Taraji Penda Henson (born 1971 in Washington, DC) is an American actress and singer. Henson has appeared in such films as Baby Boy (2001), Hustle & Flow (2005), and Four Brothers (2005), and was a cast member on Lifetime Television’s The Division. Henson, who worked as a cruise ship entertainer and at the Pentagon before becoming an actress, holds a degree in theater arts from Howard University. Henson’s first and middle names are of Swahili origin, meaning “love” and “hope”, respectively. She is a descendant of Matthew Henson, co-discoverer of the North Pole.
