2015

Coates's open letter to his teenage son about the experience of being Black in America won the National Book Award for Nonfiction and the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Framed as a response to James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, it became one of the most widely discussed works of political nonfiction in a generation.

Coates' letter to his son about the precariousness of Black bodies in America won the National Book Award and became a cultural touchstone in the national reckoning with race following a string of police killings. It sold over two million copies and made Coates the most prominent Black public intellectual of his generation.

Tyler Perry began developing a 330-acre studio complex on the grounds of Fort McPherson in southwest Atlanta, one of the largest film and television production facilities in the United States. The studio, which opened in 2019, was the first major studio owned outright by a Black individual and represented a landmark in Black ownership of media infrastructure.

Tyler Perry began developing a 330-acre studio complex on the grounds of Fort McPherson in southwest Atlanta, one of the largest film and television production facilities in the United States. The studio, which opened in 2019, was the first major studio owned outright by a Black individual and represented a landmark in Black ownership of media infrastructure.

Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's hip-hop family drama Empire premiered on Fox with Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard. Its ratings grew with every episode—unprecedented for a new drama—reaching over 17 million viewers by the season finale. The show placed a Black family at the center of a primetime soap opera for the first time in the network era.

Kendrick Lamar's third major album, a sprawling fusion of jazz, funk, and hip-hop, was hailed as one of the greatest albums in any genre. Its themes of systemic racism, Black identity, and survivor's guilt arrived in the midst of the Ferguson aftermath and BLM movement, making it both an artistic and political landmark.

Loretta Lynch was confirmed as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States, becoming the first African American woman to serve as the nation's top law enforcement officer. She succeeded Eric Holder, making it the first time two consecutive attorneys general were Black.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision in the richest boxing match in history, generating over $600 million in revenue. The victory extended Mayweather's professional record to 48-0 and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all time.

American Ballet Theatre named Misty Copeland a principal dancer, making her the first Black woman to hold that rank in the company's 75-year history. The appointment broke one of classical ballet's most visible color barriers and sparked a national conversation about diversity in elite arts institutions.

Serena Williams won Wimbledon 2015, completing a hold of all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously for the second time in her career. At age 33 she had won three majors that year alone, silencing doubts about her longevity and prompting comparisons to Steffi Graf's 1988 Golden Slam.

Viola Davis won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for How to Get Away with Murder, becoming the first Black woman to win in that category in Emmy history. In her acceptance speech she quoted Harriet Tubman on dreaming and addressed the lack of opportunity for women of color in Hollywood.

Viola Davis won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for How to Get Away with Murder, becoming the first Black woman to win in that category in Emmy history. In her acceptance speech she quoted Harriet Tubman on dreaming and addressed the lack of opportunity for women of color in Hollywood.

President Obama awarded Katherine Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, and the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly's 'Hidden Figures' (2016) brought nationwide recognition to Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson — Black women mathematicians whose calculations were essential to NASA's early success. The story reshaped public understanding of the space race.

Deontay Wilder defeated Bermane Stiverne to become the WBC Heavyweight Champion, the first American heavyweight world champion since Shannon Briggs in 2006. Wilder, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, went on to make ten consecutive defenses of the title, the most of any heavyweight champion of his era.

Common and John Legend won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Glory, written for Ava DuVernay's Selma. Their acceptance speech — delivered on the 50th anniversary of the Selma marches — connected the civil rights movement directly to Ferguson and contemporary Black Lives Matter protests in one of the most politically charged Oscar moments in decades.

Common and John Legend won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Glory, written for Ava DuVernay's Selma. Their acceptance speech—delivered on the 50th anniversary of the Selma marches—connected the civil rights movement directly to Ferguson and contemporary Black Lives Matter protests in one of the most politically charged Oscar moments in decades.

Jay-Z purchased the streaming service Aspiro and relaunched it as TIDAL at a press event with sixteen co-owner artists. The venture was an early attempt by Black entertainers to own their distribution infrastructure and introduced the concept of artist-owned streaming to mainstream attention, influencing debates about music industry equity.

F. Gary Gray's biographical film about N.W.A grossed over $200 million worldwide on a $29 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing music biopic of all time at that point. The film sparked renewed public debate about the policing of Black artists and brought N.W.A's catalog to a new generation.

Oprah Winfrey purchased a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers International for approximately $43 million. The announcement caused the company's stock to nearly double in a single day, demonstrating Winfrey's singular influence on consumer markets and her continued status as the most powerful Black businessperson in America.

Becomes the first Black female principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre's history.