Gwendolyn Brooks

An outstanding poet through the 190s to the 1960s. Her book Annie Allen won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950. She was the first African-American to win that award. She had a profound effect upon such writers as Amiri Baraka, Larry Neal, and Haki Madhubuti.

Madam C.J. Walker

Developed the hot comb and patented it in 1900. She once worked for Annie Malone since she was the first to develope hair care products for African Americans and a company. Madam C.J. Walker was accused of imitating Annie Malone's products. In her building there were barbershop, a beauty parlor, classrooms, an auditorium and other facilities which made it popular gathering place in St. Louis.

Pauli Murray

The first African-American woman to become an Episcopal priest. She participated in civil rights demonstrations of the 1940s in Washington, D.C. She was at the top of her class. Earned a Master of Divinity Degree and became a founding member of the National Organization for Women.

Mary Lou Williams

Began playing piano professionally. She begin arranging and composing music in the 1930s and concentrating on composing religious works. Mary also taught jazz composition at major colleges and universities which includes Duke University in Durham, NC. She died in 1981.

Maya Angelou

Born Marguerita Annie Johnson. She had a extraordinary and full life. She did not speak for five years after she was raped at the age of 8 by her mother's boyfriend. Her uncles murdered the man who raped her. She moved on to become a speaker, dancer, a journalist, an actress, a writer, and a teacher.

Zora Neale Hurston

She was one of the interesting figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Zora was born in Florida, the first black township that was incorporated. She finished high school in Baltimore and studied at Howard University and eventually graduated from Barnard College. She established herslef as a writer of ficition. She suffered several accidents in her life. After the accidents she wrote a few more things and died while financial difficulty at age 69.

Alice Moore Dunbar Nelson

Nationally recognized writer, literary critic, scholar, and teacher. She was interested in Creole culture. She worked to expand the awareness of all aspects of African-American culture. She went on to earn a master's degree from Cornell University as well as the University of Pennsylvania.