She's one of the most powerful women in Central Florida.

Appointed to the position of Chief of Police for the City of Orlando in December of 2007, Val Demings is the first woman in OPD's 134 years to serve as chief.

• Read more about Chief Val Demings

Belvin Perry was one of Orlando's first African-American policemen, chosen for their respect among the black community.

Perry and five other black police officers patrolled the black community but were given neither guns nor patrol cars.

• Read more about Belvin Perry

The first public school for blacks in Orlando was formed in 1895.

The Orlando Black School, as it was called, was on the corner of Garland Avenue and Church Street.

• Read more about the Orlando Black School

On Christmas Day 1951, the home of Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore in Mims was bombed.

Twenty sticks of dynamite were placed directly beneath their bed, and both were killed.

It wasn't until 2006 when investigators concluded the bombing was the work of violent members of a central Florida KKK group.

• Read more about Harry T. & Hariette V. Moore

Representative Geraldine Thompson serves District 39 in the Florida House.

She was the first African-American female to represent Orlando in the Legislature.

• Read more about Rep. Geraldine Thompson

Katherine Johnson has never lived in the state of Florida -- but her work with NASA had a deep impact on developing the space coast.

Johnson was one of the first black women to work with the Space Shuttle program and on plans for a mission to Mars.

• Read more about Katherine Johnson

In 2004, 48 year old Clarence Otis was named CEO of the largest casual-dining restaurant company, Darden.

Otis is charged with overseeing such mega-brands as Olive Garden and Red Lobster, and he's one of only a handful of African-American CEOs running Fortune 500 companies.

• Read more about Clarence Otis

Baseball legend Jackie Robinson made history on the baseball fields in Daytona beach.

But his determination helped also break the city of Jim Crow laws well before other big southern cities considered it.

• Read more about Jackie Robinson

Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed is the fifth President of Bethune-Cookman University and the first woman to serve in this capacity since founder Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

Dr. Reed was appointed to the position in 2004 and has embraced her rich legacy of faith, scholarship and service.

• Read more about Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed

Zora Neale Hurston was born in Alabama...but for Hurston, Eatonville was always home.

The community shaped her life and her writing...even saying, "I've got the map of Florida on my tongue."

• Read more about Zora Neale Hurston

Jerry Demings spent 21 years with the Orlando Police Department, four years as Orlando's Police Chief - a position now held by his wife, Chief Val Demings.

In November 2008, Demings made history-becoming the first African American sheriff elected in Orange County.

• Read more about Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings

Representative Carrie Meek was the first black lawmaker elected to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction.

But her impact in the state started at a very young age.

• Read more about Rep. Carrie Meek

He's the highest ranking African-American executive at the Walt Disney Company in Florida.

Serving as President of Disney Vacation Club, Jim Lewis leads the innovative vacation-ownership program with more than 420,000 individual members from more than 100 counties and more than 4000 Cast Members.

• Read more about Jim Lewis

Dr. William Monroe Wells first came to Orlando in 1917 to practice medicine.

He was one of Orlando's first black physicians, and at times, the only african american doctor in the city.

• Read more about Dr. William Monroe Wells

Arthur "Pappy" Kennedy was Orlando Florida's first African-American City Commissioner.

He was elected to the Orlando City Council in 1972 at age 58, serving until 1980.

• Read more about Arthur "Pappy" Kennedy

Robin Fisher is the first african American to serve on the Brevard County Commission.

But before politics, Fisher was a football player!

• Read more about Robin Fisher

Darrell Armstrong first came to Orlando in 1994 after signing with the NBA as a free agent for the Orlando Magic.

In 2004, he left the Magic and played for teams across the county...and retired in 2008.

But Orlando is where his heart is.

• Read more about Darrell Armstrong

Educator, Athlete, Commissioner, Mentor and more..

Napoleon "Nap" Ford certainly left his mark on Central Florida.

In 1980, he was elected to the Orlando City Council- and was a representative for the heavily African American Parramore neighborhood.

• Read more about Nap Ford

Retired Marine Corps General Charles Bolden, Jr. made a lot of history during his 14 year NASA career as an astronaut.

He's traveled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions.

In 2009, Bolden became the first African-American to head the space agency.

• Read more about Charles Bolden

Michael C. Blake, a lifelong resident of Brevard County, made history in November of 2004 when he became the City of Cocoa's first African-American mayor.

He recently became the the first African American president of the Space Coast League of Cities.

• Read more about Michael Blake

The year was 1904 and a very determined young african american woman opened the Daytona Education and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls.

All Mary McLeod Bethune had was 1 dollar and 50 cents, faith in God and five little girls for students.

Well over a century later, her spirit and goal live on at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.

• Read more about Mary McLeod Bethune

It's a town rich in black history and tucked away just north of the City of Orlando.

Home to a little over 2,000 people, Eatonville is known as one of the first incorporated black towns, formed after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

• Read more about Eatonville

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States of America and the first African-American to be elected to this office.

This was not the "first time" Obama was elected as "the first".  

• Read more about President Barack Obama

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement.

His life's goal,to secure civil rights for african americans in the United States.
He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and was often was arrested, his home was bombed, he was subjected to personal abuse...but they couldn't stop him.

• Read more about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Orlando Chef Johnny Rivers was born in Orlando and as a child he was always eager to help his mother in the kitchen.

By age 13, he began his restaurant career as a breakfast cook at the Cherry Plaza Hotel in downtown Orlando.

And he hasn't stopped since.  Rivers orchestrated the openings of more than 140 restaurants at Walt Disney World- as well as Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disney.

• Read more about Johnny Rivers

David "Deacon" Jones was an obscure 14th-round draft pick in the NFL in 1961.

But the man who got his start in Eatonville quickly made a name for himself, and is considered one of the greatest defensive players...ever.

• Read more about David "Deacon" Jones

Born and raised in Orlando, Reverend Doctor Robert M. Spooney serves as Executive Director of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida.

A graduate with honors of Jones High School, Spooney studied History and Education at Florida A&M University.

• Read more about Robert Spooney

Central Florida was forced to say goodbye to one of their hometown favorites when the Orlando Magic traded Vince Carter last year.

Carter, who was born in Daytona Beach in 1977, attended schools throughout the area and graduated from Mainland High School.

But he leaves behind a legacy in Central Florida.

• Read more about Vince Carter