March 04, 2023
SoulTic Magazine’s Comprehensive List of African American / Black First That Helped Break the Color Barrier – pt . 11 Internet Vol – 11
* 21st century
* 2000s
Ezola B . Foster First African American nominated for Vice President of the United States by a Federal Election Commission – recognized and federally funded political party ( note see 1952 FEC established 1975 ) ( 2000 )
Colin Powell First African American Secretary of State : The most Reverend Wilton Daniel Gregory First African American president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops : Rev . William G . Sinkford First African American president of the Unitarian Universalist Association : Ruth J . Simmons at Brown University , First African American president of an Ivy League university ( & first permanet female president of Brown . :
Beyonce Knowles First African American woman to win the ASCAP Pop Music Songwriter of the Year award : Condoleezza Rice First African American woman to be appointed National Security Advisor ( Republican ; note see 2005 ) Robert L . Johnson First African American billionaire ; founder of Black Entertainment Television ( note see 2002 ) : Sheila Johnson First African American female billionaire : ( 2001 )
Vonetta Flowers First African American Winter Olympic gold medal winner ( two – woman bobsleigh ) . ( note see Shani Davis , 2006 ) : Robert L . Johnson First African American to become majority owner of a U . S . major sports league team ; ( Charlotte Bobcats , NBA ) ( note see 2001 ) Captain Vernice Armour , First African American female combat pilot in the U . S . Armed Services USMC . : Venus Williams , First African American to hold the # 1 rank in tennis , February 25 , 2002 . :
Serena Williams First African American to hold the year – end # 1 rank in tennis : Serena Williams First African American to be named year – end world champion by the International Tennis Federation : Darren Arbet First African American Arena Football League head coach to win Arena Bowl : ( San Jose Saber Cats ) , Arena Bowl XVI :
Ozzie Newsome First African American general manager in the National Football League ( Baltimore Ravens ) : Dave Benton First African American winner of the Eurovision Song Contest ( ” Everybody ” ) : Halle Berry First African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress . ( 2002 )
Serena Williams First African American to win a Career Grand Slam in tennis ( note see Althea Gibson , 1956 ; Arthur Ashe , 1968 ) (2003 )
Phylicia Rashad First African American to win Broadway theater’s Tony Award for Best Actress in a play : Joe Dumars First African American NBA general manager to win the NBA Finals , ( Detroit Pistons ) , 2004 NBA Finals : First African American Canadian Football League head coach to reach ( & win ) the Grey Cup , Pinball Clemons ( Toronto Argonauts ) , 92nd Grey Cup ( 2004 )
Condoleezza Rice First African American woman appointed Secretary of state ; ( note see 2001 ) : Jenine Menze First African American woman U . S . Coast Guard aviator : ( 2005 )
Shani Davis First African American individual Winter Olympic gold medal winner ( men’s 1,000 meter speed skating ) ( note see Vonetta Flowers , 2002 ) : Major General Walter E . Gaskin First African American to command a United States Marine Corps Division : Sophia Danenberg First African American to reach the peak of Mount Everest : ( 2006 )
Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy First African American NFL head coaches to reach the Super Bowl ( Super Bowl XLI ) : Tony Dungy First African American NFL head coach to win the super Bowl ( Indianapolis Colts ) , Super Bowl XLI : Barbars Hillary First known African woman to reach the North Pole : ( 2007 )
Barack Obama First African American to be nominated as a major – party U . S . presidential candidate ( Democratic Party ) : Mike Carey First African American to referee a Super Bowl game ( Super Bowl XLII ) Jerry Reese First African American NFL general manager to win the Super Bowl ( New York Giants ) , Super Bowl XLII : Karen Bass First African American woman elected Speaker of a state House of Representatives ( California Rep . )
Barack Obama First African American elected President of the United States : Roland Burris First African American to be appointed to the United States Senate by a state governor : Major Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell First African American female combat pilot in the United States Air Force ( 2008 )
Michelle Obama First African American First Lady of the United States : Michael Steele First African American chair of the Republican National Committee : Eric Holder First African American United States Attorney General : Susan Rice First African American woman United States Ambassador to the United Nations : Ron Kirk First African American United States Trade Representative :
Lisa P . Jackson First African American woman Administrator of the Evironmental Protection Agency : Desiree Rogers First African American House Social Secretary : Duke Ellington First African American to appear by himself on a circulating U . S . coin ( District of Columbia quarter ) : Annette Gordon – Reed First African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for History ; The Hemingses of Monticello : An American Family :
Charles F . Bolden , Jr . First African American Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration : Alysa Stanton First African American woman rabbi : Ursula Burns Xerox Corporation First African American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company : Tiana First African American Disney Princess :
Geoffrey S . Fletcher First African American to win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay ( Precious ) : Serena & Venus Williams First African American doubles team to be named year – end world champion by the International Tennis Federation ( 2009 )
Dustin Byfuglien First African American member of a Stanely Cup – winning team ( Chicago Blackhawks ) : ( 2010 )
Tim Scott First African American senator from the former Confederacy since Reconstruction : Cheryl Boone Isaacs First African American president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences : ( 2013 )
