Arts & Entertainment

Lois K. Alexander-Lane was an acclaimed fashion designer. She founded the Harlem Institute of Fashion in 1966, offering courses in dressmaking, millinery and tailoring. The courses were free with only a $10 registration fee and 4,500 students graduated by 1987. She also founded the National Association of Milliners, Dressmakers and Tailors in 1966. In 1979, […]

Coline Creuzot is a renowned singer and songwriter. After graduating college, Creuzot returned to her hometown of Houston, Texas to pursue a full-time music career, releasing her first mixtape “Head Turner” in 2008. Creuzot worked with music producer Happy Perez on her 2008 debut single “Give-And-Take.” The track gained popularity in Houston and reached #1

Robi Reed is a successful casting director known for her work in film and television. She began her career working with the writer-director Spike Lee. His 1988 release, School Daze, was her first film as a casting director. She went on to cast Lee’s Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Crooklyn, Clockers

Javicia Leslie is an actor known for her roles in various television series. She gained widespread recognition for portraying the title character in Batwoman, where her portrayal of Ryan Wilder/Batwoman made history as the first Black actress to play the iconic DC Comics character. In 2017 she filmed a role as one of the leads

Taylor “DJ Tay” James is a prominent DJ and music industry figure. He was signed to Unruly Records in 2005, and after several years playing clubs in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area began touring as Justin Bieber’s DJ and MC in 2009. He has released several mixtapes and has served as a radio DJ

James “Biff” Henderson, Jr. is a television personality best known for his long-time role on “Late Show with David Letterman.” As stage manager, he became a beloved figure for his on-screen appearances and interactions with Letterman. His association with David Letterman, which spanned 35 years, began in 1980. He rejoined Letterman with the launch of

Leslie Garland Bolling was a significant figure in the Harlem Renaissance, known for his powerful wood carvings that often-depicted African American subjects and themes. His work began to achieve broader recognition because of the National Negro Exhibition of 1933 at the Smithsonian. His carvings reflected everyday themes and shared values of the Black culture in

Darrell Britt-Gibson is a talented actor who has appeared in various critically acclaimed television shows and films. Britt-Gibson made his acting debut in the recurring role of Darius “O-Dog” Hill on HBO’s crime drama television series The Wire, starring in 8 episodes from 2006 to 2008. He then appeared in the film Toe to Toe

RaaShaun “DJ Envy” Casey is a prominent radio personality and DJ, best known as a co-host of the nationally syndicated morning show The Breakfast Club. His engaging on-air presence and influence in hip-hop culture have made him a recognizable figure in the entertainment industry. DJ Envy has made appearances on Juelz Santana’s and Lloyd Banks’s

John Biggers was a highly influential African American artist and educator. After serving in World War II, he attended Hampton University, where his artistic talents were nurtured. Biggers is renowned for his powerful murals and drawings that often depict African American life, history, and mythology, blending social realism with symbolic imagery. His work has been

Samella Sanders Lewis was a groundbreaking artist, educator, and the visionary founder of the International Review of African American Art. Her artistic contributions and her dedication to promoting the work of African American artists have had a profound and lasting impact on the art world. She has been called the “Godmother of African American Art”.