This is a list of African Americans, also known as Black Americans or Afro-Americans. African Americans are an Ethnic group and citizens of the United States who have full or partial ancestry of any black racial groups of Africa; Black and African Americans form the third largest racial and ethnic group in the United States behind White Americans and Hispanic and Latino Americans. African Americans are descendants of enslaved black people who are from the United States. To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article and/or references showing the person is African-American.
Nana Meriwether (African-American father), Miss USA 2012
Sofia Richie (African-American father), fashion model[17]
Chelsi Smith (African-American father), Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995
Businesspeople and entrepreneurs
Sports executives and businesspeople
Katrina Adams, current president of the United States Tennis Association
Koby Altman, current General manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.[18]
Anucha Browne Sanders, former executive of the New York Knicks
Pinball Clemons, current Vice-chairman for the Toronto Argonauts
Dell Demps, current vice president and general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans
Joe Dumars, former President of Basketball Operations of the Detroit Pistons
Wayne Embry, first African-American General manager and team president in NBA history, 2x NBA Executive of the Year[19]
Rube Foster, former executive of the Chicago American Giants
Rod Higgins, former president of Basketball Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats
Billy Hunter, former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association
Al Haymon, manager and adviser to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Michael Huyghue, former Commissioner of the United Football League
Stu Jackson, former executive vice president of the National Basketball Association, current associate Commissioner of the Big East Conference
Magic Johnson, current president of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, and co-owner of the Los Angeles Football Club[20][21]
Michael Jordan, current principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets.[22]
Billy King, former general manager of the Brooklyn Nets
Billy Knight, former general manager and executive vice president of the Atlanta Hawks
Billy McKinney, former vice president of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons, Executive vice president for both Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm
Steve Mills, current executive of the New York Knicks
Ozzie Newsome, current general manager of the Baltimore Ravens
Jerry Reese, former general manager of the New York Giants
Businesspeople
Alton Abraham, former social entrepreneur and business manager for Sun Ra
Wally Amos, founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie brand
James Andrews, former senior Director at Columbia Records
Donna Auguste, former founder of Freshwater Software
Leonard C. Bailey, business owner and inventor
Tyra Banks, television personality, former model
LaVar Ball, owner of the Big Baller Brand sports apparel
Christiana Carteaux Bannister, hairdressing business
ASAP Bari, co-founder of ASAP Mob and VLONE Clothing
Andre Barnett, founder of the Information Technology Company WiseDome INC
Kirt Bennett, founder of the Young Leaders Academy
Beyonce, co-founder of Tidal
Sarah Bickford, former owner of Virginia City Water Company
Dave Bing, owner of Bing Steel
Chris Brown, founder of the record label CBE
Demmette Guidry, music industry executive
Kerry S. Harris, entrepreneur
Walter P. Lomax Jr., founder of Lomax Health Systems Inc.
Mary Ellen Pleasant, real estate magnate
Madam C. J. Walker, businessperson, hair care entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist
Civil rights leaders and activists
A
Ralph Abernathy, civil rights activist and minister
Muhammad Ali, civil rights activist
Maya Angelou, civil rights activist, writer, poet
B
James Baldwin, civil rights activist, novelist, playwright
Ella Baker, Civil rights activist
Marion Barry, civil rights activist, politician
Daisy Bates, civil rights activist, publisher, journalist, lecturer
James Bevel, minister, leader of the civil rights movement
Gloria Blackwell, civil rights activist, educator
Unita Blackwell, civil rights activist
Julian Bond, civil rights activist, professor and writer
Ralph Bunche, civil rights activist, scientist, academic, diplomat
C
Beatrice Morrow Cannady, civil rights activist, publisher
James Chaney, civil rights activist
Xernona Clayton, civil rights activist
Septima Poinsette Clark, civil rights activist, educator
Charles E. Cobb Jr., civil rights activist, journalist, professor
Marvel Cooke, civil rights activist
Annie Lee Cooper, civil rights activist
Dorothy Cotton, civil rights activist
Claudette Colvin, civil rights activist, nurse
D
Ossie Davis, civil rights activist
Ruby Dee, civil rights activist
Doris Derby, civil rights activist, photographer
Frederick Douglass, abolitionist, black rights activist, women's rights activist, organizer
E
Charles Evers, civil rights activist
Medgar Evers, civil rights activist
Marian Wright Edelman, civil rights activist
F
James L. Farmer Jr., civil rights activist
Walter E. Fauntroy, civil rights activist
Sarah Mae Flemming, civil rights activist
James Forman, civil rights activist
Aretha Franklin, civil rights activist
C. L. Franklin, civil rights activist, minister
Elizabeth Freeman, first former slave to win a freedom suit in Massachusetts
Frankie Muse Freeman, civil rights activist, attorney
G
Fred Gray, civil rights lawyer
Dick Gregory, civil rights activist
H
Curtis W. Harris, civil rights activist, minister, politician
Fannie Lou Hamer, Civil rights activist
Lorraine Hansberry, civil rights activist, playwright, author
Robert Hayling, civil rights activist, dentist
Lola Hendricks, civil rights activist, secretary
Aaron Henry, civil rights activist, politician
Dorothy Height, educator and civil rights activist
Benjamin Hooks, civil rights activist, minister, attorney
T. R. M. Howard, civil rights leader, entrepreneur, surgeon
J
Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist
Jimmie Lee Jackson, civil rights activist
Richie Jean Jackson, civil rights activist, author, teacher
T. J. Jemison, civil rights activist, minister
James Weldon Johnson, writer of Black National Anthem
Clarence B. Jones, civil rights activist
K
A. D. King, civil rights activist
Alveda King, civil rights activist, author, politician
Bernice King, civil rights activist, minister
Coretta Scott King, civil rights activist
Dexter King, civil rights activist
Martin Luther King III, civil rights activist
Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader and pastor
Martin Luther King Sr., civil rights leader, pastor and missionary
Yolanda King, civil rights activist
L
Bernard Lafayette, civil rights activist, organizer
James Lawson, civil rights activist, professor
John Lewis, congressman, Nashville Student Movement, organizer
Joseph Lowery, civil rights activist and minister
Julius Lester, civil rights activist, author, professor
Conrad Lynn, civil rights activist, lawyer
M
Thurgood Marshall, civil rights activist, lawyer, judge
Benjamin Mays, civil rights activist, minister
Floyd McKissick, civil rights activist, lawyer
James Meredith, civil rights figure, writer, political adviser
Anne Moody, civil rights activist, author
Harry T. Moore, civil rights activist, educator
Harriette Moore, civil rights worker, educator
Amzie Moore, civil rights leader, entrepreneur
Bob Moses, civil rights activist, educator
Elijah Muhammad, civil rights leader
Pauli Murray, civil rights activist, lawyer, author, priest
N
Diane Nash, civil rights activist
E. D. Nixon, civil rights activist, NCAAP official
O
James Orange, civil rights activist
P
Rosa Parks, activist, NCAAP official, Montgomery Bus Boycott inspiration[23]
James Peck, civil rights activist
R
Lincoln Ragsdale, civil rights activist, aviator
A. Philip Randolph, civil rights activist
George Raymond, civil rights activist
Frederick D. Reese, civil rights activist, educator, minister
Gloria Richardson, civil rights activist
David Richmond, civil rights activist
Amelia Boynton Robinson, civil rights activist
Jackie Robinson, civil rights activist
Jo Ann Robinson, civil rights activist
Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist
Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, civil rights activist
S
Cleveland Sellers, civil rights activist, educator
Betty Shabazz, civil rights activist
Al Sharpton, civil rights activist, minister
Charles Sherrod, civil rights activist, minister
Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights activist
Charles Steele Jr., civil rights activist, politician
T
Harriet Tubman, abolitionist and humanitarian
Samuel Wilbert Tucker, civil rights activist, lawyer
V
C. T. Vivian, civil rights activist, author, minister
W
Wyatt Tee Walker, pastor, civil rights leader
Booker T. Washington, educator, founder of Tuskegee University[24]
Ida B. Wells, civil rights activist
Roy Wilkins, civil rights activist
Hosea Williams, civil rights activist, minister, businessman, philanthropist, scientist, politician
Robert F. Williams, civil rights leader, author
Myrlie Evers-Williams, civil rights activist
X
Malcolm X, human rights activist, minister
Y
Andrew Young, politician, diplomat, and activist
Whitney Young, civil rights activist
Sammy Younge Jr., civil rights activist
Government and politics
See also: List of civil rights leaders
African Americans in the United States Congress
African-American officeholders in the United States, 1789–1866
List of African-American jurists
List of African-American United States Cabinet Secretaries
David Paterson (African American mother), served as the 55th Governor of New York.
Deval Patrick, served as the 71st Governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015, so far the only African American to serve as Governor of Massachusetts.
P.B.S. Pinchback, served as the 24th Governor of Louisiana from 1872 to 1873, the first African American to become governor of a U.S. State.
Douglas Wilder, served as the 66th Governor of Virginia, became the first elected African-American governor, became the first African American to serve as governor of U.S. State since Reconstruction.[25]
Other political fields
Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to former president Barack Obama, and co-chair of the Obama-Biden Transition project.[26][27]
Historical
List of African-American abolitionists
List of African-American officeholders during Reconstruction
Journalism and media
Daisy Bates, journalist
Ed Bradley, former host of 60 Minutes, on CBS
James Brown, host of The NFL Today on CBS
Victor Blackwell, CNN news anchor
Cari Champion, journalist, host of ESPN's SportsCenter.[28]
Ta-Nehisi Coates, author, journalist
Sway Calloway, journalist, radio personality.
Elle Duncan (African-American father), sports anchor for ESPN's SportsCenter.[29]
Harris Faulkner, television host and anchor for Fox News.[30]
Bryant Gumbel, host of HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
Charlamagne tha God, radio personality, television personality, radio host of The Breakfast Club.
Greg Gumbel, sportscaster for NFL on CBS
Nia-Malika Henderson, CNN political reporter
Marc Lamont Hill, journalist, political commentator
Tameron Hall , broadcast journalist, television host.
Jemele Hill, sports journalist for ESPN's The Undefeated
Jay Harris, journalist and anchor for ESPN
Van Jones, CNN political commentator
Sheinelle Jones, journalist and news anchor for NBC News and MSNBC
Gayle King, journalist, television personality, Co-Anchor of CBS This Morning
Jackie Robinson, former professional baseball player, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, first African American to play in Major league Baseball[47]
Frank Robinson, former professional baseball player
S
CC Sabathia, professional baseball player
Giancarlo Stanton, professional baseball player[48][49]
Gary Sheffield – retired professional baseball player
Justus Sheffield – professional baseball player
M
Lee May – former professional baseball player
Andrew McCutchen - professional baseball player
Willie McCovey – former professional baseball player
John "Mule" Miles – former professional baseball player
N
Don Newcombe – former professional baseball player
Dell Curry - former professional basketball player
Stephen Curry - professional basketball player
Seth Curry - professional basketball player
Wilt Chamberlain - retired professional basketball player, Member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, only NBA player to score 100 points[74]
Wendell Carter Jr. - professional basketball player
DeMarcus Cousins - professional basketball player
Ian Clark - professional basketball player
Norris Cole - professional basketball player
Quinn Cook - professional basketball player
Jevon Carter - professional basketball player
Jordan Clarkson ( African-American father) - professional basketball player
Tony Carr - professional basketball player
Bryant Crawford - professional basketball player
Jamal Crawford - professional basketball player
John Collins - professional basketball player
Marquese Chriss - professional basketball player
Tyson Chandler - professional basketball player
Isaiah Canaan - professional basketball player
Mario Chalmers - professional basketball player
Jordan Crawford - professional basketball player
Jarrett Culver - professional basketball player
D
Anthony Davis - professional basketball player
Antonio Davis - former professional basketball player
Adrian Dantley - retired professional basketball player
Baron Davis - retired professional basketball player
Deyonta Davis - professional basketball player
DeMar DeRozan - professional basketball player
Ed Davis - professional basketball player
Erick Dampier - former professional basketball player
Glen Davis - former professional basketball player
Kevin Durant - professional basketball player
Kris Dunn - professional basketball player
P.J. Dozier - professional basketball player
Troy Daniels - professional basketball player
Trevon Duval - professional basketball player
E
Jawun Evans - professional basketball player
Tyreke Evans - professional basketball player
Reggie Evans - retired professional basketball player
Julius Erving - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
F
De'Aaron Fox - professional basketball player
Kay Felder - professional basketball player
Markelle Fultz - professional basketball player
Terrence Ferguson - professional basketball player
Yogi Ferrell - professional basketball player
G
Draymond Green - professional basketball player
George Gervin - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Harry Giles - professional basketball player
Kevin Garnett - retired professional basketball player
Paul George - professional basketball player
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - professional basketball player
H
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway - retired professional basketball player[75]
Dwight Howard - professional basketball player[76]
Grant Hill - retired professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame[77]
Magic Johnson - retired professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame[80]
Michael Jordan - retired professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, considered as the greatest player in NBA History.[81][82]
Amile Jefferson - professional basketball player
Jarrett Jack - professional basketball player
K
Brandon Knight - professional basketball player
Kevin Knox - professional basketball player
Jason Kidd - retired professional basketball player (African American Father)
L
Damian Lillard - professional basketball player
Kawhi Leonard - professional basketball player
Kyle Lowry - professional basketball player
Rashard Lewis - retired professional basketball player
Caris LeVert - professional basketball player
M
C.J. McCollum - professional basketball player
Alonzo Mourning - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Donovan Mitchell - professional basketball player
Ja Morant – professional basketball player
Karl Malone - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Moses Malone - former professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Malik Monk - professional basketball player
Reggie Miller - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Tracy McGrady - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Marcus Morris - professional basketball player
Markieff Morris - professional basketball player
Khris Middleton - professional basketball player
Wesley Matthews - professional basketball player
N
Malik Newman - professional basketball player
O
Jahlil Okafor - professional basketball player
Shaquille O'Neal - retired professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
P
Chris Paul - professional basketball player
Gary Payton - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Jabari Parker (African-American father) - professional basketball player[83]
Kendrick Perkins – former professional basketball player
Sam Perkins – former professional basketball player
Paul Pierce - retired professional basketball player
Scottie Pippen - former professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
R
Bill Russell - former professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame[84][85]
Cam Reddish - basketball player
Doc Rivers - retired professional basketball player, NBA head coach
Austin Rivers (African American father) - professional basketball player
Derrick Rose - professional basketball player
D'Angelo Russell - professional basketball player
Dennis Rodman - retired professional basketball player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Jalen Rose - retired professional basketball player
Oscar Robertson - former professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Rajon Rondo - professional basketball player
Terrence Ross - professional basketball player
Terry Rozier - professional basketball player
Josh Richardson - professional basketball player
S
Anfernee Simons - professional basketball player[86]
Caleb Swanigan - professional basketball player
Dennis Smith Jr. - professional basketball player[87]
Dennis Scott - retired professional basketball player
Iman Shumpert – professional basketball player
Kenny Smith - retired professional basketball player
John Salmons - retired professional basketball player[88]
John Salley - retired professional basketball player
Collin Sexton - professional basketball player
Marcus Smart - professional basketball player
Omari Spellman - professional basketball player
JR Smith - professional basketball player
Lance Stephenson - professional basketball player
T
Gary Trent - former professional basketball player
Gary Trent Jr. - professional basketball player
Isiah Thomas - retired professional basketball player, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Isaiah Thomas - professional basketball player
Jayson Tatum - professional basketball player
Karl-Anthony Towns (African-American father) - professional basketball player
Jason Terry - professional basketball player
Myles Turner - professional basketball player
W
Chris Webber - retired professional basketball player
Dwyane Wade - professional basketball player
John Wall - professional basketball player
Russell Westbrook - professional basketball player
Justise Winslow - professional basketball player
T.J. Warren - professional basketball player
Dion Waiters - professional basketball player
Zion Williamson - basketball player
Lou Williams - professional basketball player
Marvin Williams - professional basketball player
Hassan Whiteside - professional basketball player
Coby White - professional basketball player
Y
Trae Young (African-American father) - professional basketball player
Boxing
A
Henry Armstrong, professional boxer
Devon Alexander, professional boxer
Laila Ali, former professional boxer
Muhammad Ali, former professional boxer, activist, philanthropist, recognized as the greatest athlete of all time
Rahman Ali, former heavyweight boxer
B
Lamon Brewster, retired professional boxer
Shannon Briggs, professional boxer
Adrien Broner, professional boxer
Joe Brown, former professional boxer
Riddick Bowe, former professional boxer
C
Terence Crawford, professional boxer
D
Howard Davis Jr., former professional boxer
Michael Dokes, former professional boxer
E
Jimmy Ellis, professional boxer
F
George Foreman, retired professional boxer
Joe Frazier, former professional boxer
G
George Godfrey, former professional boxer
H
Larry Holmes, retired professional boxer
Evander Holyfield, retired professional boxer
Marvelous Marvin Hagler, former professional boxer
J
Beau Jack, former lightweight boxer
Jack Johnson, former professional boxer
Roy Jones Jr., retired professional boxer
Zab Judah, professional boxer
L
John Henry Lewis, former professional boxer
Sugar Ray Leonard, former professional boxer
Sonny Liston, professional boxer
Rocky Lockridge, former professional boxer
Joe Louis, former professional boxer
Ron Lyle, professional boxer
M
Floyd Mayweather Sr., retired professional boxer
Floyd Mayweather Jr., former professional boxer
Roger Mayweather, former professional boxer
Oliver McCall, professional boxer
Ray Mercer, retired professional boxer
Archie Moore, professional boxer
Shane Mosley, former professional boxer
Bob Montgomery, former lightweight boxer
N
Ken Norton, former professional boxer
P
Floyd Patterson, former professional boxer
Aaron Pryor, professional boxer
S
Ed Sanders, former professional boxer
Earnie Shavers, retired professional boxer
Leon Spinks, retired professional boxer
Michael Spinks, retired professional boxer
Cory Spinks, retired professional boxer
R
Hasim Rahman, retired professional boxer
Sugar Ray Robinson, professional boxer
T
James Toney, former professional boxer
Mike Tyson, former professional boxer
W
Deontay Wilder, professional boxer
Tim Witherspoon, former professional boxer
Chalky Wright, former professional boxer
Football
B
Antonio Brown - professional football player
Jim Brown - retired professional football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Dez Bryant - professional football player
Odell Beckham Jr. - professional football player
Le'Veon Bell - professional football player
E
Ezekiel Elliot – professional football player
G
Rosey Grier - retired professional football player
Mel Groomes - former professional football player
H
Dwayne Haskins – professional football player
I
Michael Irvin - former professional football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
J
Edwin Jackson – former professional football player
Lamar Jackson - professional football player
Willie Jeffries, former player and head football coach of South Carolina State University, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
K
Colin Kaepernick (African-American father) - professional football player
L
Ray Lewis – retired professional football player, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
M
Bob Mann - former professional football player
Khalil Mack – professional football player
Kyler Murray – professional football player
Marion Motley - former professional football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Randy Moss – retired professional football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
There is a substantial body of literature, much of it by African Americans, that collects biographies of black leaders.[96] Notable examples in this genre are:
100 Greatest African Americans
The Afro-American Press and Its Editors
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance
Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising
Music and Some Highly Musical People
Noted Negro Women: Their Triumphs and Activities
Others
African Americans in Omaha, Nebraska, including a list of notable African Americans from Omaha
List of African American actors
List of African-American astronauts
List of first black Major League Baseball players
List of black NHL players
Black players in professional American football
List of black quarterbacks
Race and ethnicity in the NBA
List of African-American singers
List of African American pioneers in desegregation of higher education
List of winners of the William E. Harmon foundation award for distinguished achievement among Negroes
^[7]"He was the first son of Henry Barnes, an African-American Marine with a short temper, and Ann, a white Italian mother who taught elementary school."
Atlantic slave trade·Maafa·Slavery in the United States·Military history of African Americans·Jim Crow laws·Redlining·Civil Rights Movements 1896–1954 and·1955–1968·Afrocentrism·Reparations for slavery
African American culture
African American studies·Neighborhoods·Juneteenth ·Black colleges and universities·Kwanzaa·Art·Museums·Dance·Literature·Music·LGBT topics
Religion
Black church·Black liberation theology·Black theology·Doctrine of Father Divine·American Society of Muslims·Nation of Islam·Black Hebrew Israelites
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)·Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)·Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)·Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)·National Urban League (NUL)·Rights organizations·Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)·Thurgood Marshall College Fund·United Negro College Fund (UNCF)·National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)·National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)·The Links·National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)
Sports
Negro league baseball·Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)·Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)·Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)·Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)·African Americans in the NFL·African Americans in the CFL
Ethnic sub-divisions
Black Indians·Gullah·Igbo
Languages
English·Gullah·Louisiana Creole French·African American Vernacular English
Diaspora
Liberia·Nova Scotia·Sierra Leone·France
Lists
African Americans·African-American firsts·First mayors·U.S. state firsts·Landmark African-American legislation·African-American-related articles·Topics related to the Black Diaspora·African-American visual artists