Buckley, James, Jr., 1963- Fearless firsts

"50+ entertainers who overcame the odds"--Cover

Introduction -- A century of firsts -- A letter to parents -- Mahershala Ali -- Marian Anderson -- Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball -- Ashley Boone Jr. -- Chris Burke -- Patricia Cardoso -- Ruth E. Carter -- Nat King Cole -- Misty Copeland -- Laverne Cox -- Peter Dinklage -- East West Players -- Billie Eilish -- Aretha Franklin -- Joanne Mitsuko Funakoshi -- Whoopi Goldberg -- Amanda Gorman -- Ashley Graham -- Juanita Hall -- Larry Hama -- Hamilton cast -- Juan Felipe Herrera -- James Wong Howe -- Geri Jewell -- Quincy Jones -- Mindy Kaling -- Alexandra Kutas -- Edmonia Lewis -- Jennifer Lopez -- Matthew López -- Marlee Matlin -- Darryl McCray (Cornbread) -- Hattie McDaniel -- Oscar Micheaux -- Coco Mitchell -- Rita Moreno -- Toni Morrison -- Viet Thanh Nguyen -- Sierra Teller Ornelas -- Megan Piphus Peace -- Jerry Pinkney -- Billy Porter -- Richard Potter -- Selena Quantanilla -- Shonda Rhimes -- Mickey Rowe -- Lea Salonga -- Carol Shaw -- Ali Stroker -- Wes Studi -- Taylor Swift -- Maria Tallchief -- Cicely Tyson -- Oprah Winfrey -- Anna May Wong -- Michelle Yeoh -- Illustrated timeline

"While these creatives came from different backgrounds and overcame unique struggles, they had one thing in common: they would not take "You can't" for an answer. With a don't-give-up attitude, these fearless firsts fought for what they believed in and created a betterartistic world. In this book, you'll read about very famous entertainers, like Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey. You'll also discover the first Asian American comic book writer and the first runway model in a wheelchair. You'll meet the world's first modern graffiti artist, the first Black man to host a TV series, and the first Indigenous American Oscar winner. Beyond individuals, you'll learn about important groups, like the East West Players and the Hamilton cast. By the time you're done reading, whether you see yourself as an artist or not, you'll be inspired to stay optimistic, fight against injustice, and be fearless in whatever you set your mind to!"--

Ages 8 and up

Grades 03-09