Birthday Celebrations — October 8

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on October 8 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Ray Lewis

Full name: Raymond Gray Lewis

Born October 8, 1910 — died November 15, 2003

Black Canadian sprinter and Olympic medalist.

Lewis earned bronze with Canada’s 4 x 400 metre relay team at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, becoming the first Canadian-born Black athlete to win an Olympic medal. He balanced elite training with work as a railway porter. His career connects athletic achievement with the employment barriers faced by Black Canadians.

Faith Ringgold

Full name: Faith Willi Jones

Born October 8, 1930 — died April 13, 2024

Artist, author, educator, and activist.

Ringgold joined painting, fabric, and written narrative in story quilts that examined Black family life, racism, and women’s experiences. Her quilt Tar Beach became the basis for her celebrated children’s book. Her work also challenged exclusion in museums and expanded recognition of Black women as both artists and storytellers.

Jesse Jackson Sr.

Full name: Jesse Louis Jackson Sr.; born Jesse Louis Burns

Born October 8, 1941 — died February 17, 2026

Civil rights leader, minister, and presidential candidate.

Jackson organized for economic opportunity and voting rights through Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition. His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns widened the national political visibility of Black voters and multiracial coalition organizing. His work grew from the civil rights movement and extended into labor advocacy and international negotiations.

Sheila Ferguson

Full name: Sheila Diana Ferguson

Born October 8, 1947

Singer, actress, and author.

Ferguson became a lead voice of the Three Degrees, whose international breakthrough included When Will I See You Again. Her later career included solo recordings, British stage and television work, and the cookbook Soul Food. She offers a connection between Philadelphia soul, international Black entertainment, and African American food traditions.

Robert “Kool” Bell

Full name: Robert Earl Bell

Born October 8, 1950

Bassist, songwriter, and co-founder of Kool & the Gang.

Bell helped build Kool & the Gang from a jazz-oriented ensemble into a major funk and popular music group. Its catalog includes Jungle Boogie and Celebration.

Lonnie Pitchford

Born October 8, 1955 — died November 8, 1998

Delta blues musician and instrument maker.

Pitchford brought the one-string diddley bow to international audiences while also playing guitar and other instruments. His performances preserved Delta blues techniques without treating the tradition as a museum piece. His album All Round Man documents the range of a musician whose work connected older rural practices with contemporary blues audiences.

CeCe Winans

Full name: Priscilla Marie Winans

Born October 8, 1964

Gospel singer and recording artist.

Winans first reached a wide audience in a recording partnership with her brother BeBe before establishing a solo gospel career. Alone in His Presence helped introduce that solo work. Her recordings connect contemporary production with church-centered singing, and her Grammy recognition reflects her enduring place in gospel music.

Karyn Parsons

Born October 8, 1966

Actress, author, and founder of Sweet Blackberry.

Parsons is widely recognized as Hilary Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In 2005 she founded Sweet Blackberry to introduce children to lesser-known stories of Black achievement through animated films and books.

Teddy Riley

Full name: Edward Theodore Riley

Born October 8, 1967

Record producer, songwriter, singer, and musician.

Riley helped establish new jack swing by combining R&B singing with hip-hop rhythms and production. His work with Guy and Blackstreet, alongside recordings for other major performers, reshaped late-twentieth-century popular music.

Monty Williams

Full name: Tavares Montgomery Williams

Born October 8, 1971

Former NBA player and basketball coach.

Williams moved from an NBA playing career into coaching and led Phoenix to the 2021 NBA Finals. He received the league’s 2022 Coach of the Year award.

Rashaan Salaam

Full name: Rashaan Iman Salaam

Born October 8, 1974 — died December 5, 2016

College and professional football running back.

Salaam won the 1994 Heisman Trophy at the University of Colorado after a season that placed him among college football’s elite rushers. He later played in the NFL.

Nick Cannon

Full name: Nicholas Scott Cannon

Born October 8, 1980

Television host, comedian, actor, and producer.

Cannon developed a career across youth television, film, music, and major entertainment franchises. He created Wild ’N Out and became a familiar host through programs including America’s Got Talent and The Masked Singer. His work provides an example of Black entrepreneurship within television production as well as on-screen performance.

Bubba Wallace

Full name: William Darrell Wallace Jr.

Born October 8, 1993

Stock-car racing driver.

Wallace became the second Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race when he won at Talladega in 2021. His career also includes a 2025 Brickyard 400 victory. His visibility has opened discussion of opportunity and inclusion in a sport with a long history of racial exclusion.