2022 CORE 100

Most Influential Blacks Today

Available in Print and Digital Format.

 

Ida B. Wells: Her Everlasting Impact

Ida B. Wells: Her Everlasting Impact

By: Jeydah Jenkins Ida B. Wells was a notable journalist, reformer, and analyst throughout her lifetime. During her life, she combatted sexism, prejudice, and brutality. As a talented journalist, Wells additionally used her abilities to reveal insight into the states...

Jennifer King

Jennifer King

Following a successful 12-year college basketball coaching career which included a National Championship and National Coach of the Year honors in 2017, King decided to step away from basketball to coach football full time. After attending the 2018 NFL Women in...

Dr. Fondrea Lewis

Dr. Fondrea Lewis

Dr. Fondrea Lewis is an anointed woman of God who ministers nationwide to a plethora of communities within the body of Christ. She has one purpose in mind: to engraft souls into the Kingdom. As a teacher and doer of God's Word, Dr. Lewis exudes the attributes of a...

Cito Gaston

Cito Gaston

A man of true excellence, Clarence Edwin Gaston, affectionally known as Cito, was the first African American major league baseball player and skipper to lead his team to win a World Series. Rising above the fray, Cito spent his early years in deep south Texas, where...

Brian Flores

Brian Flores

The definition of opportunity is a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. One would think that a person groomed in an organization with multiple Super Bowls where their expertise was essential to those wins; would be allowed to build up a team...

Dr. Roshawnna Novellus

Dr. Roshawnna Novellus

Dr. Roshawnna Novellus is on the leading edge of technology, finance, and groundbreaking spiritual expertise and all rolled into one. She is the ultimate guide to mastering finances, mindfulness, science, technology, and business intelligence. Her integrated...

Michelle McKinney Hammond

Michelle McKinney Hammond

Dr. Michelle McKinney Hammond is the best selling author of over 40 books, selling over 2 million copies worldwide. Ms. McKinney-Hammond a popular International Speaker, Relationship Expert and Life Coach, has spoken on major platforms ranging from the Potter’s House...

Warrick Dunn

Warrick Dunn

An extraordinary story of the ultimate act of altruism, Warrick Dunn put his family on his back and ran like no other. Raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dunn was the oldest of six children born to Betty Smothers. Serving as a police escort, Ms. Smothers was ambushed...

Itika Grimble

Itika Grimble

Itika Oldwine-Grimble is a wife, mom, and the owner of OldVine Florals and OldVine Fragrance. As its founder, she came up with the name OldVine as a play on Itika’s maiden name, Oldwine. She is a native of California, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area....

Derek Lewis

Derek Lewis

Derek Lewis is President of South Division, PepsiCo North America Beverages (NAB). In this role, Lewis is responsible for numerous tasks while also overseeing brand-building and enterprise strategy, using regional economies and end-to-end management, enabling PBNA to...

Chante Adams

Chante Adams

With an award-worthy and captivating lead role performance in the Denzel Washington-directed film A Journal for Jordan (Christmas 2021), the Detroit native Chanté Adams is poised to be Hollywood’s most talked-about star. In 2020, Adams gave an “extraordinarily fresh...

Calvin E. Tyler Jr.

Calvin E. Tyler Jr.

Alumnus and philanthropist Calvin Tyler Jr. enrolled at Morgan State College in 1961 to study business administration. The first of his family to attend college, he later interrupted his matriculation in 1963 due to lack of funding and eventually took on a job as one...

Leslie Davis

Leslie Davis

Leslie D. Davis is a respected leader, experienced advocate, and logical strategist who has been a tireless champion for equity in the legal profession. As the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Inc. (“NAMWOLF”),...

Crystal Hadnott

Crystal Hadnott

Crystal Hadnott is a seasoned non-profit executive and consultant with over 15 years of experience; a results-driven leader with proven experience in developing integrated fundraising programs, multi-channel marketing, innovation and donor/volunteer engagement,...

Ron Washington

Ron Washington

Ron Washington has a genuine and infectious nature that has proven to connect with players developing their skillset and love for the game. As a former professional baseball player, Washington had the opportunity to suit up as a backup infielder for several Major...

Thomas Hudson

Thomas Hudson

Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, a long-standing champion of education, where he attended and graduated from JSU in 1999. He went on to receive his Jurisprudence Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of...

Edwin Jackson

Edwin Jackson

Edwin Jackson Jr. is a German-born American professional baseball pitcher who previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Jackson was an All-Star in 2009, threw a no-hitter on June 25, 2010, was a member of the 2011 World Series champion Cardinals, and most...

Heather Palmore

Heather Palmore

Heather M. Palmore, Esq. discovered her passion for advocacy when she was awarded the Elsie Van Buren Award, Cornell University’s highest honor for speech and advocacy, and received that distinction for two consecutive years. While earning a Bachelor of Science...

Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier

Searching for dishwashing jobs in the Amsterdam News, an African American newspaper, Sidney Poitier accidentally stumbled upon a few mere words, “Actors Wanted.” Piquing his interest, Poitier walked ten blocks to an acting audition, unknowingly taking the first steps...

Daron K. Roberts

Daron K. Roberts

Daron K. Roberts is a former N.F.L. coach, leadership coach, and author of A Kids Book About Empathy and Call an Audible. Call an Audible was named a #1 New Release and Best Seller by Amazon, and Sports Illustrated selected the book as one of its “Best Sports Business...

Mona Scott-Young

Mona Scott-Young

 Multi-media maverick Mona Scott-Young is often recognized for her decades of success as a TV executive producer of top-rated unscripted television, her 20+ years as the award-winning talent manager for Grammy Award-winning music superstar Missy Elliott, and as...

Lakrisha Davis

Lakrisha Davis

Lakrisha Davis - formally known as “The Career Professor” - is a Career Coach turned LinkedIn Business Coach. After being let go from her 6-figure corporate job in January of 2017, Lakrisha turned to LinkedIn to market and grow her career services business full-time....

Judge Carlos Moore

Judge Carlos Moore

Judge Carlos E. Moore, a Moss Point, Mississippi native, is the Managing Partner of The Cochran Firm – Mississippi Delta located in Grenada, Mississippi. In July of 2017, he was appointed as the first African-American Municipal Judge Pro Tem for Clarksdale,...

Dana Canedy

Dana Canedy

Dana Canedy is Senior Vice President and Publisher of the Simon and Schuster imprint. She is responsible for the overall leadership and operations of the division. Canedy was previously the Administrator of The Pulitzer Prizes, where she oversaw all aspects of the...

Dr. Roz Aker-Black

Dr. Roz Aker-Black

Dr. Roselyn V. Aker-Black, Psy.D (affectionately known as Dr. Roz) is a native of Rome, Georgia, and currently resides in the Washington, DC metro area with her husband. Dr. Roz received a BA in psychology from Fisk University and completed a doctoral degree in...

Janice Workcuff

Janice Workcuff

Janice Workcuff, the Executive Director of Angels Surviving Cancer Inc., is a purpose-driven and huge advocate for those currently battling and surviving breast cancer. She has been a leader in forming an organization that collaborates with the medical community to...

Dawn Dickson Akpoghene

Dawn Dickson Akpoghene

Channeling a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit, boundary-pushing fearlessness, and innate understanding of the nexus of technology, commerce, and culture, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene consistently catalyzes the companies and brands under her purview. At the helm of multiple...

Donald Driver

Donald Driver

Donald Driver overcame poverty and homelessness to become a Super Bowl champion, Green Bay Packers all-time leading receiver, Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer, New York Times bestselling author, “Dancing with the Stars” champion, and award-winning humanitarian. Donald...

Kimberly S. Reed

Kimberly S. Reed

Kimberly S. Reed, M.Ed., CDE, has developed a distinguished reputation as having one of the most distinct and influential voices on the lecture circuit, transforming the thinking of thousands. As The Corporatepreneur ™ Chief Transformational Officer of the Reed...

Sharrarne Morton

Sharrarne Morton

Sharrarne Morton is an experienced CEO, Radio personality, Professional Speaker, and Orator who has a dynamic media and public relations background. With her exceptional leadership and media popularity, Morton established Morton Media which expanded her influence...

Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen

In a career that spans three decades, the name Debbie Allen is synonymous with black excellence. Her dynamic energy, innovative style, and impeccable talent make her a national treasure. Allen, a Houston, Texas native, is the third child born to Pulitzer-winning poet...

Dr. Cheryl Wood

Dr. Cheryl Wood

Dr. Cheryl Wood is an international motivational speaker, best-selling author, and master speaker development coach for women. Presenting twice with TEDx and being awarded the title for Best-Selling Author 17 times, she specializes in equipping women with the tools to...

Kelly Mehrtens

Kelly Mehrtens

Kelly Landry Mehrtens is the Executive Director of The Trust (Powered by the NFLPA). The Trust’s mission is to support NFL players as they live their purpose beyond football. Mehrtens is responsible for managing and marketing a wealth of services organized as pillars....

Dr. Estrelita Bruce

Dr. Estrelita Bruce

Dr. Estrelita Bruce, also known as Dr. E is a licensed professional counselor associate (LPC-A), Christian life coach, author, TEDx, and international speaker. Dr. Bruce received a Certification in Christian Counseling and a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian...

Nicholas Perkins

Nicholas Perkins

Nicholas Perkins is the first African American to own a national burger franchise system. The culinary enthusiast and entrepreneur is a Fayetteville, North Carolina native who purchased the Fuddruckers franchise business in June 2021. Perkins has plans to re-establish...

Amanda K. Edwards

Amanda K. Edwards

Amanda K. Edwards is an attorney and native Houstonian passionate about empowering communities through solutions, engagement, and public service. Edwards recently concluded her bid for the United States Senate in the Texas Democratic Primary. From 2016-2020, Edwards...

Pam Perry

Pam Perry

Pam Perry is an award-winning communication professional or rather “PR Guru.” She teaches and mentors authors, speakers, and entrepreneurs to build a platform and attract significant media and publishers. She is the publisher of SPEAKERS MAGAZINE and podcast host...

Ericka James

Ericka James

Erika James, named one of Linkedin’s Top Voices in 2020, began her training in organizational psychology. This award-winning educator, consultant, and researcher is the first African American Woman to be appointed dean in Wharton school history. Born in Bermuda, James...

Etop Udo Ema

Etop Udo Ema

Etop Udo-Ema, a nationally recognized leader in grassroots basketball, has built an impressive track record of excellence in sport and community. The Founder/CEO of the premier grassroots basketball program in the country the Compton Magic which core values inspire...

Sean Long Sr.

Sean Long Sr.

Sean T. Long, Founder, Former President, and Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor Energy Holdings LLC, has over 27 years and over $15 billion worth of investment, M&A, development, construction, financing, ownership, and management experience in a variety of energy...

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