This book of biographical sketches of notable African Americans from Mississippi includes a total of 166 figures, all who have made significant contributions.
Black history makers are defined herein as those who have achieved national prominence in their fields, who have made lasting contributions within the state as pioneers in their fields, or who contributed to their own communities or fields as role models. Each of those included in the book either was born in Mississippi, spent a part of their childhood there, or migrated to Mississippi and remained.
History makers covered include Hiram R. Revels, the first Black US Senator; Blanche K. Bruce, the first Black US Senator to serve a six-year term; political and civil rights leaders such as Aaron Henry, Medgar Evers, and Fannie Lou Hamer; William Johnson, a free Black man from antebellum Natchez; Margaret Murray Washington, wife of Booker T. Washington; Walter Payton, former running back for the Chicago Bears; and contributors to arts and letters such as Leontyne Price, William Grant Still, Margaret Walker Alexander, James Earl Jones, and "Bo Diddley" McDaniel, a pioneer rock-and-roll musician; as well as other notable Black Mississippians.
The book is organized into ten thematic sections: politics, civil rights, business, education, performing and visual arts, journalism and literature, military, science/medicine/social work, sports, and religion. And each section is introduced by an historical overview of this field in the state of Mississippi.
This book is a valuable reference work for those wishing to assess the contributions of African Americans to the history of Mississippi. Of particular significance is the fact that it is a collection which brings attention to lesser-known figures as well as those of considerable renown.