Oakland has more sunny days than San Francisco, which is only 7 miles across the Bay.

The 7 million-person San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Metro Area that locals call the “Bay Area”, has about 575,000 African American residents.

Oakland has one of the top 7 cargo shipping ports in the nation, while San Francisco’s cargo shipping activity has declined. Reason: Oakland is better connected to the freight railroad system.

Oakland and San Francisco are two of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation.

San Francisco’s surplus of cultural & entertainment venues, financial & corporate headquarters, Internet & computer businesses, biotech, education, government and high-end retail concentrated in a hilly city of 49 square miles surrounded on three sides by water, easily makes it one of the world’s most unique and dynamic cities.

The Bay Area is one of our nation’s 5 leading higher educational centers with Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, U of San Francisco, San Francisco State U, Santa Clara U, San Jose State U and Hayward State U anchoring the collegiate scene.

In order, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco are the three most popular American cities to shoot on-location movies. Alfred Hitchcock said it was his favorite.

Black Panther Party founder Huey Newton, received his doctorate in 1983.

Residents born or made a name for themselves here:

William Leidesdorff
One of the richest men in California in the 1800s

Mary Ellen Pleasant
Underground Railroad financier

Rev. J. Alfred Smith, Sr.
Allen Temple Baptist pastor

Ishmael Reed
Writer, college professor

Nate Thurmond
Famous NBA player and restaurant owner

Danny Glover
Actor and activist

Willie Brown
1st Black mayor of San Francisco

Huey Newton and Bobby Seale
Founders of Black Panther Party

David Hilliard & Fredrika Newton
Black Panthers carrying the torch

Rev. Amos Brown
Pastor and city supervisor

Jerry Rice
The greatest wide receiver in pro football

Willie Mays
The greatest all-around baseball player of all time

Barry Bonds
Arguably, the best baseball slugger of all time

Dr. Joe Marshall
Changing young men’s minds, saving lives

Sly Stone
Founded Sly & The Family Stone band and defined the musical genre “Funk” in late 1960s through early 70s.

Lionel Wilson
Oakland’s first Black mayor

Bill Russell
Basketball legend; greatest winner in history of team sports

Gary Payton
NBA All-star

Jason Kidd
NBA All-star

Joe Morgan
Baseball Hall of Famer

Ron Dellums
Never sold out in 20 years as US Congressman and now mayor of Oakland

En Vogue
R&B group

Too Short
Hip-Hop artist

The Pointer Sisters
R&B group