Take a Look at All This Black Genius the MacArthur Foundation Has Recognized | The Root The best way to start any day is with some black excellence, and today that cup runneth the hell over. The list of MacArthur fellows is out, and this year, six of the recipients are black.

Also known as the “genius” grants, the fellowship awards $625,000 directly to individual recipients. Previous winners include writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and the poet Claudia Rankine.

As the MacArthur Foundation website states, the money comes with no strings attached, and all fellows have to meet three criteria:

Jesmyn Ward | Fiction Writer

Rhiannon Giddens | Musician & Songwriter

Tyshawn Sorey | Composer & Musician

Nikole Hannah-Jones | Journalist

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become charter members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution. (Website).