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1. Jurnee Smollett-Bell

Jurnee has starred in The Great Debaters, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, Friday Night Lights and True Blood. In 2016, Smollett-Bell began playing a leading role in Underground. She and husband Josiah Bell are the parents to a baby boy.

2. Lynn Whitfield

Lynn has starred in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Gone Fishin’, Madea’s Family Reunion and The Women. In 2016, she began starring as villainous Lady Mae Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf.

3. Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson starred in Jungle Fever, True Romance , Jurassic Park Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, just to name a few.

4. Diahann Carroll

Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

Diahann has starred in Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess as well as on Broadway. Julia was one of the first series on American television to star a black woman in a non-stereotypical role and was followed by her portrayal of Dominique Deveraux in the prime-time soap opera Dynasty over three seasons.

5. Lisa Nicole Carson

Lisa has starred in hit shows such as NBC’s ER and Fox’s Ally McBeal. She’s appeared in several films including Love Jones and the New Edition Biopic.

6. Meagan Good

Meagan has starred in Think Like a Man, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, One Missed Call, Saw V, and The Unborn. She played Joanna Locasto, the lead character on the NBC drama series Deception in 2013. She is married to DeVon Franklin, a minister and film executive.

7. Debbi Morgan

Debbi played the role of Angie Baxter–Hubbard on the ABC soap opera All My Children. She was the first African-American to win the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1989. She is also known for her roles in the fourth and fifth seasons of Charmed.

8. Victoria Rowell

Victoria joined the cast of the soap opera, The Young and the Restless, as Drucilla Winters, her signature and longest role on television. She also starred in The Distinguished Gentleman, Dumb and Barb Wire.

9. Vondie Curtis Hall

Vondie is best known for his role as Dr. Dennis Hancock on the medical drama Chicago Hope cand the Netflix TV series Marvel’s Daredevil.