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Jay-Z, Megan Thee Stallion, Keke Palmer, Gina Prince-Bythewood and the New York Knicks champs Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges lead the 2026 Ebony Power 100 list.
For more than
80 years, Ebony has recognized innovators, advocates, creatives and leaders paving the way impactfully and with distinction across industries, from entertainment and sports to STEM, politics, activism and community outreach. Previous Power 100 recipients include Academy Award-winning director Ryan Coogler, four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, award-winning screenwriter and producer Mara Brock Akil and media personality Scott Evans.
“For generations, Ebony has been where Black excellence is named, documented and celebrated, and the Power 100 carries that responsibility forward,” Ebony CEO Eden Bridgeman said in a statement to Variety. “This year’s honorees are shaping culture in real time, from the stage and the screen to the boardroom, the lab and the neighborhoods they serve. Recognizing them isn’t only about honoring what they’ve achieved – it’s about recording the history they’re making so the generations behind them can see what’s possible.”
The theme for this year’s list is “The Stories We Shape,” which centers the idea of “narrative ownership” and honors those leaders who are shaping culture, driving economic impact and expanding representation in real time.
“‘The Stories We Shape’ reflects what Ebony has always stood for: the belief that narratives matter because they influence what people see, what they believe, and what they believe is possible,” Bridgeman explained. “The stories we choose to tell become part of our culture, our history, and our future.”
The Power 100 honorees are recognized in multiple categories, including Artists in Residence, Business Disruptors, Community Crusaders, Entertainment Powerhouses, Generation Next, Influential Creators, Leaders in Sports, Media Mavens, Music Innovators, and STEM Trailblazers. New this year is the Junior Bridgeman Business Vanguard, named in honor of the late Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman, founder of Ebony’s parent company and Bridgeman’s father.
The 2026 class will be saluted at Ebony’s annual Power 100 Gala, held on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The private, invite-only ceremony will be produced in partnership with Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE), the Emmy-winning company behind the BET Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the red carpet and cocktail hour, followed by the 7:30 p.m. awards ceremony and a 10:30 p.m. post-reception.
“On November 9, we will convene at the Hollywood Palladium to celebrate the individuals whose stories and leadership are shaping this moment, while also recognizing the collective power of a community that continues to drive American culture forward,” Bridgeman added. “This is more than a night of recognition. It is the annual convening of the people shaping the story of what’s next.”
The complete list of 2026 Ebony Power 100 honorees is available on the magazine’s website. This year’s class includes:
Artists in Residence: Visionaries reshaping the cultural landscape through groundbreaking artistic expression
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Grammy-winning artists, producers and cultural entrepreneurs
Debbie Allen, actress, choreographer and director
Colson Whitehead, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist
Charm La’Donna, choreographer and creative director
Rashid Johnson, contemporary visual artist
Junior Bridgeman Business Vanguard: Executives and entrepreneurs redefining what’s possible in business
Latriece Watkins, president and CEO, Sam’s Club U.S.
Byron Allen, founder, chairman and CEO, Allen Media Group
Stacy Brown-Philpot, founder and managing partner of Cherryrock Capital
Tope Awotona, founder and CEO, Calendly
Community Crusaders: Champions driving social change and community empowerment
Common, rapper, actor and activist
Brent Leggs, president and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Artis Stevens, president and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, president and CEO, National Council of Negro Women
Vic Mensa, rapper and activist
Entertainment Powerhouses: Cultural catalysts defining the future of media and entertainment
Channing Dungey, chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group
Questlove, musician, filmmaker and author
Keke Palmer, actress, producer and media Personality
Gina Prince-Bythewood, director and screenwriter
Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment & Peacock Scripted
Generation Next: Rising stars breaking barriers and setting new standards
Victor Wembanyama, NBA player, San Antonio Spurs
Quenlin Blackwell, digital creator and actress
Nia Sioux, dancer, actress and author
Jazlyn Guerra (“Jazzy’s World TV”), journalist and content creator
Sean “The Science Kid” Atitogbe, STEM content creator
Influential Creators: Digital pioneers shaping conversations and building communities
iShowSpeed, livestreamer and YouTuber
Marques Brownlee, technology reviewer and YouTuber
Wisdom Kaye, model and fashion content creator
Grace Wales Bonner, fashion designer
Michael Seibel, partner emeritus, Y Combinator
Leaders in Sports: Athletes and executives transforming the world of sports
Naomi Osaka, professional tennis player
Nneka Ogwumike, WNBA player and president, WNBA Players Association
Renee Montgomery, broadcaster and former WNBA champion
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
Elana Meyers Taylor, Olympic bobsledder
Media Mavens: Thought leaders revolutionizing how stories are told and shared
Sheinelle Jones, co-anchor, “TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle”
Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels, co-hosts, MS NOW’s “Clock It with Symone & Eugene”
Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, co-hosts, “Higher Learning Podcast”
Jason Lee, founder and CEO, Hollywood Unlocked
Josh Johnson, Comedian and Writer
Music Innovators: Artists and executives pushing musical boundaries
Jay-Z, entrepreneur and founder, Roc Nation
Megan Thee Stallion, Grammy-winning rapper
T.I., rapper and entrepreneur
Larry Jackson, CEO and co-founder, Gamma
Sherrese Clarke, founder and CEO, HarbourView Equity Partners
STEM Trailblazers: Pioneers advancing technology and scientific innovation
Morgan DeBaun, founder and CEO, Blavity Inc. & AfroTech
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in governance studies & director of the Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution
Jasmine Crowe-Houston, founder and CEO, Goodr
Dr. Ayanna Howard, president, Spelman College
Dr. James Manyika, senior VP at Google and Alphabet
