Florence Griffith Joyner: Fastest Woman on Earth

Florence Griffith Joyner was one of the most talented and colorful athletes of the 1980s. On her birthday, we take a look back at the record-setting sprinter known as Flo-Jo.

Jared Martin (1941 - 2017), Dallas actor

Actor played "Dusty" Farlow on "Dallas"...

John G. Avildsen (1935–2017), Oscar-winning Rocky director

Oscar-winning director of “Rocky.”

Wat Misaka (1923–2019), first person of color to play in the NBA

Wataru “Wat” Misaka was a Japanese-American basketball player who joined the New York Knicks in 1947, becoming the first non-White player in modern professional basketball. Prior to his professional career, Misaka played for the University of Utah, where his team won two national championships, in 1944 and 1947. He then signed with the Knicks as a guard, officially joining the Basketball Association of America, the NBA’s forerunner whose stats are counted as part of NBA history. Misaka only played three games with the Knicks before being released by the team. He declined an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters and returned to his native Utah, where he worked as a mechanical engineer.

Betty Wright (1953–2020), Grammy-winning soul and R&B singer

Betty Wright was a soul and R&B singer known for songs including “Clean Up Woman,” “Tonight Is the Night,” and “Where Is the Love.”

Tony Lewis (1957–2020), lead singer for the Outfield

Tony Lewis was an English musician best known as the lead singer for the Outfield, who had a Top Ten hit in 1986 with “Your Love.”

Millie Hughes-Fulford (1945–2021), first female payload specialist for NASA

Millie Hughes-Fulford was the first woman to go into space as a payload specialist, the scientists who work aboard NASA’s space missions.

Thierry Mugler (1948–2022), fashion designer who dressed Beyonce, Madonna

Thierry Mugler was a French fashion designer known for his avant garde haute couture, who created designs for celebrities including Beyonce and Madonna.

Max Maven (1950–2022), mentalist and magician

Max Maven was a mentalist and magician who worked with notable performers including David Copperfield and Penn & Teller.

Ray Hildebrand (1940–2023), Paul & Paula singer 

Ray Hildebrand was a singer and songwriter better known as “Paul” in the 1960s pop duo Paul & Paula, who had a hit with “Hey Paula.”

Gail Lumet Buckley (1937–2024), author of Black family histories

Gail Lumet Buckley was an author and journalist whose work chronicled her family’s experiences from slavery to middle class America.

Phil Donahue (1935–2024), TV talk show icon

Phil Donahue was a longtime talk-show host whose signature program all but created the template that daytime TV would follow for years to come.

Gwen McCrae (1943–2025), Rockin’ Chair singer 

Gwen McCrae was a soul, funk, and disco singer best known for her 1975 hit, “Rockin’ Chair.”