Celebrating Black History Month with Latin Flair

By Michael Lopez

It’s hard to believe it's already February, a month dedicated to celebrating love, Lincoln's birthday and African-American achievement. In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to recognize a few of our favorite Afro-Latinos.

Carmelo Anthony: We're actually giving double points to Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. Not only is he Afro-Latino, but so is his wife La La Vazquez! Born to a Puerto Rican father and an African-American mother, Carmelo's a superstar on and off the court. We already know how much Denver fans love him, but his contributions stretch way beyond that city. In his hometown of Baltimore, Anthony has donated millions of dollars to help build youth centers for underprivileged children.

Alex Cuba: Born Alex Puentes on the island of Cuba, this is one artist you want on your radar. Whether he’s engaging us with insightful interviews, wailing on the electric guitar or picking up Latin Grammys, Alex is destined for musical stardom. His 2009 Alex Cuba album is a must for any fan of Latin, jazz, funk or African rhythms.

Christina Milian: Milian was actually born Christina Flores to Afro-Cuban parents. A talented singer, actress, dancer and model, Christina has been a Tr3s fave for years. This year she's expected to bring her fourth studio album, which may include some emotional lyrics about her breakup with The-Dream. But aside from all of that, Milian is a great role model for young Afro-Latinas, lending her time and name to such causes as Children Uniting Nations.

Tatyana Ali: Many people were surprised to find out that Tatyana was half Panamanian. For six seasons she played African-American Ashley Banks on Will Smith's The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air show, before branching out into a successful R & B career. She’s also a Harvard grad and a recurring lead on The Young and the Restless.

Who are your favorite Afro-Latinos? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Alex Cuba, Black History Month, Carmelo Anthony, Christina Milian, Cultura, Música, Sports, Tatyana Ali