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SERIES 1 · THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

Series 1 · Complete Archive

Explore people and objects across Black history. Start anywhere, or follow the collection by date.

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115,761 matching cards · 24 cards per page

BIOGRAPHYPortrait not availableExplore the life, work and source references.
BIOGRAPHY
Music

Al Killian

1916–1950

Albert Killian (October 15, 1916 – September 5, 1950) was an American jazz trumpeter and occasional bandleader during the big band era.

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Lavan

1946–2018

Alton Lavan (September 13, 1946 – April 23, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Delaware State University from 2004 to 2010. Lavan was also as the interim head football coach at Eastern Michigan…

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BIOGRAPHY
Literature

Al Letson

1972–

Al Letson (born August 8, 1972) is an American writer, journalist, radio/ podcast host and screenwriter.

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BIOGRAPHY
Military

Al Lipscomb

1925–2011

Albert Louis "Al" Lipscomb (15 June 1925 – 18 June 2011) was a seven-term Dallas City Council member and a longtime civil rights advocate. He was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit in the 1970s that successfully challenged Dallas's system of electing every…

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports

Al Martin

1967–

Albert Lee Martin (born November 24, 1967) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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BIOGRAPHY
Music

Al Matthews

1942–2018

Alexander Basil Matthews (November 21, 1942 – September 22, 2018), commonly known as Al Matthews, was an American actor, singer, and radio personality. He was best known for his appearance as Gunnery sergeant Apone in the 1986 film Aliens.

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BIOGRAPHY
Literature

Al McKay

1948–

Albert Phillip McKay (born February 2, 1948) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He is a former member of The Watts 103rd Rhythm Street Band and Earth, Wind & Fire. As a member of EW&F, during 2000, he was inducted into the Rock and…

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Newman

1960–

Albert Dwayne Newman (born June 30, 1960) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos (1985–1986), Minnesota Twins (1987–1991) and Texas Rangers (1992). Newman was a switch-hitter…

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Oliver

1946–

Albert Oliver Jr. (born October 14, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and first baseman from 1968 through 1985, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won…

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BIOGRAPHY
Biography & Culture

Al-Quadin Muhammad

1995–

Al-Quadin Muhammad (born March 28, 1995) is an American professional football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was selected by the New Orleans…

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BIOGRAPHY
Literature

Al Reed

1925–1990

Alfred Lloyd Reed, Jr. (November 10, 1925 – March 12, 1990), known as Al Reed, was an American musician in the 1950s and 1960s, best known for the song he wrote, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye", notably performed by Danny White for Frisco Records. This song has…

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Roberts

1944–

Al Roberts (born January 6, 1944) is an American football coach. He serves as the special teams, running backs, and outside linebackers coach for the O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington.

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BIOGRAPHY
Literature

Al Roker

1954–

Albert Lincoln Roker Jr. (born August 20, 1954) is an American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, and author. He is the weather anchor on NBC's Today, and occasionally co-hosts 3rd Hour Today.

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BIOGRAPHY
Biography & Culture

Al Sanders

1941–1995

Al Sanders (March 13, 1941 - May 5, 1995) was an American television news anchorman at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. He helped take a third place television newscast to first place, where it stayed throughout his career.

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BIOGRAPHY
Literature

Al Sharpton

1954–

Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American civil rights and social justice activist, Baptist minister, radio talk show host, and TV personality, who is also the founder of the National Action Network civil rights organization. In…

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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Skinner

1952–

Albert Lee Skinner Jr. (born June 16, 1952) is an American men's college basketball head coach and a former collegiate and professional basketball player. He was formerly the head coach of the Boston College Eagles men's basketball team and was then an…

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COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
MUSEUM OBJECT
Photographs and Still Images

Al Smith opens a freshly steamed clam, Daufuskie Island, SC

2004-2014

FROM THE SOURCE CATALOG

A black and white digital image of Al Smith opening a freshly steamed clam on Daufuskie Island in South Carolina. The image is of his hands holding an opened clam. Hi hands and the clam are resting on a black colored plate. 24.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2017.49.11
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Source image for Al Smith (outfielder)Loading image…
BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Smith (outfielder)

1928–2002

Alphonse Eugene Smith (February 7, 1928 – January 3, 2002) was an American professional baseball player who was an outfielder and third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for twelve seasons on the Cleveland Indians (1953–57, 1964), Chicago…

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COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
MUSEUM OBJECT
Historical objects

Al Smith's Last Prayer

ca. 1924

FROM THE SOURCE CATALOG

A white, paper card with the poem, Al Smith's Last Prayer, printed on the front.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2014.258.2
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BIOGRAPHY
Biography & Culture

Al Taylor

1957–

Alfred E. Taylor (born August 12, 1957) is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 71st district. A Democrat, Taylor's district includes portions of Hamilton Heights, Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood.

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COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
MUSEUM OBJECT
Photographs and Still Images

Al "Tootie" Heath, 1992

1992

FROM THE SOURCE CATALOG

A black-and-white photograph of jazz bebop drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath performing in Miami, FL. Heath is only partly visible behind his drumkit, with a cymbal largely obscuring his face. He wears a white shirt and tall dhaka topi style cap.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2012.164.66
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BIOGRAPHY
Sports & Achievement

Al Washington (coach)

1984–

Alvin Anthony Washington (born April 22, 1984) is an American football coach and former defensive tackle who is the linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boston College Eagles and…

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BIOGRAPHY
Education & Scholarship

Al Young

1939–2021

Albert James Young (May 31, 1939 – April 17, 2021) was an American poet, novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and professor. He was named Poet Laureate of California by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2005 to 2008. Young's many books included novels,…

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BIOGRAPHY
Medicine & Health

Ala Stanford

1970–

Ala Stanford (born December 1970) is an American pediatric surgeon. She founded Philadelphia's Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium. What began as free COVID-19 testing, funded by Stanford herself, reaching nearly 400 patients each day, developed into a step…

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Biographies, museum objects and archive records are distinct card types. Every card links to its historical source.