| 100% | HATTIE | 6 | Actress McDaniel who was the first African-American to win an Academy Award |
| 71% | VIOLA | 5 | Actress Davis who was the first African American to win the Triple Crown of Acting |
| 64% | POITIER | 7 | Sidney who was the first African American to win a Best Actor Oscar |
| 62% | BUNCHE | 6 | Ralph who was the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize |
| 61% | LIN | 3 | Jeremy who was the first Asian American to win an NBA Championship |
| 58% | POITIER | 7 | Sidney who was the first African-American to win a Best Actor Oscar |
| 57% | LUISE | 5 | Rainer who was the first person to win two Academy Awards for acting |
| 57% | RONDA | 5 | Rousey who was the first American woman to win an Olympic judo medal |
| 56% | DAWES | 5 | American gymnast Dominique who was the first Black athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics |
| 56% | DANDRIDGE | 9 | Singer Dorothy who was the first African-American to get a Best Actress Oscar nomination |
| 56% | BASIE | 5 | Jazz great who was the first African-American man to win a Grammy |
| 54% | LINDSEY | 7 | ___ Vonn, former alpine ski racer who was the first American woman to win an Olympic gold in downhill skiing |
| 54% | ETHELWATERS | 11 | Harlem Renaissance singer and actress who was the first African American to star in her own TV show: 2 wds. |
| 53% | VVEBDUBOIS | 10 | Historian, essayist and civil rights leader who was the first African American to receive a doctorate at Harvard |
| 53% | SIDNEYPOITIER | 13 | 15-Across, 30-Across, and "Lilies of the Field" star who was the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor (2 wds.) |
| 53% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave," 18-Across, and 32-Across star who was the first Kenyan-Mexican actress to win an Oscar (2 wds.) |
| 52% | ALI | 3 | Mahershala who was the first Muslim performer to win an Oscar |
| 52% | ALI | 3 | Mahershala who was the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar |
| 52% | HARLANCOBEN | 11 | 17-Across and 30-Across novelist who is the first writer to win an Anthony Award, a Shamus Award, and an Edgar Award (2 wds.) |
| 51% | SALONGA | 7 | Lea who was the first Asian actress to win a Tony |
| 50% | HAYES | 5 | Actress Helen who was the first person to win the Triple Crown of Acting |
| 50% | DEBBIE | 6 | ___ Armstrong, former alpine skier who was the first female American skier to win an Olympic gold medal |
| 50% | JANEADDAMS | 10 | Social worker who was the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize |
| 49% | STEVENASH | 9 | Basketball Hall of Famer who was the first Canadian to win the NBA MVP award |
| 48% | NICOLEKIDMAN | 12 | "Moulin Rouge!" and "The Hours" star who was the first Australian to win an Oscar for Best Actress and the first to be nominated in consecutive years (2 wds.) |
| 48% | HALLEBERRY | 10 | First African-American to win the Oscar for Best Actress |
| 47% | HAWN | 4 | Goldie ___, an Academy Award winning actress who recently made her comeback in the movie "Snatched" |
| 47% | LEE | 3 | Rebecca ___ Crumpler, physician who was the first African-American woman in the US to earn a medical degree |
| 47% | BUCK | 4 | O'Neil who was the first African American coach in the MLB |
| 47% | ZAILAAVANTGARDE | 15 | First African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee |