Birthday Celebrations — June 1

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 1 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Morgan Freeman

Born June 1, 1937

Title: Actor, producer, and narrator

Morgan Freeman is one of the most respected actors of his generation, known for his calm authority, emotional depth, and unmistakable voice. His career spans stage, television, film, and documentary narration, with performances that helped make him one of the most recognizable Black actors in American cinema.

Cleavon Little

Born June 1, 1939 — Died October 22, 1992

Title: Stage, film, and television actor

Cleavon Little was a trained actor whose work moved between Broadway, television, and film. He won a Tony Award for Purlie before becoming widely remembered as Sheriff Bart in Blazing Saddles, a role that used comedy to expose the absurdity of racism.

Beverly Guy-Sheftall

Born June 1, 1946

Title: Scholar, writer, editor, and Black women’s studies professor

Beverly Guy-Sheftall is a major figure in Black feminist scholarship and Black women’s studies. She is the founding director of Spelman College’s Women’s Research and Resource Center and has helped preserve, teach, and expand the intellectual history of Black women.

Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee

Born June 1, 1942

Title: Physician, academic leader, and medical education trailblazer

Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee is an osteopathic physician and academic leader who broke a major barrier in American medical education. In 1993, she became the first African American woman appointed dean of a U.S. medical school, opening doors for Black women in medicine and leadership.