Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Barry Sanders
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Barry Sanders, an American professional gridiron football player. In his 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions (1989-98), Sanders led the National Football League (NFL) in rushing four times...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Bell Hooks
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features bell hooks, an American scholar whose work examined the varied perceptions of black women and black women writers and the development of feminist identities.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Big Mama Thornton
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Big Mama Thornton, an American singer and songwriter who performed in the tradition of classic blues singers such as Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. Her work inspired imitation by Elvis...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Bill Dixon
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bill Dixon, an American jazz artist born Oct. 5, 1925, Nantucket, Mass.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Blind Lemon Jefferson
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Blind Lemon Jefferson, an American country blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, one of the earliest black folk-blues singers to achieve popular success.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Bobby Mc Ferrin
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bobby McFerrin, an American musician noted for his tremendous vocal control and improvisational ability. He often sang a cappella, mixing folk songs, 1960s rock and soul tunes, and jazz...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Bobby Short
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bobby Short, an American cabaret singer and piano player who in his personal and performance style came to represent a sophistication and elegance typical of an earlier era.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Brock Peters
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Brock Peters, an American actor who employed his powerful bass voice and strong presence in portrayals of a wide range of characters, notably in the role of Tom Robinson in To Kill a...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Bruce Smith
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Bruce Smith, an American professional gridiron football defensive end who holds the National Football League (NFL) career record for quarterback sacks (200).
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Buck Leonard
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Buck Leonard, an American baseball player who was considered one of the best first basemen in the Negro leagues. He was among the first Negro leaguers to receive election into the Baseball...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Charles Harrison
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Charles Harrison, an American industrial designer whose creations included such iconic consumer items as polypropylene trash cans (including those with wheels) and the plastic version of...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Charles Lee Moore
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Charles Lee Moore, an American photographer born March 9, 1931, Hackleburg, Ala.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Cheryl Miller
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Cheryl Miller, an American basketball player who is one of the greatest players in the history of women's basketball. Miller is credited with both popularizing the women's game and...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Clarence Page
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Clarence Page, an American newspaper columnist and television commentator specializing in urban affairs.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Cynthia Cooper
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Cynthia Cooper, an American basketball player who was the first Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In the WNBA's inaugural season (1997),...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: David Hunter
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features David Hunter, a Union officer during the American Civil War who issued an emancipation proclamation (May 9, 1862) that was annulled by President Abraham Lincoln (May 19).
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Encyclopedia Britannica: David Satcher
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features David Satcher, an American medical doctor and public health administrator who was (1998-2002) the 16th surgeon general of the United States.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Deacon Jones
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Deacon Jones, an American professional gridiron football player, regarded as one of the sport's premier defense players.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Deion Sanders
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Deion Sanders, an American gridiron football player and baseball player who is the only person to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. Known for his flashy personality and...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Doc Rivers
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Doc Rivers, an American basketball player and coach who, as the head coach of the Boston Celtics, led the team to a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship in 2008.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Don Byas
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Don Byas, a black American jazz tenor saxophonist whose improvising was an important step in the transition from the late swing to the early bop eras.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Don King
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Don King, an American boxing promoter known for his flamboyant manner and outrageous hair styled to stand straight up. He first came to prominence with his promotion of the 1974 "Rumble in...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Earl Campbell
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Earl Campbell, an American gridiron football running back whose bruising style made him one of the most dominant rushers in the history of the sport despite his relatively short career.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Eddie Murphy
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Eddie Murphy, an American comedian and actor who was a dominant comedic voice in the United States during the 1980s. His comedy was largely personal and observational and at times raunchy...