Birthday Celebrations — August 25

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 25 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Althea Gibson

Full name: Althea Neale Gibson

Born August 25, 1927 — died September 28, 2003

Tennis champion, professional golfer, and international sports trailblazer.

Gibson broke the color barrier in international tennis and became the first Black player to win a Grand Slam title. Her victories at the French Championships, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Nationals opened doors later walked through by generations of Black tennis stars.

Wayne Shorter

Born August 25, 1933 — died March 2, 2023

Jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and visionary musical innovator.

Shorter reshaped modern jazz through Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis’s second great quintet, Weather Report, and his own ensembles. His compositions combined mystery, economy, harmony, and imagination, making him one of jazz’s most influential writers and improvisers.

Walter Williams Sr.

Full name: Walter Lee Williams

Born August 25, 1943

Singer, songwriter, and founding member of the O’Jays.

Williams’s smooth voice became an essential counterpoint to Eddie Levert’s grit in the O’Jays. Through Philadelphia soul classics including “Love Train,” “Back Stabbers,” and “For the Love of Money,” the group joined dance-floor power with social commentary.

Shock G

Birth name: Gregory Edward Jacobs

Born August 25, 1963 — died April 22, 2021

Rapper, producer, musician, visual artist, and leader of Digital Underground.

Shock G brought funk musicianship, humor, imagination, and the alter ego Humpty Hump into hip-hop. Digital Underground’s success helped launch Tupac Shakur and carried the influence of Parliament-Funkadelic into a new generation of rap.

Blair Underwood

Born August 25, 1964

Actor, director, producer, and longtime stage, film, and television leading man.

Underwood broke through on L.A. Law and built a career spanning drama, romance, action, theater, and directing. His longevity helped normalize complex Black professionals and leading men across mainstream television and film.

Terminator X

Birth name: Norman Rogers

Born August 25, 1966

DJ, producer, and original member of Public Enemy.

Terminator X’s turntable work gave Public Enemy a forceful rhythmic and sonic foundation during hip-hop’s golden age. His scratches, samples, and stage presence reinforced the DJ’s central role in politically charged records including It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Albert Belle

Full name: Albert Jojuan Belle

Born August 25, 1966

Former Major League Baseball outfielder and one of the most feared hitters of the 1990s.

Belle combined power, discipline, and intensity, becoming the first player in major-league history to record 50 home runs and 50 doubles in the same season. At his peak, he was a defining force in Cleveland’s return to championship contention.

Kel Mitchell

Born August 25, 1978

Actor, comedian, producer, pastor, and Nickelodeon television favorite.

Mitchell became a defining face of 1990s youth comedy through All That, Kenan & Kel, and Good Burger. His physical comedy, characters, and enduring creative partnership with Kenan Thompson made him part of a major era in Black children’s television.

China Anne McClain

Born August 25, 1998

Actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and former member of McClain.

McClain grew from a child performer in Tyler Perry projects into a Disney star through A.N.T. Farm and the Descendants films. Her acting, music, and family collaborations made her an important figure for a generation of young Black audiences.