African-American actresses

Marilyn_McCoo

Marilyn McCoo (born September 30, 1943) is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group the 5th Dimension as well as hosting the 1980s music television show Solid Gold.
Since 1969, McCoo has been married to singer Billy Davis Jr., the founder and a co-member of the 5th Dimension. She has a three-octave vocal range.

Lauren_London

Lauren Nicole London (born December 5, 1984) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films and televisions shows including ATL (2006), This Christmas (2007), Madea's Big Happy Family (2011), Baggage Claim (2013), The Game (2013–2015), Games People Play (2019), Without Remorse (2021), and You People (2023).
In 2022, London and PUMA collaborated on the L.A Love Story project. The footwear and apparel collection is inspired by her hometown, Los Angeles. Items also feature her late boyfriend Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot on March 31, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Jennifer_Freeman

Jennifer Nicole Freeman, often credited as Jennifer N. Freeman, is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Claire Kyle in the sitcom My Wife and Kids (introduced in season 2) and her film roles in You Got Served (2004), and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).

Lark_Voorhies

Lark Voorhies (born Lark Holloway; March 25, 1974) is an American actress. Voorhies played Lisa Marie Turtle on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell (1989–1993). Voorhies was nominated for the Young Artist Award six times, winning in 1990 and 1993 for her work on the show.

Kelly_McCreary

Kelly J. McCreary (born September 29, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her role on the ABC drama series Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of series protagonist Meredith Grey. She joined the series as a guest at the end of the tenth season, becoming a series regular in the eleventh season. She has reprised her role on the spin-off series Station 19.
McCreary began her career acting in theatre, eventually making it to Broadway, and has performed in a number of productions by playwright Dominique Morisseau. She made her screen debut doing voice work for several animated children's educational programs, and later made guest appearances on the television series Rubicon, I Just Want My Pants Back, and Castle, with multi-episode arcs on White Collar and Scandal. She has appeared in the films Being Flynn (2011) and Life (2015). McCreary was a series regular on The CW's short-lived medical drama Emily Owens, M.D. as Tyra Dupre.

Ellen_Holly

Ellen Virginia Holly (January 16, 1931 – December 6, 2023) was an American actress. Beginning her career on stage in the late 1950s, Holly was perhaps best known for her role as Carla Gray–Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live (1968–1980; 1983–1985). Holly is noted as the first African American to appear on daytime television in a leading role.

Brittany_O'Grady

Brittany Ann O'Grady (born June 2, 1996) is an American actress and singer.
She is known for her leading roles in the Fox series Star (2016–2019), and the Apple TV+ series Little Voice (2020), as well as her role in the first season of the HBO anthology series The White Lotus (2021), and a lead role in the Amazon Prime series The Consultant (2023). She has also acted in the film Black Christmas (2019).

Clarice_Taylor

Clarice Taylor (September 20, 1917 – May 30, 2011) was an American stage, film and television actress. She is best known for playing Cousin Emma on Sanford and Son and the mother of Cliff Huxtable, Anna Huxtable on The Cosby Show. and Mrs. Brooks in Five on the Black Hand Side (1973).

Julia_Jones

Julia Jones (born January 23, 1981) is an American actress, known for playing Leah Clearwater in The Twilight Saga films and Kohana in the HBO series Westworld. She also co-stars on Dexter: New Blood.

Emayatzy_Corinealdi

Emayatzy Corinealdi ( EM-ay-AHT-see KORR-ih-NAHL-dee; born January 14, 1980) is an American actress. She starred in the Ava DuVernay 2012 drama film Middle of Nowhere for which she won Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer and received Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead nomination. Corinealdi later starred in films Miles Ahead (2016), and The Invitation (2015). On television, she played the role of Belle in the 2016 remake of Roots. She also starred in Hand of God (2014–2017), Ballers (2017–2019), and The Red Line (2019). In 2022, Corinealdi began starring in the Hulu legal drama series, Reasonable Doubt.