Henry Gayle Sanders, born on August 18, 1942, in Houston, Texas, is an American actor whose career spans over five decades. He is best known for his leading role in Charles Burnett's African-American neorealist masterpiece *Killer of Sheep* (1978), a work considered a milestone of independent cinema and inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural significance. His extensive filmography includes roles in films such as *Rocky Balboa* (2006), as Martin, and Ava DuVernay's historical drama *Selma* (2014). Sanders has also had a prolific television career, appearing in series such as *Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman*, *Miami Vice*, and more recently, as Prosper Denton in *Queen Sugar*, also by DuVernay. His accolades include an Emmy Award for his work on the television documentary series *The American Experience*.