Birthday Celebrations — August 29

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 29 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Isabel Sanford

Birth name: Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford

Born August 29, 1917 — died July 9, 2004

Actress and groundbreaking Emmy Award winner.

Sanford became iconic as Louise “Weezy” Jefferson on All in the Family and The Jeffersons. In 1981 she became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Charlie Parker

Full name: Charles Parker Jr.

Born August 29, 1920 — died March 12, 1955

Jazz alto saxophonist, composer, and principal architect of bebop.

Known as “Bird,” Parker revolutionized jazz through dazzling technique, harmonic freedom, rhythmic invention, and compositions that became standards. His music changed the language of improvisation and influenced nearly every modern jazz musician who followed.

Dinah Washington

Birth name: Ruth Lee Jones

Born August 29, 1924 — died December 14, 1963

Singer, pianist, and master interpreter of blues, jazz, R&B, and popular song.

Washington’s precise diction, sharp timing, emotional intelligence, and commanding tone earned her the title “Queen of the Blues.” She crossed musical categories without losing her identity and helped define the modern Black popular vocalist.

Michael Jackson

Full name: Michael Joseph Jackson

Born August 29, 1958 — died June 25, 2009

Singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, humanitarian, and global popular-culture icon.

Jackson transformed music videos, live performance, dance, recording, and global celebrity. From the Jackson 5 through Off the Wall, Thriller, and later work, his precision and imagination made him one of the most influential entertainers in history.

Lenny Henry

Full name: Lenworth George Henry

Born August 29, 1958

British comedian, actor, writer, producer, and advocate for media diversity.

Henry became a pioneering Black presence in British comedy and television, later expanding into Shakespeare, drama, fantasy, and children’s literature. He also cofounded Comic Relief and has challenged the British media industry to improve Black representation.

Pebbles

Birth name: Perri Arlette McKissack

Born August 29, 1964

Singer, songwriter, producer, and music executive.

Pebbles scored major late-1980s R&B hits including “Girlfriend” and “Mercedes Boy” before forming the group TLC. Her career occupies a complicated but important place at the intersection of performance, artist development, and the business of 1990s R&B.

Meshell Ndegeocello

Birth name: Michelle Lynn Johnson

Born August 29, 1968

Singer, songwriter, bassist, composer, poet, producer, and alternative-jazz innovator.

Ndegeocello fused go-go, funk, soul, jazz, rock, hip-hop, reggae, and spoken word into a fiercely independent body of work. Her genre-fluid music helped create space for neo-soul and for Black artists exploring gender, sexuality, and experimental sound.

David West

Full name: David Moorer West

Born August 29, 1980

Former NBA forward, two-time champion, union leader, and education advocate.

West built a respected 15-year NBA career through strength, midrange skill, discipline, and leadership, winning championships with Golden State. Beyond basketball, he has supported African American history education and international learning initiatives.

A+

Birth name: Andre Levins

Born August 29, 1982

Rapper and former child hip-hop performer.

A+ entered the national rap scene as a young teenager and became best known for the 1996 hit “Enjoy Yourself.” His career reflects the mid-1990s era when young Black rappers gained mainstream visibility through polished production and classic soul samples.

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Wear the history: Charlie Parker · Michael Jackson — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.