• Jackie Robinson

    Great American Athlete and the Breaker of the Color Barrier in Major League Baseball

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  • Maya Angelou

    The Voice of the Nation, as an Author, Actress and Social Activist

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  • Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.

    The First Black United States Air Force General

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  • Rosa Parks

    The Mother of the Civil Right Movement

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  • Hank Aaron

    The Hall of Fame Baseball Player Who Broke the All-Time Home Run Mark

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  • Malcolm X

    One of the Most Influential Social Activists in the History of the United States

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  • Oprah Winfrey

    She Went From Being a TV Anchor to One of the Biggest Media Moguls in the World

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  • Muhammad Ali

    An Olympic Boxing Champion and the Greatest of All Time

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  • Nina Simone

    The Spokeswoman for a Generation in the 1960’s

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  • Thurgood Marshall

    Noted Civil Rights Attorney and the First Black Supreme Court Justice

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  • Wilt Chamberlain

    Considered the Most Dominant Basketball Player of All Time

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Welcome to Great Black Heroes

This site looks as many of the Black heroes in the course of history, pioneers and ground breakers in different fields. Many have gone unrecognized for their contributions, but their significance is now being rediscovered. Join us in recognizing these Great Black Heroes.

Civil Rights & Education

The great leaders in Civil Rights and Education, from Rosa Parks to Malcolm X to George Washington Carver

Sports & Entertainment

The greats of Sports and Entertainment, from Jackie Robinson to Hank Aaron to Oprah Winfrey

Government & Science

The great minds of Government and Science, from Thurgood Marshall to Charles Drew to Percy Julian

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. - Great Black Heroes

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

Adam Clayton Powell was the most significant Black political figure of his time
January 16, 2014/by Gaius Chamberlain
Bass Reeves

Bass Reeves

Bass Reeves is a legend of the west, one of the first Black lawmen in the region
January 3, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain
Bayard Rustin - greatblackheroes.com

Bayard Rustin

Bayard Rustin was an unknown hero of the civil rights movement of the 1960's
February 1, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. and Edward Gleed - Great Black Heroes

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the first Black United States of America Air Force General
January 25, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain
Bessie Coleman - greatblackheroes.com

Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman was a pioneer and innovator as a woman in the field of aviation
January 5, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain

Charles Drew

Charles Drew pioneer the field of blood plasma research and the modern blood bank
November 22, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Charlie Sifford - greatblackheroes.com

Charlie Sifford

Charlie Sifford was a pioneer in the world of golf, the first Black to play on the PGA tour
January 13, 2016/by Gaius Chamberlain
Don Cornelius - greatblackheroes.com

Don Cornelius

Don Cornelius was a television pioneer, bringing Black music to the mainstream
February 2, 2019/by Gaius Chamberlain

Don Shirley

Don Shirley is one of the most gifted musical geniuses of the 20th Century
December 8, 2018/by Gaius Chamberlain

Doris Miller

Doris Miller is the Black cook who became a hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor
January 25, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain

Elijah McCoy

Elijah McCoy’s scale of his ingenuity and the quality of his creations bear his name
November 26, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Ella Baker - greatblackheroes.com

Ella Baker

Ella Baker, renown as a civil rights pioneer, struggled against sexism within the movement
November 23, 2018/by Gaius Chamberlain

Fred Jones

Fred Jones is considered one of the history’s most significant and diverse inventors
November 24, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Frederick Douglass - greatblackheroes.com

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was the most well-known Black abolitionists in the US
January 22, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was a pioneering agricultural scientist and researcher
November 20, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Hank Aaron - greatblackheroes.com

Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron was an all-time great hitter in Major League Baseball and home run king
December 29, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who helped other slaves escape to freedom
December 16, 2011/by Henrietta Cast
Jackie Robinson - greatblackheroes.com

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson broke the color line in baseball & became a political & social pioneer
December 8, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain

Jan Matzeliger

Jan Matzeliger invented the automated shoe laster and revolutionized the shoe industry
November 25, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Jesse Owens - greatblackheroes.com

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens became an American hero, winning four gold medals in the Olympics
January 16, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain

Joe Louis

Joe Louis became the first Black hero for the whole United States as a boxing champion
January 14, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain
Johnny Bright - greatblackheroes.com

Johnny Bright

Johnny Bright was one of the greatest players in college football and CFL history
January 14, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain

Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was a famed entertainer, a singer, dancer and French WWII spy
June 23, 2012/by Henrietta Cast

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was one of the greatest writers/poets of the Harlem Renaissance
January 10, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain

Larry Doby

Larry Doby was the first Black player in Major League Baseball’s American League
January 11, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain

Lewis Latimer

Lewis Latimer drafted patents anddesigned a long-lasting carbon filament for light bulbs
November 25, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Lloyd Hall

Lloyd Hall

Lloyd Hall was a pioneering chemist, helping to improve food industry health conditions
November 23, 2011/by Gaius Chamberlain
Malcolm X - greatblackheroes.com

Malcolm X

Malcolm X was one of the most influential activists in the history of the United States
January 28, 2018/by Gaius Chamberlain
Marian Anderson - greatblackheroes.com

Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson was one of the most gifted and admired singers of the 20th Century
January 6, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain
Matt Baker - greatblackheroes.com

Matt Baker

Matt Baker is often considered the first known successful Black comic book artist
January 14, 2016/by Gaius Chamberlain
Matthew Henson - greatblackheroes.com

Matthew Henson

Mathew Henson was the co-discoverer of the North Pole along with Admiral Perry
January 18, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain
Maya Angelou - greatblackheroes.com

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was the voice of the nation, both as an author, actress and social activist
June 4, 2014/by Henrietta Cast
Nina Simone - greatblackheroes.com

Nina Simone

Nina Simone spoke for a generation of young people during the turbulent 1960's
May 23, 2014/by Henrietta Cast
Oprah Winfrey - greatblackheroes.com

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey has gone from being a tv anchor to becoming a media mogul
January 21, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain
Percy Julian - greatblackheroes.com

Percy Julian

Percy Julian was a giant in the field of synthetic chemistry and cortisone
January 26, 2014/by Gaius Chamberlain
Rosa Parks - greatblackheroes.com

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks helped to set off the civil rights movement, refusing to give up her bus seat
February 7, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain
Sam Lacy - greatblackheroes.com

Sam Lacy

Sam Lacy was a pioneer in the field of sports reporting, using his column as a bully pulpit
December 23, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain

Satchel Paige

Satchel Paige is remembered as one of the greatest pitchers to ever play baseball
January 16, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall was the first Black Justice of the United States Supreme Court
January 10, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain
Wendell Scott - greatblackheroes.com

Wendell Scott

Wendell Scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing, the first Black NASCAR driver
January 13, 2015/by Gaius Chamberlain
Wendell Smith - greatblackheroes.com

Wendell Smith

Wendell Smith acted as the voice of Black America, fighting against MLB segregation
January 19, 2013/by Gaius Chamberlain

William Hastie

William Hastie had a distinguished career as a politician, educator and jurist
January 8, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain
Willie O'Ree - greatblackheroes.com

Willie O’Ree

Willie O’Ree was a hockey trailblazer, the first Black player in the NHL
January 13, 2016/by Gaius Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain is recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in history
January 1, 2012/by Gaius Chamberlain

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Education

For many Blacks, an Education was seen as the key to bettering themselves and creating the hope of equality. An education, though, was illegal for many Blacks during the era of slavery and a method of diminishing and denying opportunities in both the segregated south and in major cities across the United States thereafter. These are the heroes who fought to promote Education for the masses.

Government

In order to effect change within society, it was necessary to be a part of the Government that could make that change happen. These are the heroes who became part of the Government and part of the solution.

Science

The world of Science was closed to Black minds until a group of brilliant men and women brought inventions and innovations to the world. These are the heroes who altered history and the world of Science.

Sports

Despite the many formal and informal obstacles placed in their way in the world of Sports, these athletes caught the attention and the imagination of the general public, making inroads for Blacks in society. These are the heroes who used Sports to batter down the walls of racism.