Category: Black Excellence

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/17/1193962841/an-elmo-hope-centennial-celebration-giving-a-jazz-piano-pioneer-his-due

An Elmo Hope centennial celebration: Giving a jazz piano pioneer his due

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Stringfield

Bessie Stringfield (born Betsy Beatrice White; 1911 or 1912 – February 16, 1993), also known as the “Motorcycle Queen of Miami”, was an American motorcyclist who was the first African-American woman to ride across the United States solo, and was one of the few civilian motorcycle dispatch riders for the US Army during World War II.^[2][3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_McCrae

Shane McCrae (born September 22, 1975, Portland, Oregon)^[1] is an American poet, and is currently Poetry Editor of Image.^[2]

https://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/biography

Stephen Wiltshire MBE, Hon.FSAI, Hon.FSSAA is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world in 2006. He studied Fine Art at City & Guilds Art College. His drawings are popular all over the world, and are held in a number of museums and important private and public collections.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da%27Vine_Joy_Randolph

Da’Vine Joy Randolph (born May 21, 1986)^[1] is an American actress and singer. She first gained recognition as Oda Mae Brown in the Broadway production of Ghost: The Musical (2012) for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192673130/dj-casper-creator-of-the-iconic-and-ubiquitous-cha-cha-slide-has-died-at-58

DJ Casper, creator of the iconic and ubiquitous ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ has died at 58

https://www.foodboro.com/blog/meet-a-maker-auzerais-bellamy-blondery

Auzerais Bellamy was a pastry chef for Michelin-starred restaurants before starting her blondie business, Blondery. Read on for her story!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor%C3%A9e_Fanonne_Jeffers

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (born 1967) is an American poet and novelist, and a professor of English at the University of Oklahoma.

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/14/1193720263/clarence-avant?ft=nprml&f=1002

Clarence Avant, a major power broker in music, sports and politics, has died at 92