Power 100

The Root Lists Top Black Leaders

From the well-known to the unknown.

The Root, the online magazine edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., has selected a group of 100 "African-American leaders who are making extraordinary contributions," recognizing their "leadership, creativity, service, and, above all, excellence." The list, which is unranked, runs the gamut from instantly recognizable names like Jay-Z and Tyra Banks to less well-known figures like AIDS expert and doctor Adaora Adimora and economics professor Roland Fryer and incorporates individuals from a variety of fields, including publishing (Spiegel & Grau editor Christopher Jackson and author Edwidge Danticat), politics (Newark Mayor Cory Booker and DLC Chair Harold Ford, Jr.) and even blogging (Jezebel.com editor Anna Holmes). Readers can filter the list by age, gender, and last name, and read short biographies and quotes from each of the honorees.