Birthday Celebrations — October 25

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

William Dominick Matthews

Born October 25, 1827 (some sources give 1829) — died March 2, 1906

Abolitionist, Civil War officer, and civic leader.

Matthews organized within Kansas’s free Black community and supported the struggle against slavery. During the Civil War he recruited Black soldiers and served as a Union officer. His later civic and Masonic leadership extended that public work beyond the war. His biography is valuable for connecting emancipation with Black institution building, although his birth year requires qualification.

Lynn Toler

Full name: Lynn Candace Toler

Born October 25, 1959

Attorney, former municipal judge, and television arbitrator.

Toler brought legal experience to television through Divorce Court, where she became known for discussing conflict, responsibility, and relationships. Her career spans courtroom service, public speaking, and broadcasting.

Michael Boatman

Full name: Michael Patrick Boatman

Born October 25, 1964

Actor and writer.

Boatman built a television and film career through roles in China Beach, Spin City, Arli$$, and The Good Fight. His work ranges from military drama to workplace comedy and legal storytelling. As Carter Heywood in Spin City, he portrayed a Black gay professional in a prominent network sitcom, broadening the kinds of recurring characters represented on television.

Kevin Michael Richardson

Born October 25, 1964

Voice and screen actor.

Richardson’s deep, flexible voice has made him a familiar presence in animation and video games. His roles include Captain Gantu in Lilo & Stitch, the Joker in The Batman, and characters in The Cleveland Show and numerous other series. His career highlights a major area of Black performance in which audiences often recognize the voice before learning the performer’s name.

Speech

Full name: Todd Thomas

Born October 25, 1968

Rapper, songwriter, and Arrested Development cofounder.

Speech helped form Arrested Development and brought a blend of hip-hop, soul, blues, and social commentary to a broad audience. The group’s early success included Tennessee and People Everyday. His later solo recordings continued a reflective approach to music. His career supplies an alternative perspective on the range of ideas and sounds within early-1990s rap.

Craig Robinson

Full name: Craig Phillip Robinson

Born October 25, 1971

Actor, comedian, and musician.

Robinson became widely known as Darryl Philbin on The Office and later appeared in films and television projects that used both his comic timing and musical ability. His recurring role as Doug Judy on Brooklyn Nine-Nine further established his television presence.

Rosie Ledet

Full name: Mary Roszela Bellard

Born October 25, 1971

Zydeco accordionist, singer, and songwriter.

Ledet became a prominent woman bandleader in Louisiana zydeco, performing as an accordionist and vocalist with the Zydeco Playboys. Her music draws on the Creole dance tradition while presenting her own songs and musical personality.

Persia White

Born October 25, 1972 (her own site gives 1976)

Actress and singer.

White played Lynn Searcy on Girlfriends, part of an ensemble that centered the careers, friendships, and personal lives of Black women. She also appeared in The Vampire Diaries and pursued music, including the album Mecca.

Lamont Bentley

Born October 25, 1973 — died January 19, 2005

Television and film actor.

Bentley was best known as Hakeem Campbell on Moesha, where he was part of a television ensemble focused on a Black teenager’s family and friendships. His film roles included Tales from the Hood and The Wash. His career ended at age 31, but his sitcom work remains recognizable to audiences who grew up with 1990s Black television.

Zadie Smith

Full name: Sadie Smith

Born October 25, 1975

British novelist and essayist.

Smith’s debut novel White Teeth brought international attention to her portrayal of families, migration, and cultural change in London. Later books including On Beauty and NW extended her exploration of class, race, and identity.

Mehcad Brooks

Full name: Mehcad Jason McKinley Brooks

Born October 25, 1980

Actor and former model.

Brooks appeared in Desperate Housewives, True Blood, Necessary Roughness, and Supergirl, moving among drama, sports storytelling, and comic-book adaptation. His portrayal of James Olsen in Supergirl placed a Black actor in a role familiar from earlier versions of the Superman story.

Ciara

Full name: Ciara Princess Harris

Born October 25, 1985

Singer, songwriter, and dancer.

Ciara emerged with Goodies in 2004 and helped bring Atlanta’s dance-oriented R&B sound to a broad pop audience. Her recordings and choreography made movement central to her public identity, while later projects expanded her songwriting and business roles. Collaborations with Missy Elliott and other artists place her within an important network of women shaping popular music and performance.