Black History Month is upon us, and for USC students, it’s a month worth reflecting on for a myriad of reasons. Oftentimes — and especially in the recent political pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including Google removing Black History and other identity-based months from its calendar — the achievements of Black Americans get overlooked and lost amid other voices.

However, USC has a long and storied list of successful and famous Black alumni. From Olympians and CEOs to Heisman Trophy winners and a congresswomaen, Black alumni have gone on to do amazing things after their time at USC, including the following Trojans who have found success in the arts after their college careers.

LeVar Burton 

Famous to an entire generation of children as the host of more than 150 episodes of PBS’ “Reading Rainbow,” LeVar Burton is passionate not only about acting, but also about children’s literacy. 

“Reading Rainbow” was the most-watched PBS series in elementary school classrooms — with more than two million students tuning in weekly — and Burton continues his efforts to promote children’s literacy. He was the executive producer behind “Right to Read” (2023), a documentary which seeks to raise awareness about the growing illiteracy crisis in the United States.

Besides his work on “Reading Rainbow,” Burton has also had a successful career as a science fiction actor. He played Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” for all seven seasons as well as two movies. He continues to make multiple appearances at different conventions each year to connect with his fans.

Shonda Rhimes

Anyone who knows anything about soapy TV romance knows Shonda Rhimes. The USC alum is the producer of some of the most popular TV shows of all time, including the long-running “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is now in its 21st season. She was the showrunner for “Scandal,” and she is the executive producer of the immensely popular historical romance “Bridgerton.” She is the first woman to create three TV dramas which have premiered more than 100 episodes.

Her company Shondaland, founded in 2005 alongside “Grey’s Anatomy,” has expanded to create content in film, streaming, editorial, audio and digital. Moreover, Rhimes is still involved with her alma mater — alongside notable people like Kevin Feige and George Lucas, she serves on the School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors.

Byron Allen

Entertainment Studios, a Los Angeles-based global media company, was founded by USC alum Byron Allen in 1993. Allen is a comedian and producer, and he has served as executive producer for many of the films made by his company, including “47 Meters Down” (2017) and “The Wedding Year” (2019). He was the youngest ever stand-up comedian to appear on “The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson” in 1979, and he has written with Jay Leno and David Letterman.

In 2018, Allen acquired The Weather Channel, and in 2020, he launched The Weather Channel En Español. Entertainment Studios also owns TheGrio, which is a digital platform for news, entertainment and lifestyle content for Black Americans.

Macy Gray

With a distinctive and beautiful voice, Macy Gray has had a long and successful career as a singer-songwriter. Some of her most popular tracks include “I Try,” with over 400,000,000 streams on Spotify, “Sweet Baby (feat. Erykah Badu)” and “Still.” Her first album “On How Life Is” was released in 1999. At the Grammy Awards in 2000, she was nominated for three awards, and she won for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Since then, she has released 11 albums, including a Christmas album in 2022 with The California Jet Club, and in 2012, a cover of the full 1972 album “Talking Book” by Stevie Wonder for its 40th anniversary. In 2024, Gray herself celebrated 25 years of “On How Life Is” with a world tour. 

Forest Whitaker

Known for his roles as Cecil Gaines in “The Butler” (2013) and Zuri in “Black Panther” (2018), Forest Whitaker is an instantly recognizable face on the screen. In 2007, he became the fourth Black man to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards, joining the likes of Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier, for his performance in “The Last King of Scotland” (2006) as the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. 

For his acting work and his position as UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, Whitaker was awarded the Robert Redford for Engaged Artists Award by the School of Cinematic Arts in 2021 to celebrate his achievements in acting and his dedication to pushing for a better future through social responsibility.