We are highlighting examples of Black excellence throughout the year! Feel free to send suggestions to Rachel at rstoler@frcog.org.
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Black Excellence: Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam
https://pres-outlook.org/author/jermaine-ross-allam The Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam serves as the inaugural director of the Center for the Repair of Historical Harms for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is a Ph.D. candidate in social ethics at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan. He is currently completing a book tentatively titled Trammeled by the Bonds…
Black Excellence: Michael Sumuel
https://imgartists.com/roster/michael-sumuel In the 26/27 season, American bass-baritone Michael Sumuel, lauded as having “vocals that are smooth and ingratiating” (Daily Camera) will return to LA Opera as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, conducted by James Conlon, a role he will also sing with the Boston Symphony and Andris Nelsons at…
Black Excellence: YahNé Ndgo
YahNé Ndgo is a writer, singer and the mother of a young woman who is also a creator. YahNé Ndgo has been developing Ubuntu Freedom for well over a decade. As the visionary for the project, she has been working with teams of organizers as partners and advisors to develop…
Black Excellence: K. Melchor Quick Hall
https://humanityinaction.org/person/k-melchor-quick-hall K. Melchor Quick Hall, PhD is a popular educator, writer, and researcher. Hall is the author of Naming a Transnational Black Feminist Framework: Writing in Darkness, and co-editor, with Gwyn Kirk, of Mapping Gendered Ecologies: Engaging with and Beyond Ecowomanism and Ecofeminism. She is both a Resident Scholar at…
Black Excellence: Leilah Babirye
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leilah_Babirye Leilah Babirye is a Ugandan artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Outed in her native country as a lesbian and underground LGBTQ+ activist,[1] Babirye’s work is of large-scale ceramics, wooden sculptures, African masks, as well as drawings and paintings on paper. Babirye has had exhibitions at the…
Black Excellence: Joseph Kamaru (KMRU)
http://www.centerartsdesign.org/fellows Joseph Kamaru, aka KMRU, Research Fellow, is a sound artist and experimental ambient musician, raised in Nairobi, Kenya, and currently based in Berlin where he is a student at Universität der Künste Berlin for sound Studies and Sonic Arts Master’s Program. His works deal with the discourse of field…
Black Excellence: Esther Charlestin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Charlestin Esther Charlestin (born 1990)[1] is an American educator and businesswoman,[2] serving as the chair of the Vermont Commission on Women.[3][4] A first-generation Haitian American,[5] Charlestin was the Democratic nominee in the 2024 Vermont gubernatorial election.[6]
Black Excellence: Claudette Gacuti
Claudette Gacuti (b. Burundi) makes objects for a world whose ground will not settle. She conflates scales—geologic, domestic, psychological—to study and adapt to earthly instability. Fear and fantasy cohabit in her forms. Gacuti holds an MS in architecture from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in sculpture from the…
Black Excellence: Black Jewish Liberation Collective
https://www.blackjewishliberation.org We are a collective of Black Jews based in the United States who amplify our voices and uplift our cultural and political organizing.
Continue Reading Black Excellence: Black Jewish Liberation Collective
Black Excellence: Wambui Kamiru Collymore
Wambui Kamiru Collymore is a visual artist who mainly creates installations. She currently works on themes of decoloniality, womanhood, memory and history and more recently, online dis-identity. Wambui’s work incorporates everyday objects and the use of at least three senses of perception. Her work has been exhibited in Kenya, South…
Black Excellence: Betye Saar
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/28/nx-s1-5910539/betye-saar-dead The artist Betye Saar has died. Saar made three-dimensional art with found objects, tackling stereotypes about Black identity and women. Her longtime gallery, Roberts Projects in Los Angeles, said she died in her sleep in Los Angeles on Sunday — just days shy of her 100th birthday.
Black Excellence: Dr. Lisa Brock
https://thecentergalleries.org/dr-lisa-brock Dr. Brock was born and raised in Glendale, Ohio and holds a BA in history from Howard University and a doctorate in history from Northwestern University. She has spent most of her life involved in social justice activism and higher education. She served as chair of the Humanities, History,…
Black Excellence: Marlon James
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlon_James_(novelist) Marlon James (born 24 November 1970[1]) is a Jamaican writer. He is the author of five novels: John Crow’s Devil (2005), The Book of Night Women (2009), A Brief History of Seven Killings (2014), which won him the 2015 Man Booker Prize, Black Leopard, Red Wolf (2019), and Moon…
Black Excellence: Brittany Harris
Brittany Harris (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and composer. Current Role at WAM: cellist in hollow roots. Selected Performance Experience Elsewhere: Brittany has performed in many major venues such as Saturday Night Live with Shawn Mendez, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with Liam Gallager, appearances at Carnegie Hall performing…
Black Excellence: Jeff Parker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Parker_(musician) Jeff Parker (born April 4, 1967) is an American guitarist and composer based in Los Angeles.[1][2][3] Born in Connecticut and raised in Hampton, Virginia, Parker is best known as an experimental musician, working with jazz, electronic, rock, and improvisational groups. Parker studied at Berklee College of Music and then…
Black Excellence: Eden-Renée Hayes
Eden-Reneé Hayes Eden-Reneé Hayes, Ph.D. (aka Dr. E) is a DEI strategist, educator, speaker, and executive coach. As the CEO of Pluralism Solutions, she leads a consulting firm committed to guiding companies from unconscious obstacles around DEI to realistic movement. She has partnered with organizations on cultural competency, retention, and…
Black Excellence: Erica Schwartz
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/15/nx-s1-5892482/cdc-director-erica-schwartz-senate-confirmation-hearing CDC director nominee Erica Schwartz faced questions in Senate hearing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Schwartz Erica G. Schwartz is a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps who was Deputy Surgeon General from January 2019 to April 2021. Prior to this, she served in several positions with the U.S.…
Black Excellence: Djed Spence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djed_Spence Diop Tehuti Djed-Hotep Spence (born 9 August 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a full-back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team.
Black Excellence: Kevin Sharpe
Vocalist/Multi-instrumentalist Kevin Sharpe began his musical career at the age of seven singing gospel in his church choir. By age eleven he was playing drums for that same choir and eventually became one of the primary drummers for the Church of God in Christ in the region. Later in college…
Black Excellence: Naire Poole
Naire Poole is fresh off of her performances as Hermia in Shakespeare & Company’s mainstage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare & Company’s Northeast Regional Tour. Select credits include: Theater: The Performer ‘hollow roots’ with WAM Theatre, ‘Margaret/the Sexton Much Ado…
Black Excellence: Nicole M. Young-Martin
Nicole M. Young-Martin President (she/her) is a writer, performer, producer, and educator with over 25 years of experience as a practicing artist and over 15 years of working in higher education and the nonprofit sector. Nicole joined our board in January of 2022. Having attended WAM productions in the past,…
Black Excellence: LaToya Murray-Berry
Today, it’s my extreme pleasure to introduce you to celebrity stylist LaToya Murray-Berry. The stylish star stylist who has been working her craft for the past six years, took some time to chat with Gigi+Nini Style and counts Amber Rose, Dirty Money, Puff Daddy, Jim Jones, Fabolous, Juelz Santana, Beenie Man, Beverly Johnson,…
Black Excellence: Michael King
https://www.mikekingpiano.com Virtuosic pianist Michael King, a Chicagoan native began playing drums in his local church band at the early age of 4. This fortuitously melodic schooling nurtured an undeniable affinity to the piano and organ, the very seat that he began to occupy, by ear, at age 14. Mr. King…
Black Excellence: Cheryl L. West
http://cheryllwest.com/about/ Cheryl L. West’s plays include, FANNIE: The Music and Life of Fannie LouHamer, Last Stop on Market Street, Shout Sister Shout, Akeelah and the Bee,Pullman Porter Blues, and Jar the Floor. Her plays have been produced inEngland, off-Broadway, on Broadway (Play On!) and in numerous regionaltheaters around the country,…
Black Excellence: Tim Howard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Howard Timothy Matthew Howard (born March 6, 1979) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Nicknamed the “Secretary of Defense”, Howard is regarded as one of the greatest American players of all time.[4][5][6] Howard began his career with the North Jersey Imperials, before making a…
Black Excellence: Deantoni Parks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deantoni_Parks Deantoni Parks (born November 2, 1977) is an American musician. He is the co-founder, co-producer and drummer of the New York band Kudu, along with artist Sylvia Black, and a member of the TV/film-scoring duo We Are Dark Angels which also comprises Kudu member Nicci Kasper. Parks was a…
Black Excellence: Alika Hope
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alika_Hope Alika Hope is the founder and primary vocalist for the Ray of Hope Project. She was born in Oregon and received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Notre Dame. Hope also minored in dance at St. Mary’s College. She went on to receive a Master…
Black Excellence: Shannon Lamb
Shannon Lamb (she/her) is an accomplished actor and singer who has been blessed to perform on various stages across the country. Current WAM credit: Cabaret Performer. Previous WAM credits: Charlotta Bass in Letters to Kamala. Selected Theatre Credits Elsewhere: Bertha in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and Rachel Twymon Sr…
Black Excellence: Jude Bellingham
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Bellingham Jude Victor William Bellingham (born 29 June 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and the England national team. Regarded as “one of the best players in the world”, he is known for his athleticism and ball-winning ability.[4][5][6]
Black Excellence: Gilbert McCauley
https://www.gilbertmccauley.com/about-gilbert-mccauley Gilbert McCauley is a masterful theatrical storyteller and a Full Professor in the Department of Theater at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has served as the Producing Artistic Director of Oakland Ensemble Theatre, Resident Director at Rites and Reason Theatre, as an acting company member of the Repertory…
Black Excellence: Josh Johnson
https://www.joshjohnsonmusic.com/#about Josh Johnson is a saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer. His second solo album, Unusual Object, a striking work of futuristic jazz and modern composition, was recently released on Northern Spy Records. This spare work for processed saxophone and subtle samples shows Johnson further sharpening his unique compositional voice. Unusual…
Black Excellence: Bill Hamid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hamid Abdul Bilal “Bill” Hamid (/həˈmiːd/ hə-MEED; born November 25, 1990) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper. Born in Annandale, Virginia, Hamid was the first D.C. United Academy player to sign for the first team in September 2009. He made his professional debut in May…
Black Excellence: Charles Francis McAfee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_F._McAfee Charles Francis McAfee, FAIA, NOMA (born December 25, 1932),[1] is an American architect, building material manufacturer, and housing activist. He was the founding president of Charles F. McAfee Architects, Engineers, and Planners firm (now McAfee3) which was headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.[2] McAfee has had a distinguished career, and has…
Black Excellence: Kylian Mbappé
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylian_Mbapp%C3%A9 Kylian Mbappé Lottin (French pronunciation: [kiljan (ɛ)mbape lɔtɛ̃]; born 20 December 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and captains the France national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he is known for…
Black Excellence: Mara Brock Akil
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_Brock_Akil Mara Brock Akil (born May 27, 1970) is an American television producer and writer. She began her screenwriting career at age 23 on South Central (1994) on Fox. At age 30, she became the youngest African American showrunner on broadcast network television when she created the sitcom Girlfriends, airing…
Black Excellence: Alma Thomas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Thomas Alma Woodsey Thomas (September 22, 1891 – February 24, 1978) was an American artist and art teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C., and is now recognized as a major American painter of the 20th century. She is the first African-American woman to be included in the White…
Black Excellence: Melat Kiros
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/01/nx-s1-5876122/colorado-primary-election-melat-kiros-democratic-socialist Political newcomer and democratic socialist Melat Kiros is poised to become the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress after defeating 15-term incumbent Democrat Diana DeGette in a primary race for Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, according to a race call by the Associated Press.
Black Excellence: X-Alfonso
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Alfonso X-Alfonso (born c. 1974 as Equis Alfonso) is a Cuban hip hop and afro-rock musician, who played with Audioslave in a concert in Havana on May 7, 2005, in “Tribuna Anti-imperialista”.
Black Excellence: Jason Parham
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Parham Jason Parham (born 1986) is an American writer and editor. He is senior writer at Wired and the founder and editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Spook. He was previously an editor at Gawker and The Fader, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The New…
Black Excellence: Ayanna Pressley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayanna_Pressley Ayanna Soyini Pressley (born February 3, 1974) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts’s 7th congressional district since 2019. This district includes the northern three quarters of Boston, most of Cambridge, parts of Milton, as well as all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and…
Black Excellence: Bow Wow
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/29/g-s1-126163/bow-wow-tiny-desk-concert Bow Wow built his own lane. His debut single spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, he released three successful albums and landed a string of big screen appearances, all before turning 18. His transformation from child star to well-rounded entertainer serves as a…
Black Excellence: Adrian Miller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Miller Adrian Miller is an American author and former attorney and policy analyst. His books have twice won the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship: Soul Food in 2014 and Black Smoke in 2022. He is also the author of The President’s Kitchen Cabinet, which was nominated…
Black Excellence: Arthur Gross
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/28/nx-s1-5843114/250-colonial-america-1776-food-anniversary ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Arthur Gross has been the chef at Middleton Tavern in Annapolis, Md., for 50 years. That’s a long time, even for a tavern that started serving food before the country’s inception. Sometimes, in between preparing food in the kitchen, “I wonder to myself what would it…
Black Excellence: Hope Boykin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Boykin Hope Boykin is an American dancer, choreographer and former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.[1] Boykin also works as an educator, and joined the faculty of the University of Southern California (USC)’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance as the artist in residence for the 2019-2020 academic year.[10]…
Black Excellence: African Teams in the World Cup
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/26/nx-s1-5867404/2026-world-cup-fifa-africa-cape-verde-senegal-morocco-congo It’s not just Cape Verde: African soccer is having a World Cup moment HOUSTON — Cape Verde, the surprise star of the 2026 World Cup, is having a moment. A big moment. The team has advanced to the knockout round. This is the first World Cup for the small…
Continue Reading Black Excellence: African Teams in the World Cup
Black Excellence: Robert Battle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Battle Robert Battle (born August 28, 1972) is a dancer, choreographer, and the former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In November 2024, Battle accepted a position as a resident choreographer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, with duties commencing in 2025.[12][13]
Black Excellence: Ronald Damper and Damron Corporation
For more than 35 years, Damron Corporation on Chicago’s west side has manufactured and distributed tea products, sourced from the most famous tea-growing areas in the world. Companies that Damron supplies its products to include McDonald’s. In fact, Damron was the first African-American owned company to become a national supplier…
Continue Reading Black Excellence: Ronald Damper and Damron Corporation
Black Excellence: Kadi Lee
https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/kadi-lee Kadi Lee is a celebrity hair colorist and the co-founder of Highbrow Hippie, a luxury beauty and wellness brand rooted in clean ingredients, intentional rituals, and timeless beauty. Growing up in a small town outside New York, Kadi learned to care for her own textured hair at just eleven,…
Black Excellence: Kingston Flemings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_Flemings Kingston Elijah Flemings (born January 3, 2007) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Houston Cougars.
Black Excellence: Roberta Washington
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Washington Roberta Washington FAIA, NOMA, is an American architect. She founded the firm Roberta Washington Architects in 1983,[1] which, at the time, was one of very few architecture firms in the United States led by an African-American woman.[2] She was a Commissioner of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission…
Black Excellence: Dr. Wanjiru Njoya
https://mises.org/profile/wanjiru-njoya Dr. Wanjiru Njoya is the Walter E. Williams Research Fellow for the Mises Institute. She is the author of Economic Freedom and Social Justice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Redressing Historical Injustice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023, with David Gordon), “You Stole Our Land: Common Law, Private Property, and Rothbardian Principles of Justice”…
Black Excellence: Rachel Jones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Jones_(artist) Rachel Jones (born 1991)[1] is a British visual artist. She has exhibited work in the UK at galleries and institutions including Thaddaeus Ropac, The Sunday Painter and the Royal Scottish Academy, and has been artist-in-residence at the Chinati Foundation (2019) and Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in (2016).[2] Her…
Black Excellence: Charles Gaines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Gaines_(artist) Charles Gaines (born 1944) is an American visual artist, whose work interrogates the discourse of aesthetics, politics, and philosophy. Taking the form of drawings, photographic series and video installations, the work consistently involves the use of systems, predominantly in the form of the grid, often in combination with photography.…
Black Excellence: Eddie Glaude
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Glaude Eddie Steven Glaude Jr. (born September 4, 1968) is an American academic, author, and pundit. He is James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University, where he teaches in the departments of African American studies and religion.[1][2] At Princeton, Glaude was the inaugural department chair after the Princeton…
Black Excellence: Reggie Harris
Reggie Harris is an innovative guitarist, a fearlessly creative vocalist, and an engaging storyteller whose concert performances are infused with joy. It’s clear to all that he deeply loves singing and that it is more than his work. But that’s not all. Uniquely committed to “music as a community building…
Black Excellence: Edouard Wemy
Edouard Wemy Associate Professor, Economics Clark University Dr. Wemy is originally from Burkina Faso. He received his B.A. in Economics and Mathematics at Ohio Dominican University, and his Ph.D. in Economics in 2015 from Emory University. Dr. Wemy is an active member of the American Economics Association and a fellow…
Black Excellence: Jalen Brunson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalen_Brunson Jalen Marquis Brunson[1] (born August 31, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The son of former NBA guard Rick Brunson, he played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, earning national player of the year honors as a…
Black Excellence: a’driane nieves
https://www.addyeb.com/biography a’driane nieves (b. 1982, San Antonio, Texas) is a visual artist and writer whose interdisciplinary practice explores the interior landscapes of the self. A self-taught painter for over a decade, she began painting in 2011 as a form of art therapy during recovery from postpartum depression and a subsequent…
Black Excellence: Nate Edwards-Roseney
It takes most college students a semester or two to zero in on passions, projects, and course loads. But Nate Edwards-Roseney ‘22 was a Fellow at Clark University’s Mosakowski Institute even before he began his freshman year; the Institute was part of what drew him to Clark in the first…
Black Excellence: Abdullah Ibrahim
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/15/846195598/abdullah-ibrahim-south-africa-obituary Abdullah Ibrahim, the South African jazz pianist deemed his country’s equivalent to Mozart by Nelson Mandela, died Monday in his adopted home of Germany after a short illness. He was 91 years old. “Abdullah passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart,” his partner, Marina…
Black Excellence: Dr. Kevin S. Smith
Dr. Kevin S. Smith, serving as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Affiliations at the Morehouse School of Medicine, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his role in shaping the future of healthcare professionals. With a foundation laid during his residency and fellowship training at Stanford University…
Black Excellence: Gary Holness
Gary Holness Associate Professor of Computer Science, Clark University Gary gets an absolute thrill from building things; that is bringing ideas, theories, and algorithms to life! He focuses on the investigation, design, and algorithmic realization of models that endow computing machines and systems with the ability to sense, interpret and…
Black Excellence: Shari Dunn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shari_Dunn Shari Dunn (born 1968) is an American non-profit executive, journalist, and writer. She is the author of Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work (2025), and is known for her work in workplace equity, media, and public policy.[1][2]
Black Excellence: Daysha Williams
STOMPing Back to Worcester Daysha Williams ’17 keeps the beat onstage on national tour Daysha Williams ’17 arrived in Worcester in February with a Nor’easter in the forecast and a table at Da-Lat awaiting her. It was like coming home. Williams was back in the city with the touring company…
Black Excellence: Cameron McCloud
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-cameron-mccloud We were lucky to catch up with Cameron McCloud recently and have shared our conversation below. Cameron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think…
Black Excellence: Floetry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floetry Floetry is an English music duo formed in 1997 by singer Marsha Ambrosius (“the Songstress”) and spoken-word poet Natalie Stewart (“the Floacist”). They are known for their diverse musical and performance style referred to as “poetic delivery with musical intent”.[1][2][3] https://www.npr.org/2026/06/02/g-s1-123334/floetry-tiny-desk-concert Floetry made its way “from London’s SE5 to…
Black Excellence: Frantzdy Pierrot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantzdy_Pierrot Frantzdy Pierrot (born 29 March 1995) is a Haitian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor, on loan from AEK Athens, and the Haiti national team.
Black Excellence: Sherrilyn Ifill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherrilyn_Ifill Sherrilyn Ifill (born December 17, 1962) is an American attorney and the Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights (Vernon E. Jordan) at Howard University. She is a law professor and the former president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.[1] She was the seventh…
Black Excellence: Jordan Adeyemi
Clark student’s nonprofit has plenty of sole Jordan Adeyemi ’28 has been working for the last four years to channel his love of soccer into community service by co-founding and operating a nonprofit that donates new and gently used sports shoes to underserved youth. Adeyemi and his 14-year-old brother Jason…
Black Excellence: Aaron Mays
https://newplayexchange.org/users/28248/aaron-mays Playwright and director Aaron Mays is an award-winning theatre artist based in Chicago. His latest play BLACK SANTA was one of four finalists to receive its world premiere at the 2024 Obsidian Theatre Festival. The play’s Southeast premiere took place at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center and City…
Black Excellence: Ophelia DeVore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_DeVore Ophelia DeVore (August 12, 1921 – February 28, 2014) was an American businesswoman, publisher, and model.[1] She was the first model of African-American descent in the United States. In 1946, she helped establish the Grace Del Marco Agency, one of the first modeling agencies in America.[2]
Black Excellence: James Clyburn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Clyburn James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 6th congressional district. First elected in 1992, Clyburn is serving his 17th term, representing a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia and Charleston,…
Black Excellence: Cheryl Johnson-Odim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Johnson-Odim Cheryl Johnson-Odim is an American historian. She worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago. She became dean at Columbia College Chicago and in 2007 was made provost of Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cadc_caam_oralhistories/37 Dr. Cheryl Johnson-Odim is an activist and educator. She…
Black Excellence: Antawan I. Byrd
https://www.artic.edu/authors/63/antawan-i-byrd Antawan I. Byrd is associate curator, Photography and Media, at the Art Institute of Chicago. Since joining the museum in 2017, he has contributed to the exhibition Volta Photo: Starring Sanlé Sory and the People of Bobo-Dioulasso in the Small but Musically Mighty Country of Burkina Faso (2018) and curated and…
Black Excellence: Shermann “Dilla” Thomas
https://www.chicagomahogany.com/our-historian Chicago historian Dilla, as he is affectionately known, is an Emmy Award-winning modern historian, cultural worker, and brand ambassador. Dilla has become a Chicago influencer, activist and social media sensation. What began by going viral on TikTok has led into perspective shifting, publicly accessible history lessons for all. Dilla’s…
Black Excellence: Anthony Chambers
https://www.family-institute.org/therapists-locations/staff/anthony-chambers Anthony Chambers, Ph.D., ABPP, is the chief academic officer and a Board Certified Couple and Family Psychologist on staff at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Dr. Chambers is also the director of Northwestern University’s Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, in addition to his clinical professorship in…
Black Excellence: Lindsay Vahl Dean
https://magazine.northwestern.edu/alumni/naa-new-leader-executive-director-lindsay-vahl-dean For Lindsay Vahl Dean, the opportunity to shape how Northwestern interacts with its global alumni community was too good to pass up. “I am thrilled by the chance to create spaces where alumni can deepen their experiences with the University and one another,” says Vahl Dean, who became assistant…
Black Excellence: The Wooten Brothers
https://www.thewootenbrothers.com/brothers For over five decades the Wooten Brothers have been recognized as some of the most innovative musicians in existence and are collectively known as one of the most talented and dynamic band of brothers the world has ever known. A self-contained unit, the band consist of (from oldest to…
Black Excellence: Booker T. Whatley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Whatley Booker T. Whatley (November 5, 1915 in Calhoun County, Alabama – September 3, 2005 in Montgomery, Alabama) was an agriculture professor at Tuskegee University, Alabama, and a pioneer of sustainable agriculture in the post-World War II era. He also aimed to “generate an agrarian black middle class”.[1]
Black Excellence: Jackie Venson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Venson Jackie Venson (born 1990) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2011. Venson has released five studio albums, Joy (2019), Love Transcends (2021), Evolution of Joy (2023), Ghost in the Machine (2023) and The Love Anthology (2025). In addition…
Black Excellence: Annahstasia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annahstasia Annahstasia Enuke,[1] known mononymously as Annahstasia, is an American folk musician from Los Angeles.[2] https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/g-s1-121475/annahstasia-tiny-desk-concert Take a deep breath. This is what songwriter Annahstasia tenderly instructs her band to do between songs; it’s also an apt description of what listening to her music can feel like.
Black Excellence: Vallery Lomas
https://blog.mlaglobal.com/the-legal-navigator-issue-11/5-things-you-didnt-know-vallery-lomas 5 Things You Didn’t Know: Vallery Lomas, Lawyer-Turned-Baker What started as a cooking blog turned into a career for Vallery Lomas after she won on The Great American Baking Show. From that moment, she left behind her law practice to pursue her passion for food. Here are five things you…
Black Excellence: Mallori Johnson
Mallori Johnson on Relearning Her Own Face in ‘Is God Is’ and Learning Bravery From Her Co-Stars There are roles that challenge you. And then there are roles that completely rebuild you. For Mallori Johnson, Is God Is was both. As Anaia — the quieter, more contemplative of the twin…
Black Excellence: Aleshea Harris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleshea_Harris Aleshea Harris is an American playwright, performer, and screenwriter. Her play Is God Is won the American Playwriting Foundation’s Relentless Award in 2016. In 2023, her play On Sugarland was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.[1] Her work has been commissioned for the Denver Center for the…
Black Excellence: Rodney Carmichael
https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/people/rodney-carmichael Rodney Carmichael is a storyteller, journalist and cultural critic, covering hip-hop at NPR Music since 2017. He often works at the intersection of race and inequality, telling stories across mediums that combine reporting and criticism to spotlight the sociopolitical significance of Black cultural production. As co-host/co-creator of NPR’s first…
Black Excellence: James Lawson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lawson_(activist) James Morris Lawson Jr. (September 22, 1928 – June 9, 2024) was an American activist and university professor. He was a leading theoretician and tactician of nonviolence within the Civil Rights Movement.[1] During the 1960s, he served as a mentor to the Nashville Student Movement and the Student Nonviolent…
Black Excellence: Hiplet Ballerinas
https://www.hipletballerinas.com The Hiplet Ballerinas are the professional Company of the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center in the USA. Hiplet™ was created by Artistic Director Homer Hans Bryant & evolved from the “Rap Ballet” of the 1990’s. Specifically designed to make Ballet accessible to all people, Hiplet™ is a fusion between classical…
Black Excellence: Lena Waithe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Waithe Lena Waithe (/weɪθ/;[1] born May 17, 1984)[2][3] is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She is the creator of the Showtime drama series The Chi (2018–present) and the BET comedy series Boomerang (2019–20) and Twenties (2020–21). She also wrote and produced the crime film Queen & Slim (2019) and…
Black Excellence: Harvey Gantt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Gantt Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943)[1] is an American architect and Democratic politician active in North Carolina.[2] The first African-American student admitted to Clemson University after attending Iowa State University, Gantt graduated with honors in architecture, earned a master’s at MIT, and established an architectural practice in Charlotte…
Black Excellence: Tabitha Brown and Gina Woods
https://www.donnasrecipe.com/pages/about-us Donna’s Recipe was co-founded by Tabitha Brown (@iamtabithabrown) and Gina Woods (@ginalosangeles). Together, they embarked on a mission to provide exclusively vegan, clean ingredients in their products—ones that not only deliver results but also become eagerly anticipated staples in your hair care routine. The entire line is crafted with…
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Black Excellence: William Still
William Still 1821-1902 William Still was born in Burlington County, New Jersey. His father, Levin Steel, had been enslaved, purchased his own freedom, and changed his name to Still to protect his wife, Sidney. Mrs. Still had tried to escape once before she succeeded, but could only bring two of…
Black Excellence: National Juneteenth Museum
https://nationaljuneteenthmuseum.org The National Juneteenth Museum is more than a museum — it will be an epicenter for education and celebration that is dedicated to building opportunities to advance future generations. As the epicenter for the preservation of Juneteenth history, the National Juneteenth Museum will be a collaborative space to foster…
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Black Excellence: Cape Verde World Cup Soccer Team
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/10/nx-s1-5796264/cape-verde-tiny-nation-massive-world-cup-dream PRAIA—Cape Verde may be small, but its soccer World Cup dream is huge. With just over half a million people, it’s one of the tiniest countries ever to qualify for the tournament. From the volcanic islands of the Atlantic, the team—known as the Blue Sharks—are chasing history. This summer,…
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Black Excellence: Greg Tate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Tate Gregory Stephen Tate (October 14, 1957 – December 7, 2021) was an American writer, musician, and producer. A long-time critic for The Village Voice, Tate focused particularly on African-American music and culture, helping to establish hip-hop as a genre worthy of music criticism. Flyboy in the Buttermilk: Essays on Contemporary…
Black Excellence: Southern University’s School of Nursing
https://nursingcecentral.com/louisiana-hbcu-black-male-nurses The historically Black university and college that received a $339,000 grant from the American Nurses Foundation is making history. Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, recently announced its largest cohort of Black male nurses. Nationwide — Last year, Southern University’s School of Nursing, an HBCU in…
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Black Excellence: Mphethi Morojele
https://www.holcimfoundation.org/experts/mphethi-morojele Mphethi Morojele founded MMA Design Studio as MMA Architects in 1995 soon after the end of Apartheid. Since then, the practice has completed several award-winning projects including South Africa’s embassies in Germany (2003) and Ethiopia (2009), and the Freedom Park project in Pretoria (2010).
Black Excellence: Kunlé Adeyemi
Kunlé Adeyemi is an architect, designer and development researcher whose works are internationally recognised for originality and innovation. He is the founder and principal of NLÉ – an architecture, design and urbanism practice founded in 2010, for innovating cities and communities. Adeyemi’s notable works include ‘Makoko Floating School’, a groundbreaking,…
Black Excellence: Betty Shabazz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders;[2] May 28, 1935[a] – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate who was married to Malcolm X.
Black Excellence: Kes the Band
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/08/g-s1-118144/kestheband-tiny-desk-concert The island has come to Tiny Desk. “Representing for soca music, happy music, love music,” leader Kees “Kes” Dieffenthaller tells us, KestheBand opens with “Hello,” a warm, Caribbean welcome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kes_(band) Kes (commonly known as Kes the Band or KTB) is a Trinidadian soca group formed in 2005, known for…
Black Excellence: Aariana Rose Philip
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aariana_Rose_Philip Aariana Rose Philip (born March 15, 2001) is an Antiguan-American model and musician. In 2018, she became the first Black, transgender, and physically disabled model to ever be represented by a major modeling agency, and has since modeled in several major high fashion photo shoots and campaigns.[2][3][4][5][6] In 2021,…