Jackie Robinson
Born Jan. 31, 1919, in Cairo, Ga., Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball.
As an exceptional baseball player, Robinson faced blatant racial discrimination during his career, but he did not let it deter him from integrating the league.
Robinson also became a vocal champion for African-American athletes, the civil rights movement and other social and political causes. In July 1949, he testified on discrimination before the House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1952, he publicly called out the Yankees as a racist organization for not having broken the color barrier five years after he began playing with the Dodgers.
source: biography.com
Harry Belafonte
A multi-talented performer, Harry Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927, in New York City to Caribbean parents. He was dubbed the “King of Calypso” for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing, “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” with its signature lyrics. He is also known for starring in major films.
Belafonte supported the civil rights movement in the 1950s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s confidants. Like many other civil rights activists, he was blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
Throughout his career, Belafonte has been vocal in pushing our people’s rights forward. Even to this day, he has been critical of the last two administrations and the lack of activism by current celebrities. He is also actively protesting the “Stand Your Ground” laws in the name of the slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
source: wikipedia.com
