21st-century African-American people

Reginald Shepherd (April 10, 1963 – September 10, 2008) was an American poet, born in New York City and raised in the Bronx. He died of cancer in Pensacola, Florida, in 2008.

Willie Littlefield, Jr., billed as Little Willie Littlefield (September 16, 1931 – June 23, 2013), was an American R&B and boogie-woogie pianist and singer whose early recordings "formed a vital link between boogie-woogie and rock and roll". Littlefield was regarded as a teenage wonder and overnight sensation when in 1949, at the age of 18, he popularized the triplet piano style on his Modern Records debut single, "It's Midnight". He also recorded the first version of the song "Kansas City" (originally issued as "K. C. Lovin'"), in 1952.

Conrad Oberon Johnson (November 15, 1915 – February 3, 2008) was an American music educator, long associated with the city of Houston, who was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame in 2000.
Born in Victoria, Texas, Conrad Johnson was nine when his family moved to Houston. Following studies at Yates High School, he attended Houston College for Negroes and graduated from Wiley College. He was an active member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He started his career in music education in 1941 and, following a thirty-seven-year career, retired from his position at Kashmere High School in 1978, but continued to remain active in shaping music in Houston by conducting summer programs and in-home tutoring.
Johnson was a proficient musician in his own right and, at one point, played with Count Basie[1]. Erskine Hawkins tried to convince him to join his orchestra, but Johnson declined, citing a love of teaching and obligations to his family. Later, Johnson made his lasting contribution to music by forming the Kashmere Stage Band, a renowned school orchestra that won a number of awards during its decade-long run.
The Conrad O. Johnson School of Fine Arts at Kashmere High School is named after him.
Conrad O. Johnson died in Houston days after his former students staged a celebration in his honor. The gala Saturday night concert, which was filmed by a documentary crew, was described by the students as "the greatest 92nd birthday gift that he could have ever requested."

Jewel Eugene Akens (September 12, 1933 – March 1, 2013) was an American singer and record producer.

Edward James Milner Jr. (May 21, 1955 – November 2, 2015) was an American professional baseball player. He played all or parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds (1980–86, 1988) and San Francisco Giants (1987), primarily as a center fielder. Milner batted and threw left-handed.

Anthony Scott (born September 18, 1951) is a former American professional baseball center fielder and coach.

Hubert Thomas Spencer (born February 28, 1951) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during one season at the major league level for the Chicago White Sox. After his playing career, he began a career managing in the minor leagues. He managed three teams to their league championships: the Asheville Tourists (1984), Geneva Cubs (1987), and Charlotte Knights (1997).

Warren Jabali (born Warren Edward Armstrong; August 29, 1946 – July 13, 2012) was an American basketball player. He played professionally in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968 to 1975.

Calvin Levels (born September 30, 1954) is an American film actor. In 1984, he won a Theatre World Award and was nominated for both the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Calvin Jefferson in Open Admissions. Levels is known for his roles in the films The Atlanta Child Murders (1985), Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Johnny Suede (1991), and Hellbound (1994). For his role in The Atlanta Child Murders, Levels had to drastically change his diet and quit exercising, which he said took months to undo.

Kevin Stacey Young (born June 16, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1992–95, 1997–2003) and Kansas City Royals (1996), primarily as a first baseman. He batted and threw right-handed.
Young was also the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in Pittsburgh. This award is given annually to the MLB player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.