harriet tubman.
the delany sisters.
I came in to mention Jack Johnson too. I don’t know much about his life, other than what I’ve seen on a few old films of his turn of the century boxing matches. On Monday and Tuesday there is supposed to be a Ken Burns documentary on Jack Johnson. There are several other boxers that I think would be interesting. From looking at other suggestions, Thurgood Marshall would be a good pick.
I always liked to stay away from the obvious, MLK/Thurgood Marshall/Booker T Washington choices, and go with someone that I really enjoyed reading about. I can only speak for myself personally, and I’m a music and sports guy.
Separated, sports and music, and in order of who I’d suggest 1st/2nd, etc.
Muhammed Ali
I’ll second Satchel Paige
Buck O’Neil (former Negro Leaguer and the premier advocate for old Negro Leaguers to the Hall of Fame. Also a black baseball pioneer in the Majors, as a coach and scout. Very inspirational story, I found out about him from Ken Burns’ Baseball.)
Jackie Robinson (sorta “obvious,” though)
Michael Jordan (again…kinda “obvious”)
Jerry Rice
Walter Payton
Hank Aaron
Jimi Hendrix
Ray Charles
James Brown
I’ll second Bob Marley
Chuck Berry
George Clinton
Little Richard
Duke Ellington
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughn
Bessie Smith
Lena Horn
Sidney Poitier
Ooooh, how about James Earl Jones?
As an addition to my previous post about famous African American cyclists at the turn of the c20th, I would also nominate the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps - an all black (except the train riding officer) group of soldiers who cycled the 1900 miles from Fort Missoula to St. Louis at an average of 52 miles per day.
Hannibal… the General, not the cannibal.
Richard Pryor
Chinua Achebe
Ann Peebles
Josephine Baker
God 
Thank you guys all so much for your ideas. You’re thinking what I’m thinking…someone a little different, not the same ol’ same ol’. I really like a lot of these. If it was my project, I’d go Bob Marley all the way, but I’ll show him this list and let him make his own decision. I’ll let you know what he decides!
Thanks again!
I nominate Martin Lawrence and Snoop Dogg.
Robert Johnson
Little Richard
Fats Domino
Chuck Berry
Muddy Waters
John Lee Hooker
Ray Charles
Jackie Wilson
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie
James Jamerson
Aretha Franklin
Norman Whitfield
Marvin Gaye
Al Green
Billy Preston
Jimi Hendrix
Richard Pryor
Bill Cosby
Sly Stone
Stevie Wonder
Floyd Sneed
…if I kept going, this would be a “who’s who” of the best American entertainers. But I couldn’t leave any of these names off of a list of my favorites.
How about Barack Obama? Can’t be too many book written about him yet but there would be lots of stuff to google. And while he’s just beginning his career it might be interesting and timely.
Alain Locke
What a terrific list! I remember doing something like this as a kid and choosing Arthur Ashe. Other athletes not mentioned: Joe Louis, Althea Gibson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (the first black NBA player), Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell… okay, I’ll quit for now. 
True, but not just the early ones (like Louis Armstrong). You could include Charlie Christian, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Tony Williams, Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, Billie Holliday, etc.
To add to the great list of musicians, there are the “Three Kings” of the blues - B.B. King, Albert King, and Freddie King. And I couldn’t leave off one of my personal favorites, Chester “Howlin’ Wolf” Burnett. I can’t argue with Bob Marley, though. 
Jacques Derrida, for one.
So many other blues guys… Blind Willie McTell, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, Leadbelly… I should stop. But let’s not forget Sammy Davis, Jr. If for no other reason than giving me an excuse to use this smiley in here: ;j
And to take an absolute left turn here, there’s Cornel West, or Hiram Revels, the first black Senator.
Rube Foster
Pitcher, manager, owner, visionary.
Nothing says they have to be African AMERICAN…what about Bob Marley or Pushkin?
My girlfriend! Course, she’s in the Charlize Theron camp (though not South Effriken).
His autobiography is excellent. He wrote it just after college.
Oprah Winfrey is another obvious choice.