He was supposed to be a plumber. Instead, he became the first black person to win an Oscar for Best Picture.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Abebe Bikila
Born in a country that had never won a single Olympic medal, Abebe Bikila won two. He won the first one barefoot.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Valmore James
What do you call the first black American to play in the NHL?
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Anthony Mackie/Falcon
Anthony Mackie plays the first black superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Falcon is the first black American superhero in mainstream comics.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels was black, gay, and unable to afford film school. He broke into the film industry anyway.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Robert Hayden
Robert Hayden grew up in an abusive household. He became the first black U.S. poet laureate.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Dennis Kimetto
Dennis Kimetto is the fastest person to ever run a marathon. He wanted to be a farmer.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Countee Cullen
Don’t call Countee Cullen a black poet. He wouldn’t have liked that.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — John Singleton
John Singleton creates harrowing and captivating tales about black life in the United States.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua’s success in Hollywood is the exception for black directors.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan broke into an industry with very few black artists and paved a way for other black creators.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Andrew Young
He marched with Dr. King, disobeyed a U.S. President, and broke the color barrier in Georgia politics.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Blanche Bruce
Sen. Blanche Bruce (R-MS) is the only former slave to ever preside over the United States Senate.
28 Black People Who Should Inspire You — Ed Brooke
U.S. Senator, breast cancer survivor, black man. Why you should know about Sen. Edward Brooke (R-MA).
DC Comics Plans to Take Over Television
DC Comics has nine television shows on the air or in production.
113 Years Ago Today, a President Died
On the operating table, President McKinley said, “He didn’t know, poor fellow, what he was doing. He couldn’t have known.”