Mar 21, 2024
The Top African American Keynote Speakers for an Inspiring and Insightful Next Event
How do you ensure your event has the most extensive reach? Hire a diverse top keynote speaker. Most top speakers bring energy, experience, and expertise to an event. But a Top 10 African-American Keynote Speaker will also add diversity and new insights that can expand your reach to new audiences.
If you’re looking to add expertise and diversity to your next event, BigSpeak Speakers Bureau works with some of the world’s premier thought leaders and trailblazers. These top African American keynote speakers are expert motivators, leaders, and entrepreneurs. They have founded successful companies, won championships, and changed how we view the world—and our universe.
1) Kara Lawson
Coach Kara Lawson is a famous coach, motivator, and leader. She has reached beyond her team to inspire speaking audiences around the world with her “Handle Hard Better” viral pep talk. Sharing experiences gained as an Olympic gold medalist (both player and coach), Coach Kara challenges and inspires all of us to reach our full potential and focus on our dreams.
Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, Jr., is a famous championship athlete and advocate for mental health. During his 19-year professional playing career, he was NBA Defensive Player Of The Year, 3rd Team All NBA, and recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy “Citizenship of the Year Award.” Metta shares his own experience with mental health and how you can find support for your health or help support others.
3) Wema Hoover
Wema Hoover is a culture and DEI expert who has dedicated her career to serving as a catalyst for change and as a transformational leader. As a trusted C-suite and board-level advisor, Wema has leveraged her background leading global DEI efforts for companies like Google, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Bristol-Myers Squibb to help inform and guide corporate leadership through evolving corporate culture, creating inclusive work environments, and integrating DEI and sustainability to build high-performance organizations and drive business results.
Gregory Robinson is a famous leadership and science expert best known as the man who successfully launched the James Webb Space Telescope. For his efforts, he was listed as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022 and a Time 100 Impact Award winner in 2022. When he took over in 2018, the program was billions over budget and years behind schedule. Within months of being named Director, he increased efficiency from 55% to 95% through his calm leadership and communication style.
Cassandra Worthy is a top motivational African American keynote speaker, innovator, and the world’s leading expert on Change Enthusiasm®. Cassandra inspires and empowers business audiences so they can shine and overcome any challenge in their life.
6) Omar Johnson
Omar Johnson is a top branding expert, founder of ØPUS United, and former CMO at Beats Electronics. Johnson shares how he built diverse leadership teams while working at Beats and teaches how when partnering with the communities you serve, your business can make more conscious decisions in its marketing and branding efforts.
Simon T. Bailey is a Leadership Imagineer and the former leader of the Disney Institute. He has been named one of the top 25 people who will help you reach your business and life goals by SUCCESS magazine.
Known as FlyGirl, Vernice Armour went from cop to combat pilot in 3 years. Within months of earning her wings, FlyGirl found herself flying over the deserts of Iraq, supporting the men and women on the ground. From the moment she steps on stage, she shows audiences how to acknowledge the obstacles in life without giving them power and how to create a plan to win on the battlefield of life.
9) Daymond John
Daymond John is a motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur, and founder of FUBU clothing. You may know him best as a judge on the investor reality show Shark Tank. Daymond inspires audiences by sharing how he built FUBU clothing from a garage startup to a multi-million dollar company.
10) Natalie Nixon
Dr. Natalie Nixon is a creativity and leadership expert and top African American keynote speaker. As president and founder of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC., she advises leaders and teams on unique approaches to transformation while leveraging creativity as an innovation resource to rapidly achieve business goals.
11) Carla Harris
Carla Harris is an award-winning motivational speaker, finance thought leader, podcast host, author, and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. With over 3 decades of experience spanning almost every sector, it is no exaggeration to say she has more than earned her place in Fortune Magazine’s list of “The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America.”
12) Risha Grant
Risha Grant is a consultant, author and interactive diversity, enquiry and inclusion keynote speaker. A powerhouse presenter, she offers both keynotes and deep-dive training sections that empower her attendees to cast aside their biases and build inclusive cultures that help increase a business’ bottom line.
13) Briana Scurry
Briana Scurry is a U.S. Soccer legend, brain injury awareness advocate, and overcoming adversity keynote speaker. After a debilitating concussion led to an untimely retirement, she pivoted, making use of her incredible willpower and harnessing the visibility she enjoys as a top athlete to educate and advocate.
14) Bonin Bough
Bonin Bough is a transformation expert who has worked with billion-dollar CPG brands including Mondelez and PepsiCo as a growth accelerator. A top futurist and African American keynote speaker, he stands consistently at the forefront of innovation, recognized as a trailblazer in the business world.
15) Chaunté Lowe
Chaunté Lowe epitomizes strength and perseverance. A 4-time Olympian, entrepreneur, mother of 3 and breast cancer survivor, Lowe is an in-demand speaker with an engaging presentation style and an impactful message that resonates with everyone.
If you’re looking for a great speaker to add inspire or add diverse insights to your next event, reach out to BigSpeak Speakers Bureau at info@bigspeak.com to book one of our incredible African American Keynote Speakers.
For More on Speakers
Top 10 Black Motivational Speakers
Top Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Keynote Speakers for 2023