Meet the Black MacArthur Fellows

A look at present and past African-American geniuses.

Innovative African-American Fellows - The MacArthur Foundation, which supports creative groundbreakers making a difference in their communities and beyond, announced on Sept. 29 the 2015 MacArthur “Genius” fellows. This year, three innovative African-Americans joined the list.  BET.com takes a look at some of the past and present African-American fellows. — Dominique Zonyéé and Erin E. Evans(Photos: MacArthur Foundation)
Patrick Awuah - Educator and entrepreneur Patrick Awuah founded Ashesi University, a four-year institution of higher learning, in Ghana in 2002. The school has become one of the country’s leading universities and all of its graduates have found employment. (Photo: John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation)
/content/dam/betcom/images/2015/09/National/092915-National-Meet-the-Black-MacArthur-Fellows-Ta-Nehisi-Coates.jpgLaToya Ruby Frazier - Photographer and artist LaToya Ruby Frazier has used her personal story to portray social inequality in her art. The Notion of Family, Frazier’s first book, is a series of photos of her mother and grandmother in their hometown of Braddock, Pa., a steel mill town that suffered from the postindustrial decline. (Photo: John D. & Catherine MacArthur Foundation)

Next Gallery

Inside the Boldest Looks From Music's Elite at the 2025 Met Gala

19 Photos

1 / 22

Innovative African-American Fellows - The MacArthur Foundation, which supports creative groundbreakers making a difference in their communities and beyond, announced on Sept. 29 the 2015 MacArthur “Genius” fellows. This year, three innovative African-Americans joined the list.  BET.com takes a look at some of the past and present African-American fellows. — Dominique Zonyéé and Erin E. Evans(Photos: MacArthur Foundation)

ADVERTISEMENT