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James Brown  — Research Starter

James Brown, known as "The Godfather of Soul," was a pivotal figure in the evolution of American music, particularly in the genres of soul and funk. Born James Joseph Brown Jr. in Barnwell, South…

James Bland  — Research Starter

James Allen Bland was a notable African American musician and songwriter born in Flushing, New York, who became a prominent figure in the minstrel show circuit during the late 19th century. After…

James Bevel  — Research Starter

James Luther Bevel was a prominent civil rights leader and Baptist minister, born on October 19, 1936, in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He grew up in a large family and worked as a farm laborer before…

Jackie Wilson  — Research Starter

Jackie Wilson, born Jack Leroy Wilson, Jr. on June 9, 1934, in Detroit, Michigan, was a prominent American soul singer whose career spanned over two decades. Raised in a challenging environment marked…

Jackie McLean  — Research Starter

Jackie McLean, born John Lenwood McLean, Jr. on May 17, 1932, in Harlem, New York, was a prominent jazz alto saxophonist known for his distinct and powerful sound. Growing up in a musically rich…

Ivan Dixon  — Research Starter

Ivan Dixon was an influential African American actor and director, born on April 6, 1931, in Harlem, New York. He spent part of his youth in the South, where he developed an interest in acting while…

Isaac Hayes  — Research Starter

Isaac Hayes was an influential American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor born in August 1942 in Covington, Tennessee. Raised by his maternal grandparents after the early death of his mother, he…

Isaac Burns Murphy  — Research Starter

Isaac Burns Murphy was a prominent African American jockey born on April 16, 1861, in Fayette County, Kentucky. He began his career as a horse-riding apprentice and quickly gained recognition for his…

Ike Turner  — Research Starter

Ike Turner was an influential American musician and bandleader born on November 5, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. His early life was marked by exposure to racial violence and family turmoil, which…