Kehinde Wiley
Kehinde Wiley is a highly regarded portrait painter known for his naturalistic paintings of black American men in heroic poses. Barack Obama chose Wiley to paint his presidential portrait.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
A former national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine, Ta-Nehisi Coates is also an award-winning author and faculty member of Howard University.
Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland is the first black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre and a strong advocate for diversity in the art form.
Carla Hayden
In 2016, professional librarian Carla Hayden made history by becoming the first female and the first black American to serve as the Librarian of Congress.
Jon Gosier
Jon Gosier is a leading investor, software developer, and philanthropist whose organizations aim to evenly distribute wealth derived from tech.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Tamyra Mensah-Stock succeeded in defeating her opponent during the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle wrestling final at the Tokyo Olympics, making her the first black female in the U.S. to win gold.
Usain Bolt
Jamaica-born Olympic champion Usain Bolt is considered the fastest man alive. He broke world records and won a series of gold medals at three Summer Games in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Miriam Jiménez Román
Miriam Esther Jiménez Román was many things: a professor, archivist, curator, editor, author, and social theorist. She was also a pioneer of Afro-Latinidad studies.
Massy Arias
Massiel “Massy” Indhira Arias is an Afro-Dominican personal trainer and health coach who overcame severe depression through fitness training and now advocates for health and wellness.
Horacio Salgán
Horacio Adolfo Salgán was an Afro-Argentine tango composer, conductor, and pianist who was instrumental in expanding the boundaries of his music form. At 100 years of age, he died in Buenos Aires, where he was born.
Neymar Santos Jr.
Neymar Santos, Jr., known professionally as Neymar, is a Brazilian soccer player with several awards and championship titles to his name. He is considered one of the greatest players in the sport.
Eva Ayllón
Composer and singer Eva Ayllón, who brought Afro-Peruvian Creole music into the mainstream, is considered one of the foremost musicians in Peru.
Arturo Schomburg
Afro-Puerto Rican Arthur A. Schomburg dedicated his life to researching and preserving black history by collecting literature, artwork, slave narratives, and materials related to the African Diaspora.
José Celso Barbosa
José Celso Barbosa became the first Puerto Rican to earn a medical degree in the U.S. After practicing medicine for decades in his country, Barbosa emerged as a leading politician.
Julia López
Julia López, an award-winning self-taught painter, usually paints in the Naïve genre, which calls for childlike simplicity. Her work often depicts rural and coastal life in Mexico.
Esteban Hotesse
Esteban Hotesse served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the 619th Squadron of the 477th Bombardment Group. That made him the only Afro-Latino member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Maritza Correia McClendon
Maritza Correia McClendon won a silver medal during the 2004 Olympics, and she is the first black woman—being Afro-Puerto Rican—to earn a spot on a U.S. Olympic swim team.
Graciela Dixon
Despite the lack of opportunities available to Afro-Latino women in Panama, Graciela Dixon made history by becoming the country’s first black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Benny Moré
Musician Benny Moré transitioned from working in the cane fields of central Cuba to composing and performing some of the most beloved Afro-Cuban music of any artist.