Mellody Hobson
Mellody Hobson is co-CEO of Ariel Investments, a well-respected Chicago money-management firm. In 2020, she made history by being named chairwoman of Starbucks Corporation.
Tracy K. Smith
Tracy K. Smith is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet and the U.S. poet laureate appointed to the 2017 and 2018 terms by the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden.
Charles Q. Brown Jr
General Charles Q. Brown made history as the first black American to lead a U.S. branch of the military when he became the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force on August 6, 2020.
Amy Sherald
Award-winning portrait artist Amy Sherald waited tables until she was 38 before painting became a career. In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery unveiled her official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama.
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.