Birthday Celebrations — August 7

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 7 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Ralph Bunche

Full name: Ralph Johnson Bunche

Born August 7, 1904 — died December 9, 1971

Diplomat, political scientist, civil rights advocate, and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Bunche became the first Black person awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after helping negotiate an armistice in the Middle East. His work at the United Nations, scholarship on race and colonialism, and civil rights advocacy made him one of the most important Black diplomats and international thinkers of the 20th century.

Harold Perrineau

Full name: Harold Perrineau Jr.

Born August 7, 1963

Actor and stage, film, and television performer.

Perrineau built a distinctive career through roles that crossed Shakespeare, independent film, major television, and science fiction. From Romeo + Juliet and The Best Man to Oz, Lost, and From, he has brought emotional intensity and complexity to characters across multiple genres.

David Mann

Born August 7, 1966

Actor, comedian, singer, stage performer, and television personality.

Mann became widely recognized as Mr. Brown through Tyler Perry’s stage plays, films, and television series. His comedy, gospel roots, and long creative partnership with his wife, Tamela Mann, made him a familiar presence in Black theater, faith-based entertainment, and family television.

DeMar DeRozan

Full name: DeMar Darnell DeRozan

Born August 7, 1989

NBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, and professional basketball leader.

DeRozan became one of the NBA’s most respected scorers through footwork, midrange skill, consistency, and leadership. Beyond basketball, his openness about depression and mental health helped expand public conversations about vulnerability, wellness, and emotional honesty among Black men and professional athletes.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Full name: Sydney Michelle McLaughlin-Levrone

Born August 7, 1999

Olympic champion, world-record hurdler, sprinter, and track-and-field star.

McLaughlin-Levrone became one of the most dominant athletes in modern track and field, setting the world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles and winning multiple Olympic gold medals. Her precision, speed, composure, and versatility have placed her among the defining runners of her generation.

Melvin H. Evans

Full name: Melvin Herbert Evans

Born August 7, 1917 — died November 27, 1984

Physician, governor, U.S. congressional delegate, diplomat, and Virgin Islands political pioneer.

Evans became the first popularly elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands and later represented the territory in Congress. His career in medicine, public health, territorial leadership, and diplomacy made him a pioneering Black elected official in American government.

Jalen Hurts

Full name: Jalen Alexander Hurts

Born August 7, 1998

NFL quarterback, Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, and community leader.

Hurts developed into one of professional football’s leading quarterbacks through discipline, mobility, leadership, and resilience. He guided the Philadelphia Eagles to multiple championship appearances and became a Super Bowl MVP, while also supporting education and community programs beyond the field.