List of African-American actors
This is a list of African-American actors by birth order.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article and/or references showing the person is African American and a notable actor. The list is organized chronologically, grouping actors by their birth year.
1800s
- Ira Aldridge 1807
1860s
- Ernest Hogan 1865
- Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones 1868
- George H. Reed 1866
- Bob Cole 1868
1870s
- Madame Sul-Te-Wan 1873
- George Walker 1873
- Bert Williams 1874
- John Larkin 1877
- Bill Robinson 1878
- Jesse Graves 1879
1880s
- Noble Johnson 1881
- Clinton Rosemond 1881
- Frank H. Wilson 1885
- Sam McDaniel 1886
- Dooley Wilson 1886
- Spencer Bell 1887
- Tim Moore 1887
- Clarence Muse 1889
1890s
- Charles R. Moore 1893
- Ernest Whitman 1893
- Spencer Williams 1893
- Rex Ingram 1895
- Hattie McDaniel 1895
- Bill Walker 1896
- Ethel Waters 1896
- Johnny Lee 1898
- Paul Robeson 1898
- Lillian Randolph 1898
- Blue Washington 1898
- Oscar Polk 1899
1900s
- Ruby Dandridge 1900
- Adelaide Hall 1901
- Jester Hairston 1901
- Louise Beavers 1902
- Everett Brown 1902
- Stepin Fetchit 1902
- Mantan Moreland 1902
- Fredi Washington 1903
- James Baskett 1904
- Pigmeat Markham 1904
- Eddie Anderson 1905
- Frederick O'Neal 1905
- Dudley Dickerson 1906
- Ernestine Wade 1906
- Fred Toones 1906
- Victoria Spivey 1906
- Alvin Childress 1907
- Cab Calloway 1907
- Canada Lee 1907
- Louis Jordan 1908
- Helen Martin 1909
1910s
- Nick Stewart 1910
- Scatman Crothers 1910
- Napoleon Whiting 1910
- Muriel Rahn 1911
- Rosetta LeNoire 1911
- Nina Mae McKinney 1912
- Roy Glenn 1914
- Woody Strode 1914
- Juanita Moore 1914
- Willie Best 1916
- Ossie Davis 1917
- Lena Horne 1917
- Davis Roberts 1917
- Isabel Sanford 1917
- James Edwards 1918
- Nipsey Russell 1918
- Nat 'King' Cole 1919
1920s
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins 1920
- LaWanda Page 1920
- Esther Rolle 1920
- Dorothy Dandridge 1922
- Redd Foxx 1922
- Roscoe Lee Browne 1922
- Muriel Smith 1923
- Ruby Dee 1924
- Cicely Tyson 1924
- Matthew "Stymie" Beard 1925
- Sammy Davis Jr. 1925
- Harry Belafonte 1927
- Rupert Crosse 1927
- Robert Guillaume 1927
- Brock Peters 1927
- Sidney Poitier 1927
- Eartha Kitt 1927
- Maya Angelou 1928
- Moses Gunn 1929
- Roxie Roker 1929
1930s
- Abbey Lincoln 1930
- James Earl Jones 1931
- Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas 1931
- Ivan Dixon 1931
- Marla Gibbs 1931
- Carl Gordon 1932
- Nichelle Nichols 1932
- Melvin Van Peebles 1932
- Godfrey Cambridge 1933
- Greg Morris 1933
- Flip Wilson 1933
- Wilbert "Bill" Cobbs 1934
- Diahann Carroll 1935
- Louis Gossett Jr. 1936
- Bill Cosby 1937
- Morgan Freeman 1937
- Billy Dee Williams 1937
- Sherman Hemsley 1938
- Madge Sinclair 1938
- Fred Williamson 1938
- John Amos 1939
- Cleavon Little 1939
- Clarence Williams III 1939
- Yaphet Kotto 1939
- Thalmus Rasulala 1939
- Paul Winfield 1939
1940s
- Richard Pryor 1940
- John Witherspoon 1942
- Isaac Hayes 1942
- Richard Roundtree 1942
- Leslie Uggams 1943
- Georg Stanford Brown 1943
- Margaret Avery 1944
- Patti LaBelle 1944
- Diana Ross 1944
- Ja'net Dubois 1945
- Charlie Robinson 1945
- James Avery 1945
- Ernie Hudson 1945
- Melba Moore 1945
- Danny Glover 1946
- Gregory Hines 1946
- Ben Vereen 1946
- Demond Wilson 1946
- Glynn Turman 1947
- Joe Morton 1947
- Jimmie Walker 1947
- Grace Jones 1948
- Phylicia Rashad 1948
- Avery Brooks 1948
- Samuel L. Jackson 1948
- Lynne Thigpen 1948
- Nell Carter 1948
- Pam Grier 1949
- Frankie Faison 1949
- Kene Holliday 1949
- Loretta Devine 1949
1950s
- Howard E. Rollins Jr. 1950
- Dorian Harewood 1950
- Debbie Allen 1950
- Jo Marie Payton 1950
- Obba Babatundé 1951
- Alfre Woodard 1952
- Delroy Lindo 1952
- Reginald VelJohnson 1952
- Michael Dorn 1952
- Tom Wright 1952
- Clarke Peters 1952
- S. Epatha Merkerson 1952
- Lynn Whitfield 1953
- Oprah Winfrey 1954
- Marsha Warfield 1954
- Dennis Haysbert 1954
- James Pickens Jr. 1954
- Tony Todd 1954
- Robert Gossett 1954
- Denzel Washington 1954
- Roger Guenveur Smith 1955
- Whoopi Goldberg 1955
- Clarence Gilyard 1955
- Clifton Powell 1956
- David Alan Grier 1956
- Keith David 1956
- Arsenio Hall 1956
- Khandi Alexander 1957
- Robert Townsend 1957
- Levar Burton 1957
- Bernie Mac 1957
- Steve Harvey 1957
- Spike Lee 1957
- Mario Van Peebles 1957
- Michael Clarke Duncan 1957
- Mykelti Williamson 1957
- Jenifer Lewis 1957
- Suzzanne Douglas 1957
- Michael Jackson 1958
- Angela Bassett 1958
- Reg E. Cathey 1958
- Giancarlo Esposito 1958
- Keenen Ivory Wayans 1958
- Tom Lister Jr. 1958
- Tony Cox 1958
- Ice-T1958
- Terrence C. Carson 1958
- Prince 1958
- Tamara Tunie 1959
- Victoria Rowell 1959
- Charlie Murphy 1959
- Irene Cara 1959
1960s
- Courtney B. Vance 1960
- Anne-Marie Johnson 1960
- Damon Wayans 1960
- Rusty Cundieff 1960
- John Henton 1960
- Larry Wilmore 1961
- Mark Curry 1961
- Chandra Currelley-Young 1961
- Eddie Murphy 1961
- Forest Whitaker 1961
- Laurence Fishburne 1961
- Dawnn Lewis 1961
- Kim Wayans 1961
- Kym Whitley 1961
- Tim Meadows 1961
- Lance Reddick 1962
- T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh 1962
- Leon Robinson 1962
- Kim Coles 1962
- Eriq La Salle 1962
- Wesley Snipes 1962
- Jasmine Guy 1962
- Richard Brooks 1962
- Tommy Davidson 1963
- Michael Beach 1963
- Wendell Pierce 1963
- Whitney Houston 1963
- Isaiah Washington 1963
- Vanessa L. Williams 1963
- Vanessa Estelle Williams 1963
- Darryl M. Bell 1963
- Harold Perrineau 1963
- Jennifer Beals 1963
- D.L. Hughley 1963
- Lela Rochon 1964
- Harry Lennix 1964
- Vivica A. Fox 1964
- Lenny Kravitz 1964
- Wanda Sykes1964
- Cedric the Entertainer 1964
- Holly Robinson Peete 1964
- Blair Underwood 1964
- Miguel A. Núñez Jr. 1964
- J. B. Smoove 1965
- Viola Davis1965
- K. Todd Freeman 1965
- Chris Rock 1965
- Martin Lawrence 1965
- Jeffrey Wright 1965
- Kadeem Hardison 1965
- Steve Harris 1965
- Todd Bridges 1965
- The Lady of Rage 1966
- Gina Ravera 1966
- Janet Jackson 1966
- Hill Harper 1966
- Kristoff St. John 1966
- Gary Anthony Williams 1966
- Gary Dourdan 1966
- Halle Berry 1966
- Shanésia Davis-Williams 1966
- Karyn Parsons-Rockwell 1966
- Rachel True 1966
- Michael Kenneth Williams 1966
- David Mann 1966
- Tamela Mann 1966
- Jeffrey D. Sams 1966
- Toni Braxton 1967
- Stacey Dash 1967
- Sherri Shepherd 1967
- Leslie Jones 1967
- Michael Jai White 1967
- Lisa Bonet 1967
- Salli Richardson 1967
- Mo'Nique 1967
- Jamie Foxx 1967
- Seth Gilliam 1968
- Tisha Campbell-Martin 1968
- Allen Payne1968
- Matthew St. Patrick1968
- Cuba Gooding Jr. 1968
- Orlando Jones 1968
- Eddie Griffin 1968
- Terry Crews 1968
- Phill Lewis 1968
- Will Smith 1968
- Tracy Morgan 1968
- LL Cool J 1968
- Gary Coleman 1968
- Andre Royo 1968
- Kimberly Brooks - 1968
- Paula Jai Parker 1969
- Jesse L. Martin 1969
- Erika Alexander 1969
- Morris Chestnut 1969
- Ice Cube 1969
- Terrence Howard 1969
- Tyler Perry 1969
- Gina Torres 1969
- Chandra Wilson 1969
- D.B. Woodside 1969
- Dondre Whitfield 1969
- Reginald C. Hayes 1969
- Tichina Arnold 1969
- Wood Harris 1969
- Kim Fields 1969
- Aunjanue Ellis 1969
1970s
- Queen Latifah 1970
- Cress Williams 1970
- Aisha Tyler 1970
- Octavia Spencer1970
- Anthony Anderson 1970
- Shemar Moore 1970
- Mariah Carey 1970
- Taraji P. Henson 1970
- Audra McDonald 1970
- Stephen Bishop 1970
- Henry Simmons 1970
- Nicole Ari Parker 1970
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner 1970
- Mike Epps 1970
- Golden Brooks 1970
- Regina Hall 1970
- Niecy Nash 1970
- DMX 1970
- Method Man 1971
- Erykah Badu 1971
- Tasha Smith 1971
- Rozonda Thomas 1971
- Lamman Rucker 1971
- Taye Diggs 1971
- Regina King 1971
- Sanaa Lathan 1971
- Jada Pinkett Smith 1971
- Chris Tucker 1971
- Shawn Wayans 1971
- Katt Williams 1971
- Tupac Shakur 1971
- Keegan-Michael Key1971
- Richard T. Jones 1972
- Darrin Henson 1972
- Common 1972
- Maya Rudolph 1972
- Jill Scott 1972
- Sharon Leal 1972
- Essence Atkins1972
- Wayne Brady 1972
- Leonard Roberts 1972
- Anika Noni Rose 1972
- Marlon Wayans 1972
- Gabrielle Union 1972
- Deon Cole 1972
- Tracee Ellis Ross 1972
- Omar Epps 1973
- Rockmond Dunbar 1973
- Yasiin Bey 1973
- Dave Chappelle 1973
- Michael Ealy 1973
- Keesha Sharp1973
- Lark Voorhies1973
- Mahershala Ali 1974
- Donald Faison 1974
- Russell Hornsby 1974
- Tamala Jones 1974
- Mekhi Phifer 1974
- Derek Luke 1974
- Joy Bryant 1974
- Omari Hardwick 1974
- Chad L. Coleman 1974
- De'Aundre Bonds 1974
- Brian White 1975
- Lauryn Hill 1975
- Aisha Hinds 1975
- Malinda Williams 1975
- 50 Cent 1975
- Tory Kittles 1975
- Sharif Atkins 1975
- Paula Patton 1975
- Larenz Tate 1975
- Jill Marie Jones 1975
- Andre Benjamin 1975
- Sterling K. Brown 1976
- Kellie Shanygne Williams 1976
- Jaleel White 1976
- Rashida Jones 1976
- Rochelle Aytes1976
- Omar Gooding 1976
- Pooch Hall 1976
- Mike Colter 1976
- Chadwick Boseman 1977
- Erica Ash 1977
- Kerry Washington 1977
- Chris Bridges 1977
- RonReaco Lee1977
- Wesley Jonathan 1978
- Tyrese Gibson 1978
- Kenan Thompson 1978
- Omar Benson Miller 1978
- Nelsan Ellis 1978
- Anthony Mackie 1978
- Danai Gurira 1978
- Aaliyah 1979
- Lil Rel Howery 1979
- Jason Weaver 1979
- Kevin Hart 1979
- Nate Parker 1979
- Keshia Knight Pulliam1979
- Andre Holland1979
- Brandy Norwood1979
- Tituss Burgess1979
- Jordan Peele1979
- Cory Hardrict 1979
- Rutina Wesley 1979
- Tiffany Haddish 1979
1980s
- Mehcad Brooks 1980
- Malcolm Barrett 1980
- Nick Cannon 1980
- Lamorne Morris 1980
- Neil Brown Jr. 1980
- William Jackson Harper 1980
- Marques Houston 1981
- Jennifer Hudson 1981
- Alicia Keys 1981
- Meghan Markle 1981
- Beyoncé Knowles 1981
- Jesse Williams1981
- Lance Gross1981
- Hosea Chanchez 1981
- Daveed Diggs 1982
- Damon Wayans Jr. 1982
- Columbus Short 1982
- Terrence Jenkins 1982
- Ron Funches 1982
- Jussie Smollett1982
- Donald Glover 1983
- Brian Tyree Henry 1983
- Gabourey Sidibe 1983
- Trai Byers1983
- Robert Ri'chard 1983
- Arjay Smith 1983
- Tessa Thompson 1983
- J. Lee 1984
- Lauren London 1984
- DeVaughn Nixon 1984
- Rob Brown 1984
- Xosha Roquemore 1984
- Alphonso McAuley 1984
- Brandon T. Jackson 1984
- Scott Mescudi 1984
- Charles Michael Davis 1984
- Naturi Naughton 1984
- Lee Thompson Young 1984
- Dewanda Wise 1984
- Lena Waithe 1984
- Sonequa Martin-Green 1985
- Janelle Monáe 1985
- Edwin Hodge 1985
- Raven-Symoné1985
- Aja Naomi King1985
- Jon Michael Hill1985
- Giovonnie Samuels 1985
- Nicole Beharie1985
- Collins Pennie1985
- Bryton James 1986
- Sasheer Zamata 1986
- Aldis Hodge 1986
- Elijah Kelley 1986
- Condola Rashad1986
- Jurnee Smollett-Bell1986
- Marcus T. Paulk 1986
- Amber Stevens West 1986
- Samira Wiley 1987
- Michael B. Jordan 1987
- Jerrod Carmichael1987
- Jermaine Fowler 1987
- Jay Pharoah 1987
- Shad Moss 1987
- Jason Mitchell 1987
- Naya Rivera 1987
- Teyonah Parris 1987
- Christel Khalil 1987
- Evan Ross 1988
- Zoe Kravitz 1988
- Jordin Sparks 1989
- Tristan Wilds 1989
- Danielle Brooks 1989
- Logan Browning 1989
- Nafessa Williams 1989
1990s
- Chris Warren 1990
- Christopher Massey 1990
- Jordan Calloway 1990
- Marc John Jefferies 1990
- Tom Williamson 1990
- Lakeith Stanfield 1991
- Kyle Massey 1991
- Tyler James Williams 1992
- Jude Demorest 1992
- Doc Shaw 1992
- Tequan Richmond 1992
- Rhyon Nicole Brown 1992
- Keith Powers 1992
- Paige Hurd 1992
- Raven Goodwin 1992
- Leon Thomas III 1993
- Keke Palmer 1993
- Bryshere Y. Gray 1993
- Shameik Moore 1995
- Zendaya 1996
- Ajiona Alexus 1996
- Teala Dunn 1996
- Dee Dee Davis 1996
- Trevor Jackson 1996
- Jacob Latimore 1996
- Bobbe J. Thompson 1996
- Jamia Simone Nash 1996
- Cymphonique Miller 1996
- Brittany O'Grady 1996
- Tyrel Jackson Williams 1997
- Jaden Smith 1998
- China Anne McClain 1998
- Amandla Stenberg 1998
- Madison Pettis 1998
2000s
- Yara Shahidi 2000
- Willow Smith 2000
- Caleb McLaughlin 2001
- Skai Jackson 2002
- Quvenzhané Wallis 2003
- Marsai Martin 2004
- Trinitee Stokes 2006