African-Americans have contributed much to Virginia heritage and culture.

The following are a few African-Americans with ties to Virginia.

James Armistead Lafayette

Booker T. Washington

Maggie Walker

Dr. E.B. Henderson

L. Douglas Wilder

Tim Reid

Blair Underwood

James Armistead Lafayette - (1748*-1830) New Kent; Born into slavery. Joined the American Continental Army to fight for the American Revolution under Marquis de Lafayette. Became a spy. His intel enabled Washington's army to prevent 10,000 British soldiers from invading Yorktown, which led to the British surrender on October 19, 1781. He returned to slave life until granted emancipation by petition in 1787. biography.com/people/james-armistead-537566
* Some sources indicate James Armistead Lafayette was born in 1760. One such is blackpast.org/?q=aah/lafayette-james-armistead-1760-1832.

Gabriel Prosser - (1776-1800) Richmond; Born into slavery on the Brookfield Plantation in Henrico County. Educated, literate blacksmith who planned the unfulfilled "Gabriel's Rebellion" in 1800 - a plan to kill every white with the exception of French, Methodist, Quaker and poor. Gabriel was captured and hanged at Richmond's 15th & Broad gallows on October 10, 1800 at the age of 24. aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/freedom-fighter-gabriel-prosser-had-vision 

Nat Turner - (1800-1831) Southampton County; Born into slavery on the Turner Plantation where he was taught reading, writing, and religion. Preacher who claimed God called him to lead the slaves from bondage. Led a slave insurrection known as Nat Turner's Rebellion, which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 white people and harsher laws against slaves. biography.com/people/nat-turner-9512211; lva.virginia.gov/exhibits/DeathLiberty/natturner 

Mary Elizabeth Bowser - (1839-unknown) Richmond; Union spy working as a servant for Varina Davis, wife of the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. Inducted into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame (1995). lkwdpl.org/wihohio/bows-mar.htm 

William Harvey Carney - (1840-1908) Norfolk; First black Medal of Honor recipient, decorated for his "extraordinary heroism on 18 July 1863 ... when the color sergeant was shot down, Sergeant Carney grasped the flag, led the way ... was twice severely wounded." militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=3296 

Booker T. Washington – (1856-1915 ) Hardy; Educator, Founder of Tuskegee Institute. nps.gov/bowa 

Maggie L. Walker – (1864*-1934) Richmond; First woman bank president in America, Advocate of black women's rights distinguishedwomen.com/ biographies/walker-ml.html
nps.gov/ malw/home.htm
* A discovery in 2009 revealed bank records showing Walker's birth earlier than the widely believed 1867 date. 

Robert Russa Moton – (1867-1940) Amelia County; Educator, Lawyer, successor to Booker T. Washington as President of Tuskegee Institute.

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson – (1878-1949) Richmond; Dancer, stage and screen actor in early 1900s. biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594 

Dr. Edwin B. Henderson - (1883-1977) Washington, DC, settled in Falls Church for more than 50 years; "Grandfather of Black Basketball;" Introduced basketball to African-Americans on a wide-scale, organized basis in 1904; Author of The Negro in Sports (1939); Principle organizer of the first rural branch of the NAACP.
tinnerhill.org/about/history 

Roger Arliner Young - (1889-1964) Clifton Forge; Zoologist; The first African-American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in zoology. infoplease.com/ipa/A0800427.html 

Oliver White Hill - (1907-2007) Richmond; Lead attorney with Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which was consolidated with Brown v. Board of Education at the Supreme Court; First African American Richmond City Council member (1949). Highly decorated with the top-prize being the Presidential Medal of Freedom bestowed by President William J. Clinton (1999). brownat50.org/brownbios/BioOliverHill.html 

Ella Fitzgerald – (1917-96) Newport News; "The First Lady of Song;" Grammy Award-winning Jazz Singer. ellafitzgerald.com 

Pearl Bailey – (1918-88) Newport News; Actress, Singer and Author; Tony Award (1967); Medal of Freedom Award (1988). norfolk.gov/WalkOfFame/Pearl_Bailey.asp 

Wendell Scott  - (1921-1990) Danville; First (and only, as of this publication) African-American to win a NASCAR race (1963); "State Hero" Resolution by the Virginia General Assembly (1991); International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee (1999); Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (2000). legendsofnascar.com/Wendell_Scott.htm 

L. Douglas Wilder – (1931- ) Richmond; First elected African-American Governor in U.S. history vahistorical.org/sva2003/wilder.htm 

Henry L. Marsh III - (1933- ) Isle of Wight County; Attorney involved with Brown v. Board of Education on the Virginia front; first African American mayor of Richmond (1977-82); Virginia State Senator (1992-present). henrylmarsh.com/about-henry/ 

Barbara Johns - (1935-1991) New York City, but grew up in Farmville, Prince Edward County. Sixteen year old junior at Robert Russa Moton High School who organized a student strike for a new school building (1951). The NAACP advised the students to sue for integration. The Farmville case was one of the five eventually rolled into the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case that declared segregation unconstitutional (1954). pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_people_johns.html 

Lonnie Liston Smith – (1940- ) Richmond; Jazz pianist and keyboardist recording with notable musicians Pharaoh Sanders and Miles Davis. Meshed jazz with rap in the 90s. lonnielistonsmith.net 

Don Pullen – (1941-95) Roanoke; Jazz pianist, organist, and composer. Well-received in Europe for his avant-garde jazz. donpullen.de 

Arthur Ashe – (1943-93) Richmond; Tennis player, writer, commentator; Wimbledon champion (1975); Medal of Freedom Award (1993).cmgww.com/sports/ashe/about/bio.htm
arthurashe.org 

Tim Reid – (1944 - ) Norfolk; Actor, writer, director, producer."WKRP in Cincinnati", "Simon & Simon", "Sister, Sister". Co-founder of New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, VA. nmstudios.com 

Willie Lanier – (1945- ) Clover; Football player, Kansas City (1967-77); member, pro football Hall of Fame (1986). profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=122 

Spencer Christian – (1947- ) Charles City; TV weatherman for ABC's "Good Morning America" premierespeakers.com/spencer_christian/bio 

Joseph B. Jefferson - Richmond/Petersburg; songwriter. "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" performed by The Spinners and released in 1972, topping the R&B Singles Chart and reaching number eleven on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1973. Other songs include "Games People Play," and "Sadie," sampled in "Dear Mama" by Tupac Shakur. allmusic.com/artist/joseph-b-jefferson-p90410/biography 

Rita Dove – (1951- ) Akron, Ohio; Currently teaches at UVA; Common Wealth Award of Distinguised Service (2006); Duke Ellington Lifetime Acheivement Award (2001); U.S. Poet Laureate (1993-95), Pulitzer Prize winner (1987). people.virginia.edu/~rfd4b/ 

Moses Malone – (1955- ) Petersburg; basketball player; ABA Utah Stars, St. Louis Spirits (1974-76); NBA Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers (1976-95); NBA MVP (1979, '82, '83); named "One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History" (1996); member, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2001). nba.com/history/players/malonem_bio.html 

Lawrence Taylor – (1959- ) Williamsburg; football player; Second Overall Draft Pick (NFL Draft, 1981), New York Giants (1981-93); member, pro football Hall of Fame (1999). profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=212 

Ralph Sampson - (1960- ) Harrisonburg; basketball player. First Overall Draft Pick (NBA Draft, 1983). Houston Rockets (1983-1987), Golden State Warriors (1987-1989), Sacramento Kings (1989-1990), Washington Bullets (1991), Unicaja Ronda of Spain (1992), Rockford Lightning of CBA (1994-1995). Four-time NBA All-Star (1984-1987), NBA Rookie of the Year (1984), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1985). nba.com/historical/playerfile/index.html?player=ralph_sampson 

Bruce Smith – (1963- ) Norfolk; football player; Outland Trophy winner at Virginia Tech (1984) , First Overall Draft Pick (NFL Draft, 1985), Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins; member, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (2005); member, College Football Hall of Fame (2006). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Smith 

Wanda Sykes – (1964- ) Portsmouth; Comedienne and actress. Film and television credits include "The Wanda Sykes Show," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Evan Almighty," "Monster-in-Law," "Nutty Professor 2," "Chris Rock Show;" Emmy Award Winner (1999, 2002, 2004, 2005). WandaSykes.com 

Blair Underwood – (1964- ) Tacoma, WA moved to different states and graduated from Petersburg High School; Actor, film and television credits include "Dirty Sexy Money," "Full Frontal," "Rules of Engagement," "City of Angels," "LAX," "L.A. Law," "The Event;" NAACP Image Award Winner (1992, '95, '99, 2001). BlairUnderwood.com 

Pernell Whitaker – (1964- ) Norfolk; Boxer; Olympic Gold Medalist (1984); member, International Boxing Hall of Fame (2006). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernell_Whitaker 

Alonzo Mourning – (1970- ) Chesapeake; Basketball player; Second Overall Draft Pick (NBA Draft, 1992), NBA Charlotte Hornets (1992-95), Miami Heat (1995-2002, 2004-08), New Jersey Nets (2003-04); Olympic Gold Medalist (2000). amcharities.org 

Missy Elliott - (1971- ) Portsmouth; Songwriter, Producer, Arranger, Talent Scout, Record Mogel. Considered the top female hip-hop artist of all time. Four-time Grammy Award Winner (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005). missy-elliott.com 

Timothy Z. Mosley, aka Timbaland - (1972- ) Norfolk; Songwriter, Producer, Rapper. One of the highest paid musicians according to a 2007 Forbes article, "Hip Hop Cash Kings." Grammy Award Winner (2006). timbalandmusic.com 

Pharrell Williams - (1973- ) Virginia Beach; Composer, Singer, Producer, Rapper, Fashion Designer. Part of hip-hops most successful production team, The Neptunes, and the performing group N*E*R*D. Three-time Grammy Award Winner (two Grammy Awards in 2003, and one in 2006). n-e-r-d.com 

Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-ah "Tiki" Barber - (1975- ) Roanoke; Football player, sports broadcaster, author; NFL New York Giants (1997-2006); NBC's "Today," "Football Night in America" and "Sunday Night Football" (2007-present); identical twin brother of "Ronde" Barber. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki_Barber 

Jamael Orondé "Ronde" Barber - (1975- ) Roanoke; Football player, author; NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997-present); Super Bowl XXXVII winner vs. Oakland Raiders (2003); identical twin brother of "Tiki" Barber. nfl.com/players/rondebarber/profile?id=BAR048197 

James Farrior -  (1975- ) Richmond; New York Jets (1997-2001); Pittsburgh Steelers (2002-present); Super Bowl XL and XLIII winner jamesfarriorfoundation.org 

Allen Iverson -  (1975- ) Hampton; Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006; Rookie of the Year, 2001 league MVP); Denver Nuggets (2007-2008); Detroit Pistons (2009). Olympic Bronze Medalist (Athens 2004) nba.com/playerfile/allen_iverson/bio.html 

Plaxico Burress - (1977- ) Norfolk; Pittsburg Steelers (2000-2004); New York Giants (2005-2008); New York Jets (20011)nfl.com/player/plaxicoburress/2504253/profile 

Michael Vick - (1980- ) Newport News; Football player; NFL Atlanta Falcons (2001-2007); NFL Philadelphia Eagles (2009-present); First African-American quarterback to be drafted first overall in an NFL Draft (2001). First Archie Griffin Award winner (1999). NFL Pro Bowl (2003, 2004, 2005)mikevick.com 

DeAngelo Hall (1983- ) Chesapeake; Atlanta Falcons (2004-2007); Oakland Raiders (2008); Washington Redskins (2008-present)deangelohall.com 

Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson, aka Trey Songz - (1984- ) Petersburg; Singer-Songwriter, Rapper, Producer, and Actor. treysongz.com 

Kendall Langford - (1986- ) - Petersburg; Football player; NFL Miami Dolphins. (2008-present)nfl.com/player/kendalllangford/270/profile 

LaShawn Merritt (1986- ) Portsmouth; Olympic Gold Medalist (Beijing 2008) lashawnmerrittusa.com 

Caressa Cameron - (1987- ) - Fredericksburg; 2010 Miss America. missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/2010/2010.aspx 

Percy Harvin (1988- ) Virginia Beach; Minnesota Vikings (2009-present)espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/12569/percy-harvin 

Chris Brown - (1989- ) Tappahannock; Singer-Songwriter, Dancer, Actor. chrisbrownworld.com 

Gabrielle Douglas - (1995- ) Virginia Beach; Gymnast. Olympic Gold Medalist (London 2012). First African-American all-around gymnastics champion. gabrielledouglas.com 

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