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Godfrey Cambridge  — Research Starter

Godfrey Cambridge was an influential African American comedian and actor, born in 1933 in New York City to immigrant parents from British Guiana. His early life was marked by significant transitions,…

George Russell  — Research Starter

George Russell was an influential American jazz composer, bandleader, and educator born on June 23, 1923, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was adopted shortly after birth and developed a passion for music at a…

Gene Ammons  — Research Starter

Gene Ammons was a prominent American jazz saxophonist known for his influential contributions to the genre, particularly in the development of soul jazz. Born to boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons,…

Frederick D. Patterson  — Research Starter

Frederick D. Patterson was an influential figure in African American education and leadership, born on October 10, 1901, in Washington, D.C. After losing his parents at a young age, he pursued his…

Francis Lewis Cardozo  — Research Starter

Francis Lewis Cardozo was a prominent African American leader born on January 1, 1836, in Charleston, South Carolina, to a freeborn African American mother and a Jewish father. His early education…

Fats Navarro  — Research Starter

Fats Navarro, born Theodore Navarro on September 24, 1923, in Key West, Florida, was a significant figure in the bebop jazz movement. Initially studying piano and tenor saxophone, he switched to…

Father Divine  — Research Starter

Father Divine, born Major Jealous Divine, was a prominent religious leader and founder of the Peace Mission movement in the early 20th century. Emerging from a background of poverty in Rockville,…

Eugene Jacques Bullard  — Research Starter

Eugene Jacques Bullard, born on October 9, 1895, in Columbus, Georgia, is recognized as the first African American combat pilot in history. Growing up amid racial violence, Bullard faced numerous…

Etta James  — Research Starter

Etta James, born Jamesetta Hawkins in 1938 in South Central Los Angeles, was a renowned American blues singer whose career spanned several decades. Raised by her aunt and uncle after her mother was…