While you’ve probably heard of iconic African-American historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Billie Holiday, the d/Deaf communities often do not receive the same recognition. In honor of Black History Month, here is a spotlight on some of the most prominent individuals in the Black Deaf community. 

Doctors and Scholars

The first Black Deaf men to earn their university doctorates were Dr. David James in 1977 and Dr. Glenn B. Anderson in 1982. Dr. James has since taught at Indiana University, Howard University, and Rutgers University, while Dr. Anderson has worked at the Deafness Research and Training Center at NYU and as the director of training at University of Arkansas’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Persons Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. 

Dr. Shirley Allen became the first Black Deaf woman to receive a doctorate and has taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Jarvis Christian College. She was also named a leader in humanities education by Marquis Who’s Who. 

Artists and Creatives

C.J. Jones is a Black Deaf actor who has toured with the National Theater for the Deaf and Children of a Lesser God touring company. He became one of the first Black Deaf actors to star in a major blockbuster when he was cast in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver. 

Jade Bryan became the first Black Deaf woman to direct an American documentary series after graduating from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She has since founded her own production company, Jade Films and Entertainment, that has several projects in the works.

The Black Deaf Ph.D. Project, LLC is an inspirational cause, with a goal to understand the experiences and challenges that Black deaf people still navigate. This includes systemic forms of oppressions (i.e., racism, audism, sexism, and classism) within higher education and how these oppressions influence their college choice, access, experiences, and success.

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