Birthday Celebrations — September 11

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 11 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Euphemia Lofton Haynes

Full name: Martha Euphemia Lofton

Born September 11, 1890 — died July 25, 1980

Mathematician and educator.

Haynes became the first Black woman to earn a PhD in mathematics (Catholic University, 1943) across 47 years teaching in Washington, D.C., where she later chaired the school board and fought tracking that harmed Black students.

Charles Evers

Full name: James Charles Evers

Born September 11, 1922 — died July 22, 2020

Civil rights leader and mayor.

After his brother Medgar’s assassination, Evers took over as Mississippi NAACP field secretary and in 1969 was elected mayor of Fayette, a national milestone.

Minnijean Brown-Trickey

Full name: Minnijean Brown

Born September 11, 1941

Little Rock Nine member and social justice educator.

Brown-Trickey helped desegregate Central High in 1957 and received the Congressional Gold Medal, devoting her life to nonviolence education.

Taraji P. Henson

Full name: Taraji Penda Henson

Born September 11, 1970

Actress, producer, and mental health advocate.

From an Oscar nomination to Hidden Figures to Empire’s Cookie Lyon, Henson also leads a foundation erasing mental health stigma in the Black community.

Ludacris

Birth name: Christopher Brian Bridges

Born September 11, 1977

Rapper, actor, and entrepreneur.

Ludacris helped put Atlanta at hip-hop’s center, with a parallel career in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Ed Reed

Full name: Edward Earl Reed Jr.

Born September 11, 1978

Pro Football Hall of Fame safety.

The Ravens legend is widely considered the greatest ball-hawking safety in NFL history.

Shaun Livingston

Full name: Shaun Patrick Livingston

Born September 11, 1985

Three-time NBA champion.

Livingston returned from one of sports’ most catastrophic knee injuries to become a vital piece of the Warriors dynasty.