1. Terence Blanchard (1962)

American Musician

A key figure in the 1980s Jazz Resurgence who played with the Jazz Messengers and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra.

2. Mystikal (1970)

American Rapper

American rapper who released his debut album Mystikal with Big Boy Records in 1994. His 2003 album Tarantula was nominated for a Grammy.

3. Teedra Moses (1976)

American Musician

Louisiana-born soul and R&B singer and songwriter. Her best-known singles include "Be Your Girl" and "You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)."

4. Bun B (1973)

Rapper

Born Bernard Freeman, he is a Texas-born rapper and member of the rap duo UGK who is known for his southern rap style. His third solo album, Trill OG, was...

5. Christopher Dorsey (1980)

Rapper

Rapper for Cash Money Records known as B.G. who was arrested for possessing illegal guns and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2012.

6. Marie Laveau (1801)

American Voodoo Practitioner

This 19th-century New Orleans Voodoo practitioner lived a life shrouded in mystery and inspired numerous works of art and literature, appearing in assemblage pieces by visual artist Renee Stout and...

7. Norbert Rillieux (1806)

American Inventor

Nineteenth-century engineer whose Multiple-Effect Evaporator invention promoted the sugar industry's growth by expediting the process of sugar refinement.

8. Paul Morphy (1837)

American Chess Player

19th century American chess master and one of the first unofficial World Champions of chess who retired from the game when he was very young.

9. Bryan Batt (1963)

American Actor

American television actor known for his role as Salvatore Romano in AMC's Mad Men.

10. Homer Plessy (1862)

American Activist

Creole who violated Louisiana's racial segregation laws. The court's decision against him influenced the legalization of racial segregation everywhere in the U.S..

11. Ben Turpin (1869)

American Actor

Silent film actor who had a signature cross-eyed look. He began his career in vaudeville, circuses, and burlesque.

12. Buddy Bolden (1877)

Trumpet Player

Trumpet player who helped to develop the New Orleans style of ragtime music.

13. Bunk Johnson (1879)

Trumpet Player

Jazz musician considered one of the best trumpeters of the early 1900s. He frequently collaborated with clarinetist George Lewis and with singer and fellow trumpeter Louis Armstrong.

14. George Herriman (1880)

American Cartoonist

Influential cartoonist, most noted for his Krazy Kat comic strip. In 1997, the Ignatz Awards were created to commemorate Krazy Kat.

15. Johnny Buff (1888)

American Boxer

World Bantamweight Champion in 1922 who recorded wins over such prominent boxers as Abe Goldstein, Tommy Gorman and Charles Ledoux.

16. Freddie Keppard (1889)

Trumpet Player

An early jazz cornetist known for his performances with the Original Creole Orchestra.

17. Sidney Bechet (1897)

American Jazz Saxophonist Clarin

Considered the first successful and influential jazz saxophonist who also was a skilled clarinet player and composer.

18. Baby Dodds (1898)

American Musician

Jazz drummer who has performed with artists including Louis Armstrong.

19. Lonnie Johnson (1899)

Inventor

Jazz guitarist who invented the single-string solo and who was also was the first musician to play an electrically-amplified violin.

20. Wingy Manone (1900)

American Musician

One-armed trumpet player known for a variety of recordings, including "Tar Paper Stomp."

21. Albert Nicholas (1900)

American Musician

Jazz clarinet player who played with Louis Armstrong in the New Orleans jazz scene in the early 20s.

22. Louis Armstrong (1901)

Actor

Father of Jazz who replaced The Beatles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Hello, Dolly!" when he was 63 years old; he was the oldest person at that time to hit...

23. Eli Manning (1981)

American Football Player (quarte

NFL quarterback who was named MVP of Super Bowls XLII and XLVI while leading the New York Giants to victory over the New England Patriots on both occasions. He was selected first overall by...

24. Lillian Hellman (1905)

American Writer And Playwright

A popular author and playwright of the early twentieth century, she is best known for The Children's Hour and The Dark Angel. Her later play, Toys in the Attic, earned...

25. August Alsina (1992)

Singer

R&B and hip-hop singer who has released a number of mixtapes including his debut in 2011 called Untitled and 2013's The Product 2. His EP Downtown: Life Under the Gun...

26. John Carroll (1906)

Actor

American actor and singer who was known for starring in several Western films throughout the 1930s including as Zorro in the 1937 film Zorro Rides Again.

27. Kid Sheik (1908)

American Musician

Trumpeter known for his presence in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

28. Louis Prima (1910)

Sicilian American Singer Actor

Jazz singer, actor, trumpeter, and songwriter who performed with Keely Smith. He got his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2010.

29. Will Clark (1964)

American Baseball Player

MLB first baseman for 15 seasons, known as "Will the Thrill." He was selected to six All-Star teams and was named 1989 NLCS MVP after helping the San Francisco Giants...

30. Mahalia Jackson (1911)

Gospel Singer

Gospel singer who inspired millions of listeners and released many gold-certified albums. She released hits like "How I Got Over," which won a Grammy Award.

31. Alton Purnell (1911)

American Musician

Jazz artist known for performing Dixieland jazz and as a member of George Lewis' Ragtime Band.

32. John Levy (1912)

Bassist

American jazz double-bassist who collaborated with some of the most important names in jazz, including Billie Holiday and Milt Jackson. He was also the first African-American manager in the world...

33. Dorothy Lamour (1914)

Actress Singer

Actress who teamed with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in a series of films known as "Road to..." pictures that combined adventure, slapstick, ad-lib and Hollywood inside jokes . Her other notable films include...

34. Cleo Wade (1989)

Poet

Poet and storyteller who was dubbed the millennial Oprah by New York Magazine. She published a popular collection of her work titled Heart Talk and utilized her eponymous Instagram account to build a...

35. Aeneas Williams (1968)

American Football Player

Defensive back who played for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams from 1991 to 2004.

36. Kevin Griffin (1968)

American Singer And Musician

American guitarist, songwriter and producer who formed the popular alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. Some of their hits include "Good", "In the Blood", and "Juicy".

37. Al Hirt (1922)

American Musician

New Orleans trumpeter who recorded the Dixieland hit "Java" in 1964.

38. Joe Newman (1922)

Rock Singer

Jazz trumpeter who played with the legendary Lionel Hampton and Count Basie. He was the founder and later president of Jazz Interactions.

39. Leah Chase (1923)

American Chef

American chef and writer, known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine, who owned the classic New Orleans restaurant Dooky Chase. She is also the author of The Dooky Chase Cookbook, And...

40. Gloria Henry (1923)

Actress

American actress who played the role of Alice Mitchell, Dennis' mother, on the popular sitcom Dennis the Menace from 1959 to 1963.

41. Linda Hopkins (1924)

African American Actress And Blu

Actress and singer who starred in Broadway productions of Purlie, Me and Bessie, and Black and Blue. For her performance in Inner City, she earned both a Tony Award and...

42. Faith Domergue (1924)

Actress

American actress who appeared in several films and television series from the 1950s through to the 1970s. She played a role in the 1941 film Blues in the Night and...

43. Truman Capote (1924)

Novelist Short Story Writer Play

Eccentric author best known for his novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and for his nonfiction novel In Cold Blood. His other literary works include The Grass Harp and the O. Henry...

44. Earl Palmer (1924)

Rhythm And Blues Drummer

Rock 'n' roll and jazz drummer who has performed with artists including Randy Newman, Little Richard, and Neil Young.

45. Bob Kaufman (1925)

African American Beat Poet

Beat and Surrealist poet in the oral tradition whose poems follow jazz music rules of meter and syncopation. His published poetic works include Second April, Abomunist Manifesto, and Golden Sardine.

46. Elmore Leonard (1925)

Novelist Screenwriter

American crime fiction, pulp fiction, and western fiction writer whose most famous works, including Get Shorty and Rum Punch, were adapted into films. He received the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Award in...

47. Wallace Davenport (1925)

American Musician

Trumpet player who was a traditional 1930's jazz player who also played swing, bop, and R&B.

48. Jeffrey Hunter (1926)

Actor Producer

Prolific actor who played John Wayne's sidekick in The Searchers and Captain Christopher Pike in the pilot episode of Star Trek.

49. Paul Burke (1926)

Actor

Best known for his roles on Naked City and Twelve O'Clock High.

50. Sam Butera (1927)

American Musician

R&B and big band crossover artist and bandleader of The Witnesses for twenty years. He played with Louis Prima and Keely Smith, as well as with R&B outfits.