Adonal on Black History Month

By Adonal Foyle

When it comes to Black History Month, we often hear about those who epitomize what black history is all about - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Harriet Tubman, etc.

But there are so many more people who have impacted the lives of African-Americans who are often overlooked.

Though it is extremely important to recognize those mentioned above, it is also important to recognize some names that we sometimes forget have also placed their footprint in black history.

Here are three:

Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte was instrumental in, first and foremost, bringing Caribbean folk music to the United States and making it accessible to everybody. He's an actor, he's a musician, and he is a social activist. And he brought a sense of purpose and higher standing to the Caribbean-American population. He made it very cool for us to think of ourselves as having the gamut of opportunities available to us.

He was also a great Civil Rights leader. He personally knew Dr. Martin Luther King, he fought for the purpose, he bled for the purpose and he continues to fight for the same rights he has been fighting for throughout his entire life.

At age 81, he continues to make headlines and he continues to fight that fight - a fight he believes is still not over. It is that fight he continues to take part in that has made the Caribbean population proud.

Harry Belafonte is a hero of mine, and is someone who deserves our respect and admiration for the impact he has made in our country - and for the life he has lived.

Barry White

Known for his rich bass voice and romantic image, Barry White is a pioneer in soul, funk and disco music. His music has gone gold, platinum and awarded him Grammys. And there won't be another singer quite like him for a long time.

No matter who you are, whenever you heard Barry White sing, you heard him sing about a passion. His music has reigned for decades. He was a man of love and was probably responsible for a lot of babies being born.

Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe is arguably one of the best tennis players of all time. But more than that, here is a man who made it possible for an African-American man to play tennis. He was dominant on the court - and graceful off it. Arthur Ashe represented life. Through everything he had gone through - from the issues of racism to suffering the tragedy of AIDS (to no fault of his own) - he continued to fight in order to be taken seriously. And I think it is safe to say that Arthur Ashe transformed the world of tennis and left this earth a far better place than when he got here.

All African-American tennis players - from James Blake to the Williams sisters - can all owe a debt of gratitude to this great man, who now has a stadium named after him. When you think about forging a path and leaving a trail for others to follow, Arthur Ashe has clearly done that. And he deserves a place in our hearts for making tennis what it is today. And I salute Arthur Ashe.