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SISTER ROSETTA THARPE (1915-1973) was one of gospel music’s first superstars, the first gospel performer to record for a major record label and an early crossover from gospel to secular music.

Tharpe became known as the “original soul sister” of recorded music and has been cited as an influence by Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Little Richard.

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ODETTA (1930-2008) was a singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter and a human rights activist. She is often referred to as “The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement”.

Called one of the great treasures of American music, she has influenced such artists as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Maya Angelou. Since her ’54 debut album, she’s toured the world telling stories of America’s southern experience in her songs. Odetta sang at the March on Washington in ’63, marched with Dr. King in Selma and protested against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

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DR. ALEXA I. CANADY (1950-) is the first black female neurosurgeon.

Canady was born November 7, 1950, to Clinton and Elizabeth Canady. Her father was a dentist, and her mother served as president of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, in addition to other civic affairs. The family lived just outside Lansing, Michigan. Canady and her brother were the only two black students in their entire school.

Canady was an exceptional student and named a National Achievement Scholar in 1967. She attended the University of Michigan, earning her bachelor’s in zoology in 1971, although she had almost dropped out of college. She explains, “The summer after my junior year, I worked in Dr. Bloom’s lab in genetics and attended a genetic counseling clinic. I fell in love with medicine.”

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GRANVILLE WOODS (1856 – 1910) was an inventor who received numerous patents for inventions that contributed to the development of the transportation and communication industries.

Woods, the son of Tailer and Martha Woods, was born April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 10, he went to work with his father in a machine shop that made speed equipment for carriages and repaired equipment and machinery. Woods studied other machine workers in different pieces of equipment and was said to have paid workers to teach him electrical concepts.

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