“Howard Thurman grew up in Daytona, Florida and was raised by his grandmother, a former slave. As a child, Thurman complied with his grandmother’s request that he read the bible aloud to her, and he developed an interest in the text at a very early age. … After receiving a bachelor of divinity degree from Rochester Theological Seminary in 1926, he served as pastor of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin, Ohio. In the spring of 1929, Thurman studied mysticism at Haverford College under Rufus Jones, who was a Quaker. Mysticism came to figure prominently in Thurman’s theology.

Passion, Perseverance and Soul – common threads found amongst virtually all truly great restaurants. Felix’s BBQ with Soul whole heartedly embodies all three. Felix’s incredibly soulful southern style menu elevates and refines BBQ in a way that exceeds all expectations. … In 2008, amidst the recession, Felix’s BBQ in Oceanside California was born. Inspired by his dear friend Ruth, who reminded him of his mother and owned a restaurant called “Ruth’s Place” in Santa Ana, Felix Berry took a risk and opened his very first restaurant – Felix’s BBQ with Soul.

Kasi Lemmons is an award-winning director, writer, actress and professor who has been a staple in Hollywood for nearly three decades. Her acclaimed 1997 feature directorial debut, “Eve’s Bayou, was inducted into the National Film Registry, and is considered among the first to showcase the beauty of African American Southern culture. The film received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and the National Board of Review bestowed her with a special first-time director award.

“Born in Toronto in 1919, Herbert Henry “Herb” Carnegie was the fifth of seven children born to George and Adina Carnegie, who had immigrated to Canada from Jamaica. In Willowdale, a suburb of Toronto, both Herb and his brother Oswald fell in love with the game of hockey … Despite Carnegie’s talent and prowess on the ice, segregation practices kept him from achieving [his] dream [of playing in the NHL].

The daughter of Donny Hathaway, the late soul legend, Lalah Hathaway has forged her own way in music, using a lovely contralto to pursue various styles that mix R&B, jazz, and pop. She's also a pianist who won three Grammys in three years: best R&B performance for “Something” with Snarky Puppy in 2014; best traditional R&B performance for “Jesus Children” with Robert Glasper in 2015; and best traditional R&B performance for “Little Ghetto Boy” in 2016.

Jericho Brown grew up in Louisiana and worked as a speechwriter for the Mayor of New Orleans before earning his PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Houston. He also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans and graduated magna cum laude from Dillard University … Brown is the author of three collections of poetry:

Ella Jo Baker was born on December 13, 1903, in Norfolk, Virginia. Growing up in North Carolina, she developed a sense for social justice early on, due in part to her grandmother’s stories about life under slavery … Baker studied at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a student she challenged school policies that she thought were unfair.

“Anna Pauline “Pauli” Murray (1910-1985), great grand-daughter of enslaved persons, was a talented poet, thoughtful autobiographer and historian, perceptive social commentator, dedicated political organizer, compassionate attorney, inspiring professor, brilliant legal theorist and a ground-breaking Episcopal priest…

Dirt Don’t Hurt specializes in non-toxic and naturally based products for personal care and cleaning. This business was created by three sisters, Martiza, Sativa, and Kaya Murray, who are San Diego residents. In their own words, here’s how their business came to be…

“As a Black, gay artist, Wolfe has faced ... hurdles, even if he’s cleared them with astounding frequency. He established himself as a playwright (“The Colored Museum,” “Jelly’s Last Jam”), then earned great acclaim and his Tonys, as the director of Tony Kushner’s landmark play about the AIDS crisis…