Though we’re only four months into 2024, TIME Magazine has pulled together its annual list of the 100 most influential people of the year, and this year the list has a whole lotta Black excellence on it.
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From cover stars Taraji P. Henson and NFL supserstar Patrick Mahomes to others like awards season favorites Colman Domingo, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jeffrey Wright and more, our faves are making waves in their respective industries and their influence reaches far.
It’s because of that, we thought it fitting to highlight the Blackity-blackness in TIME’s list.
Taraji P. Henson
Of actress and entrepreneur Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige wrote:
What I love most about her is that she is unapologetically herself. Taraji is a real woman—she doesn’t bite her tongue, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She’s always true and authentic, and she’s just as fearless onscreen, which is why she’s one of my favorite actors. Watching her commit 1 million percent to whatever character she’s portraying is amazing. Her courage really sets her apart, in Hollywood and in real life.
Patrick Mahomes
Of NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes, Alex Rodriguez wrote:
Patrick Mahomes has always had the heart of a champion. I remember Pat as a young kid, coming to practice with his dad to tee up baseballs for me and my teammates. I distinctly remember giving him the worst advice ever. “Don’t play football. The money’s in baseball.” I’m happy to be wrong and glad he didn’t listen! Patrick has transcended the game of football to become one of the most respected athletes of all time, both on and off the field. His insatiable desire to win is outdone only by his passion to give back and make the world around him better. Patrick’s legacy will live on far beyond his playing days. And—as evidenced by his back-to-back Super Bowl wins—he’s not done yet!
21 Savage
Of rapper 21 Savage, Burna Boy wrote:
I trust my gut when it comes to my music and collaborations, and I find myself naturally drawn to artists like 21 Savage—those who remain grounded in their convictions and consistently defy the constraints imposed upon them. Like 21, I know what it’s like to rise above challenging beginnings, and it makes his success all that much more remarkable. Throughout his work—including on his newest album, American Dream, which opens with a reflection by his mother on their immigration story—21 maintains an authenticity that resonates deeply. His approach to rap is refreshingly genuine; he speaks to us in a relatable way, effortlessly navigating the complexities of the genre.
Colman Domingo
Of actor Colman Domingo, Lenny Kravitz wrote:
Colman Domingo felt like family, like a brother, from the moment I met him. I was just instantly attracted to him as a human being. He’s so kind and open—he really lets you into his spirit. I deeply admire his authenticity. He is completely honest and true to who he was created to be, and he does everything with such grace, humility, and gratitude. He also happens to be a fantastic actor. The characters Colman plays onscreen are all over the map—from an addict in recovery to civil rights activist Bayard Rustin—which shows his depth as an actor and a creative. Seeing how his work continues to evolve is inspiring, and I love that he’s finally getting his flowers. I’m proud to know him as a friend, as a human being, and as a fellow artist. There’s only one Colman Domingo—and he’s truly one of the greats.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Of actress and singer Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Uzo Aduba wrote:
It’s exciting that now we all get to experience the fullness of what Da’Vine can do. Her performance in The Holdovers was balletic, just so deliberate and crafted. She approaches her characters with the kind of sincerity, honesty, and nuance that makes me proud to be an actor. Da’Vine stands firmly in who she is, embracing the whole of her strength and her softness, and I so admire that.
Jeffrey Wright
Of actor and thespian Jeffrey Wright, Octavia Spencer wrote:
The first time I watched Jeffrey Wright act, I wanted to devour all his work. An actor who can disappear inside a role is, to me, the hallmark of genius. I believed him in The Hunger Games, in Angels in America, in Shaft. In American Fiction, Jeffrey captured what it feels like for me as an artist: there’s what the world wants to see and the stereotypes it expects—and there’s the determination to defy those expectations. Jeffrey has always challenged what society thinks a Black actor should or should not be. As much as I loved American Fiction, it also left me a little hollow—because it shows the journey people of color face, especially Black people. Jeffrey embodied it beautifully.
Fantasia Barrino-Taylor
Of singer and actress Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Taraji P. Henson wrote:
There was just something about Fantasia Barrino when I first saw her on American Idol. It was her spirit, her soul. She left it all on that stage when she sang. I thought, Who is this girl? I voted for her again and again. When I met her years later, I learned that she’s a Cancer—sweet and sensitive but with a quiet strength. You can feel it in her presence, and you can hear it in her powerful voice. When she sings, she transcends. It’s like she goes somewhere else and you just have to go with her.
Leslie Odom Jr.
Of actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson wrote:
Leslie is committed to the arts and gracefully moves between music, theater, and film. His performances—including his recent Broadway run in Purlie Victorious—are palpable. It feels like a matter of life or death, the way he gives his absolute all to every character.
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Of artist LaToya Ruby Frazier, Lynn Nottage wrote:
LaToya Ruby Frazier is an eloquent storyteller, making visible the landscapes and lives of working people. With honesty and empathy, her photographs—soon to be displayed in a solo show at New York City’s MOMA—force us to confront how disenfranchisement, corporate greed, and government neglect have impacted the lives of people from the auto factories in the Rust Belt to the toxic waterways of Flint, Mich. She is an archivist, a healer, and an artist. Her work captures the anxiety, the beauty, and the reality of people negotiating the complexities of life on the brink.
James McBride
Of author and writer James McBride, Ethan Hawke wrote:
James has all the qualities one would expect. With The Color of Water, The Good Lord Bird, Kill ’Em and Leave, Deacon King Kong, and now The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, his excellence in the art of storytelling defies gravity. He writes about deep American wounds with love, rage, and a sense of wit that flies like a falcon in large leaping circles, riding the invisible winds of history.
Burna Boy
Of Nigerian singer and rapper Burna Boy, Angélique Kidjo wrote:
Burna Boy has made that vision a global reality. Inspired by the fantastic drums of Nigerian folk music, and studied in the craft of the great African singer-songwriters, he follows in the footsteps of Fela Kuti—the internationally celebrated Afrobeats artist and activist. Burna Boy’s deeply original flow and his signature groove have conquered the world with an impressive series of firsts: in 2023, he became the first African artist to sell out a U.S. stadium, and in 2024, he became the first Afrobeats artist to sing at the Grammys.
Thelma Golden
Of Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem Thelma Golden, Michelle Obama wrote:
As one of the most influential people in art, Thelma knows the power of flipping an assumption on its head. Her exhibits at the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Whitney not only stop you in your tracks, they also show you so much more about the depth of the Black experience. Her steadfast dedication has given voice to a new generation of artists and curators who are ready to stir our souls too—folks who may have otherwise gone unnoticed had it not been for Thelma’s eye for talent and potential. She has broadened the world of art to better reflect the sum of us, rather than just a few. That’s power. And that’s why, while some folks might go on underestimating her, I’ll never be one of them.
Frank Mugisha
Of Ugandan gay rights activist Frank Mugisha, Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote:
In the face of death threats and intimidation, of lost jobs and lost friends, and as one of the few out gay people in Uganda, Frank Mugisha has never backed down from fighting for LGBTIQ+ rights. As a college student, he founded Icebreakers Uganda to support young people coming out to their families. When the Ugandan government passed an aggressive anti-gay law last year, Frank and his allies immediately challenged it in court. He did the same when the government refused to register the organization he leads, Sexual Minorities Uganda. He’s now a fellow at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics, where I’m honored to work alongside him as he defends the human rights of gay Ugandans and people around the world.
Julienne Lusenge
Of Congolese Human Rights activist Julienne Lusenge, Volker Türk wrote:
The work of Julienne Lusenge embodies this truth. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country torn apart by decades of conflict, women and girls live with a daily reality of violence, extreme hardship, and the denial of fundamental rights. Outraged by these injustices, Julienne, a human-rights defender, co-founded SOFEPADI, which works to prevent sexual and gender-based violence, to support and empower survivors, and to help them rebuild their lives. She is also on the board of the U.N. Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, which each year helps thousands of people regain their dignity. In 2023, the U.N. recognized Julienne’s far-reaching impact with the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.
A’ja Wilson
Of WNBA star A’ja Wilson, Tom Brady wrote:
A’ja possesses a unique combination of natural skill and unwavering determination. This rare blend has propelled her to achieve remarkable feats in her career. With two WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces, three WNBA MVP awards, an NCAA title at the University of South Carolina, and even an Olympic gold medal, A’ja is undeniably a generational talent.
Thasunda Brown Duckett
Of President and CEO of TIAA Thasunda Brown Duckett, Jamie Dimon wrote:
She’s a passionate advocate for financial inclusion, determined to put more underserved Americans on a path to financial health and resilience. She helped launch Advancing Black Pathways, JPMC’s initiative to help more Black Americans achieve sustained economic success. And at TIAA, she is striving to help the 40% of all Americans at risk of running out of their retirement savings, while also tackling the underlying issues and inequities fueling the nation’s retirement insecurity.
Kelley Robinson
Of president of the Human Rights Campaign Kelley Robinson, Sarah Kate Elis wrote:
As president of the Human Rights Campaign, Kelley Robinson has a vision for a more equal and just world that, paired with her talent for building coalitions across all intersections, has taken the LGBTQ+ movement—and the larger social-justice movement—by storm when it is most needed. In no short order, she has ignited innovative campaigns that uplift the most marginalized
Marina Silva
Of Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva, Christina Figueres wrote:
Deeply grounded courage and unflinching tenacity define this remarkable woman. A native Amazonian from a rubber-tapper family, Marina Silva learned how to read and write as a teen. She went on to become one of the most influential Senators in Brazil, and stood as a presidential candidate. Today, as the country’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, she is rebuilding Brazil’s capacity to halt rampant illegal deforestation in the Amazon, a mission that has been at the center of her political and activist life.
Diana Salazar Mendez
Of the Ecuadorian Attorney General Diana Salazar Mendez, Samantha Power wrote:
Diana Salazar Méndez—the youngest person, at 42, and the first Black woman to serve as Ecuador’s top law-enforcement official—has one of the hardest and most dangerous jobs in the western hemisphere. While she has pursued challenging cases before—not every prosecutor can say they have successfully secured convictions of a top football executive and a former President—Ecuador’s Attorney General is now spearheading the effort to prevent violent and well-connected drug traffickers from ruining her beloved country.
William Ruto
Of Kenyan President William Ruto, Justin Worland wrote:
Kenyan President William Ruto has emerged as a key voice of Africa’s climate ambitions, hosting a summit in Nairobi last September that drew leaders from around the globe. The event concluded with a unanimous agreement from African countries in attendance to rapidly expand renewable energy over the next decade, aided by $23 billion in pledges to catalyze the continent’s climate goals. His call for lenders to relieve the debt burden faced by some African countries, thus opening the door for spending on climate solutions, has also made waves.
Maya Rudolph
Of comedian and actress Maya Rudolph, fellow comedian Amy Poehler wrote:
Maya Rudolph is a super talent who is lit from within. A performing polymath, she is able to deliver big laughs and deep emotions at the same time. We all fell in love with her on Saturday Night Live, where her characters were not only funny, they were having fun. Her work constantly reminds us that we shouldn’t be taking ourselves or our lives too seriously.
Rachel Hardeman
Of public academic Rachel Hardeman, Lauren Underwood wrote:
American moms are dying at unacceptably high rates in a crisis that is, too often, happening in the shadows. Our moms shouldn’t have to beg for their lives, and Rachel Hardeman isn’t afraid to say so. Her antiracism research has been at the forefront of our fight to end our nation’s maternal-health crisis, uplifting evidence-based solutions to address the root causes of racism in our health care system.
Hardeman always asks tough questions, confronts uncomfortable realities with grace, and through her unwavering determination offers all of us a path forward toward truly advancing birth equity. She is a critical partner in efforts to pass the Momnibus bill in Congress to ensure that pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the full yearlong postpartum period can be joyful for all of our families.
Lesley Lokko
Of Ghanian architect, novelist and academic Lesley Lokko, Ava DuVernay wrote:
Lesley Lokko is one of those forces of nature who does many things well. She’s an acclaimed architect and academic, having established the University of Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture. But one of the things I love about her is that while she was thriving as a star in the architecture world, she was also writing novels. Yes, she’s penned more than a dozen books chronicling tales of intrigue, romance, and adventure. Like I told you, force of nature.
Kennedy Odede
Of Kenyan social entrepreneur and author Kennedy Odede, Salma Hayek Pinault wrote:
Kennedy is living proof that individuals can lead themselves, and their communities, out of poverty. His background—a refugee growing up with no formal schooling in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Kenya—gives him a deep understanding of his community and others like it. And his work has earned him the trust and admiration of all those around him. Kennedy finds ingenious solutions: schools for the most vulnerable girls, training programs for men to combat domestic violence, safe houses for survivors, community libraries, employment programs, innovative clean-water kiosks, a community cooperative bank.
There is no challenge he will not take on. He is an unstoppable force for justice. This dream of hope that started more than 20 years ago in his home in Kibera has now reached more than 3 million Kenyans and is rapidly becoming a blueprint that will one day, hopefully, reach the world—a movement for change led by the people themselves.
Sharon Lavigne
Of native Louisianan environmental justice activist Sharon Lavigne, Rev. William Barber II wrote:
“Sharon founded the advocacy group Rise St. James in 2018 to draw attention to the environmental racism that has turned the community she loves into ‘Cancer Alley.’ As a pastor, I recognized this gathering was more than a rally; it was a graveside service for people who had died too soon. Family members stood with us, holding their loved ones’ pictures. ‘God did not call these men and women home,’ I told them. ‘God will welcome them, for sure, but they should not be dead.’ Rather than leave her home when corporations made it a valley of death, Sharon insisted this land would yet live. She has taught us that we must listen to the people of Cancer Alley, and she continues fighting for them every day.”
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