Famous People Who First Appeared in 1950 Census Records

Nora Ephron was born May 19, 1941, in New York City, which in 1950 had a population of 7,891,957 and was the largest city in America then and remains so to this day. A journalist, writer and filmmaker, she is widely considered the ”mother of the romantic comedy”  (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle). She died June 26, 2012 but her legacy lives on in her many books, plays and movies.

Arthur Ashe, Jr., was born July 10, 1942, in Richmond, Virginia, a city of 230,310 people in 1950. He became a top-ranked tennis player, beginning as a student at the University of California, Los Angeles when he won National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) singles, doubles and team titles. Arthur is the only Black or African American man to have won singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open. After contracting HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion, he became a dedicated activist until his death February 6, 1993.

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was born  January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky (population 369,129 in 1950). He began boxing at age 12, and just 10 years later became World Heavyweight Champion. After the win, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He continued to dominate the boxing world as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers and sports personalities of all time, with several of his bouts considered historic. After retirement, and despite his 1984 diagnosis with Parkinson’s Syndrome, Ali devoted himself to philanthropic, religious and humanitarian work until his death June 3, 2016.

Malcolm Michaels, Jr., was born August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, (1950 population 112,817). She moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village immediately after high school, and became one of the key figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969 which marked the beginning of the gay liberation movement and is celebrated each year with Pride parades in cities across the country. Johnson continued as an activist until her death July 6, 1992.

Jerome John Garcia was born August 1, 1942, in San Francisco, California, which had a population of 775,357 in 1950. He rose to stardom as a singer, song writer and guitarist with the Grateful Dead, a band that typified 1960s’ counterculture. The band attracted loyal fans — called “Deadheads” — who follow the band which is still performing nearly three decades after Garcia’s death August 9, 1995.

Ellison Shoji Onizuka was born June 24, 1946, in Kealakekua, part of the South Kona district in then-territory Hawaii (1950 population 3,719). After receiving a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering, Onizuka became a U.S. Air Force test pilot. He was then selected for NASA’s astronaut program. On January 28, 1986, he was aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, his second mission, when it exploded just 73 seconds after launch. Onizuka and his six crewmates were killed, including Christa McAuliffe, the first civilian teacher in space. 

Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born November 18, 1945, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which is the capital of the Cherokee Nation and in 1950 had a population of just 4,750. She was an activist and community coordinator, who brought economic, medical and educational benefits to her community. In 1985, she became the Cherokee Nation’s first female principal chief. She continued her advocacy work in her community until her death April 6, 2010.