Birthday Celebrations — May 21

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on May 21 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Fats Waller

Born May 21, 1904 — Died December 15, 1943

Field: Jazz / Piano / Composition / Harlem Renaissance

Fats Waller was a pianist, organist, composer, singer, and entertainer whose music helped shape stride piano and early jazz performance.

Why it matters: Waller’s genius was musical and comedic at the same time. He belongs in the archive because he helped define a sound of Black joy, virtuosity, humor, and swing.

Mr. T

Born May 21, 1952

Field: Television / Film / Pop Culture / Black Masculinity

Laurence Tureaud, known as Mr. T, became a major pop culture figure through wrestling, television, and film.

Why it matters: Mr. T’s image became one of the most recognizable Black pop culture symbols of the 1980s — part toughness, part theatrical performance, part working-class Chicago persona.

The Notorious B.I.G.

Born May 21, 1972 — Died March 9, 1997

Field: Hip-Hop / Brooklyn / Rap Storytelling

Christopher Wallace, known as The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was one of the most influential rappers in hip-hop history.

Why it matters: Biggie’s storytelling, flow, voice, and imagery helped define East Coast hip-hop in the 1990s and left a lasting imprint on Black music and Brooklyn cultural identity.

Wear the history: The Notorious B.I.G. — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.