Current Image taking May 15th 69th birthday May 28th 2026
Marshall T. Hall Sr. was born and raised along the picturesque shores of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County, located in Western New York State. As the youngest of 10 children—six older brothers and three older sisters—Marshall grew up in a close-knit family with both parents present in the home. In 2005, the United African American Foundation (UAAF) was established in Illinois in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Today, its headquarters are based in New York State.
Marshall is the proud father of two accomplished children. His daughter, Petra, is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in New York State, while his son, Marshall Jr., is a licensed attorney in both New York and Minnesota. Marshall Jr. has held prestigious roles, including Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Attorney General. He currently serves as a lawyer for a private firm in Minnesota.
At 18, Marshall attended acting school in Hollywood, California—a transformative experience he fondly recalls, particularly walking through the gates of the iconic Paramount Studios. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Marshall was a standout athlete in football and basketball and even played semi-professional football. At age 21, he had the unique opportunity to try out for the Buffalo Bills, thanks to a family connection with the team’s coach, Chuck Knox.
His entrepreneurial journey includes owning and operating several successful businesses, including fast-food restaurants (two with liquor licenses), personal fitness gyms, a painting contracting business, property development ventures, a food truck building company, and enterprises in photography, printing, and advertising.
Marshall also spent several years immersed in the entertainment and music industry. In his mid-twenties, while living in Buffalo, New York, he began photographing numerous entertainment celebrities, amassing an impressive collection of over 75 celebrity portraits. To this day, Marshall holds onto the original negatives. Among the celebrities he photographed are Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Prince, James Brown, Rick James, Smokey Robinson, Magic Johnson, Eddie Murphy, 1984 Miss America Vanessa Williams, Frank Sinatra Jr., Sugar Ray Leonard, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Diana Ross, Wilson Pickett, and Ray Charles, just to name a few.
Education:
- Brocton Central School, Brocton, New York
- Jamestown Community College, Jamestown, New York
- Bryant & Stratton Business Institute, Buffalo, New York
- Certified Fitness Trainer, ISSA, Santa Barbara, California
- Acting School, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California