Lincoln Memorial after being denied access to DAR Constitution Hall
1928-2014, Author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
1901-1971, African-American jazz trumpeter and singer, known for 'West End Blues'
ca. 1723-1770, Boston-based longshoreman who fell during Boston Massacre
b. 1941, Native American/Hispanic folk singer and social activist
1906-1975, Female Jazz/cabaret singer and dancer, star of film “Zouzou”, French Resistance spy
1924-1987, Author of “Notes of a Native Son” and “The Fire Next Time”
1731-1806, African-American astronomer, surveyor of Washington D.C.
1926-2017, African-American guitarist, oft cited as the inventor of rock and roll music
1875-1955, Female African-American educator, member of FDR’s “Black Cabinet”
1767-1838, Sauk Indian chief, military leader of eponymous 1830s war
1917-1998, African-American Mayor of Los Angeles from 1973 to 1993
1743-1807, Mohawk chief, translated a number of works into his native language, fought in Revolutionary War
b. 1936, star running back with the Cleveland Browns
1904-1971, African-American diplomat, won Nobel Peace Prize for Palestine mediation efforts
b. 1958, Xerox CEO, first African-American female head of a Fortune 500 company
b. 1933, Cheyenne Indian Chief, jujitsu, U.S. Senator (D/R, CO)
1941-1998, leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Black Power advocate
1864-1943, African-American botanist who found many new uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes
1936-1999, Basketball superstar who scored 100 points in an NBA game
1927-1993, Mexican-American male who founded the United Farm Workers, Chicano Rights activist
1924-2005, First Black woman in Congress, 1972 Presidential also-ran
b. 1954, Physicist, won Nobel Prize for laser research, Secretary of Energy (2009-2013)
b. 1954, Chicana author of “The House on Mango Street”
ca. 1840-1877, Lakota warleader, fought at Little Bighorn, being memorialized in South Dakota
1817-1895, Black abolitionist who wrote narrative of his early life as a slave
1904-1950, Blood transfusion researcher, developed WWII blood banks
1868-1963, Black intellectual who founded the NAACP
1899-1974, jazz pianist and bandleader, band’s theme was “Take the “A” Train”
1914-1994, author of 'Invisible Man'
1930-2010, Bolivian-American math teacher chronicled in the film “Stand and Deliver”
1925-1963, Mississippi-based civil rights activist, attempted to integrate Ole Miss law school, assassinated
1887-1940, Jamaican-American intellectual, founder of Universal Negro Improvement Association, leader of the Pan-African movement
1829-1909, Apache leader, fought against both the Mexicans and the Americans
1921-1992, Author of the book “Roots”
1917-1977, Freedom Summer organizer, demanded Southern black representation at 1964 Democratic Convention
1942-1970, Electric guitarist who riffed on 'Purple Haze'
b. 1952, Taiwanese-American virologist, made advances in AIDS research, 1996 TIME Man of the Year
1915-1959, Jazz singer of the songs “Lady Sings the Blues”, “God Bless the Child” and “Strange Fruit”
b. 1930, female co-founder of the United Farm Workers, advocate for immigrants’ and women’s rights
1902-1967, Harlem Renaissance poet, asked 'What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?'
1890-1960, Author of “Their Eyes Were Watching God”
1924-2012, U.S. Senator (D-HI, 1963-2012), Medal of Honor recipient for WWII service
b. 1941, Baptist minister, 1984 and 1988 Democratic presidential also-ran
1958-2009, pop musician known for “Thriller”, “Billy Jean” and “Black and White”
1871-1938, early NAACP leader, diplomat, author of hymn 'Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing,'
ca. 1868-1917, composer of the piano rags “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer”
b. 1963, NBA superstar who won 6 titles and 5 MVPs with the Chicago Bulls
ca. 1758-1819, unified Kingdom of Hawaii
1929-1968, African-American preacher who gave the 'I Have a Dream' speech at the 1963 March on Washington
b. 1957, American filmmaker of “Do the Right Thing” and “4 Little Girls”, big Knicks fan
b. 1959, designer of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
1925-1965, Radical Muslim African-American activist
1908-1993, NAACP lawyer, first African-American on the Supreme Court
b. 1931, Giants baseball outfielder with 660 home runs, .302 batting average, numerous spectacular catches
1639-1676, Warleader of the Wampanoag during King Philip’s War
b. 1931, Puerto Rican actress/singer who won an Oscar for “West Side Story”, also won Emmy, Grammy and Tony for other roles
1877-1963, Cleveland-based inventor of gas mask, traffic signal
b. 1931, Black novelist who wrote “Beloved” and “Song of Solomon”
1942-1989, Founder of the Black Panther Party
b. 1961, First African-American U.S. President, enacted healthcare reform
b. 1964, Current First Lady of the United States
1913-1980, African-American track star who won four golds at the 1936 Olympics
1920-1955, Bebop jazz saxophonist who died young due to addition
1913-2005, African-American woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus
ca. 1595-1617, Daughter of Chief Powhatan, spouse of Jamestown settler John Rolfe
ca. 1630-1688, leader of the Pueblo Revolt, NM’s Statuary Hall representative
b. 1927, first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, they call him Mr. Tibbs
1908-1972, Harlem Congressman, Civil Rights activist
b. 1937, Gulf War General, Secretary of State
1889-1979, African-American union leader who threatened numerous Marches on Washington to force societal change
1827-1901, Mississippi AME preacher, first African-American to serve in Congress
b. 1954, Stanford academic, first Black woman Secretary of State
b. 1947, UN Ambassador, Cabinet Member, NM Governor (D, 2003-2011), 2008 presidential also-ran
1886-1957, Mexican-born muralist and leftist known for Detroit Industry Murals
1898-1976, Bass singer known for “Old Man River”, thespian, All-American running back, Communist
1919-1972, Broke the color barrier in baseball when he played for the 1947 Dodgers
1879-1935, Oklahoma-born humorist and vaudevillian, “never met a man he didn’t like”
ca. 1788-1812, Native American guide and interpreter with the Lewis & Clark Expedition
b. 1947, Latin rock/jazz guitarist known for song “Smooth”
ca. 1770-1843, codifier of the Cherokee language
1831-1890, Sioux medicine man, participant in Battle of Little Bighorn, later toured with Buffalo Bill
b. 1954, First Latina to serve on U.S. Supreme Court
ca 1585-1622, Native American who assisted the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation
b. 1952, Author of “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”
1768-1813, Shawnee leader, fought against American settlement of Old Northwest, fell during War of 1812
1888-1953, Native American who became Olympic decathlete, Hall of Fame football running back
1797-1883, Former slave who became outspoken abolitionist and women’s rights advocate
ca.1820-1913, Female Underground Railroad conductor
1800-1831, leader of a slave rebellion in Southampton, Virginia
b. 1958, Astrophysicist, curator of the Hayden Planetarium, television personality
b. 1953, Mexican-American who was mayor of Los Angeles from 2005-2013
b. 1944, Black author of “The Color Purple”
1867-1919, First self-made African-American female millionaire, thanks to a line of haircare and cosmetic products
1856-1915, Former slave who organized Tuskegee Institute
1907-1997, African-American economist and bureaucrat, first black appointed to the Cabinet
1753-1784, First African-American women to have poetry published in the United States
b. 1954, African-American talk show goddess
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