Birthday Celebrations — July 14

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 14 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Rosey Grier

Birth name: Roosevelt Grier

Born July 14, 1932

NFL defensive lineman, actor, singer, minister, author, and activist.

Grier became known as a powerful NFL player with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, including time with the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome.” His life after football stretched into acting, ministry, public service, and a historic connection to the night Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Lee Elder

Birth name: Robert Lee Elder

Born July 14, 1934 — died November 28, 2021

Professional golfer, PGA Tour winner, and first Black golfer to play in the Masters.

Elder broke one of golf’s major racial barriers when he became the first Black golfer to compete in the Masters in 1975. His courage helped open space in a sport that had long excluded Black players from its most elite stages.

Stan Shaw

Born July 14, 1952

Actor, producer, stage performer, and character actor.

Shaw began his career on Broadway before moving into film and television. His work across projects like Truck Turner, Rocky, Harlem Nights, and other roles made him a familiar face in Black film history and American screen culture.

Tiny Harris

Birth name: Tameka Dianne Cottle-Harris

Born July 14, 1975

R&B singer, songwriter, television personality, and Xscape member.

Tiny rose to fame as a member of Xscape, one of the major R&B groups of the 1990s. She also became a Grammy-winning songwriter through her work on TLC’s “No Scrubs,” adding her name to one of the biggest R&B records of its era.