african american actors

Frederick O'Neal was an outspoken leader for equity in the American entertainment industry. In 1940 he co-founded the American Negro Theatre. It was only the beginning of his contributions to theater. Each time he was elevated, he used his position to make things better for Black actors and other minority actors and actresses.

Actor and comedian Keenan Thompson tells his story from a child star to SNL's longest-serving actor, and what he learned how to be a grown-up along the way.

"As a 6'2" dreadlocked black man, Tyler Merritt knows that getting too close to the wrong person can get him killed. But he also believes that proximity can be a cure for racism. Tyler Merritt's video "Before You Call the Cops" has been viewed more than 59 million times. He's appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and Sports Illustrated and has been profiled in the New York Times. The viral video's main point--that the more you know someone, the more empathy, understanding, and compassion you have for that person--is the springboard for this book, which lets us deeply into Tyler's life and his world to help bridge the divides that seem to grow wider every day. In I Take My Coffee Black, Tyler tells hilarious stories from his own life as a black man in America. He talks about growing up in a multi-cultural community and realizing that he wasn't always welcome. He shares how he quit sports for musical theater (that's where the girls were), to how Jesus barged in uninvited and changed his life forever (it all revolved around a Triple Fat Goose jacket), to how he ended up at a small Bible college in Santa Cruz because he thought they had a great theater program (they didn't). Throughout his stories, he also seamlessly weaves in lessons about privilege and the legacy of lynching and sharecropping and why you don't cross black mamas, teaching readers about the history of encoded racism that still undergirds our society today. By turns witty, insightful, and laugh-out-loud funny, I Take My Coffee Black paints a portrait of black manhood in America and enlightens, illuminates, and entertains--and, ultimately, builds the kind of empathy that might just be the antidote against the racial injustice in our society. With a foreword from Jimmy Kimmel"--.

The memoir of stand-up comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish.

Explores the life of the comedian and actor Chris Rock.

"[A] . . . graphic biography of Paul Robeson . . . [that] charts Robeson's career as a singer, actor, scholar, athlete, and activist who achieved global fame. Through his films, concerts, and records, he became a potent symbol representing the promise of a multicultural, multiracial American democracy at a time when, despite his stardom, he was denied personal access to his many audiences. Robeson was a major figure in the rise of anti-colonialism in Africa and elsewhere, and a tireless campaigner for internationalism, peace, and human rights. Later in life, he embraced the civil rights and antiwar movements with the hope that new generations would attain his ideals of a peaceful and abundant world"--Provided by publisher.

"As a child, Chadwick Boseman read stories about people who inspired him. As an adult, he became an actor to tell inspiring stories to others. Chadwick fought to make his career a legacy that shares the stories he was passionate about. Learn all about Chadwick's . . . journey as an actor and activist"--Provided by publisher.

"Zendaya began her acting career at age thirteen when she landed one of the starring roles in the Disney Channel's Shake It Up. Since then, the actress has not slowed down, starring in action-packed superhero films, dazzling movie musicals, and highly acclaimed TV shows. At only twenty-four, Zendaya won her first Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the hit TV show Euphoria. The Hollywood star is an actress, singer, model, and style icon who advocates for causes like feminism, anti-bullying, anti-racism, and voter registration. Learn all about the star-studded career and the inspiring life of Zendaya in this new book that was voted for by young readers worldwide!"--Provided by publisher.

Few actors can go by one name. Zendaya is one of them. Born Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, she first found success on the Disney Channel. She continued to act in TV shows and made the leap to the silver screen in 2017 as Michelle in Spider Man: Homecoming. In recent years, Zendaya has branched out into more dramatic and controversial roles. Readers will love learning about Zendaya's early career, family life, personal interests, and goals for the future. Colorful photographs of Zendaya on the red carpet accompany the at-level biographical text.