African Americans today are pop culture icons, leaders, pioneers, inventors, entrepreneurs, doctors, and judges, and so much more. However, this wasn’t always possible. There was a time that personal and professional opportunities were scarce for African Americans – even more so for African American women. From fighting against slavery to fighting for voting and civil rights, from fighting against racism to overcoming the odds and achieving unparalleled fame and success; African American have done it all. Countless Black women have left their mark on American history.
It would be difficult to include every Black woman that has contributed to the betterment of American society in a single article. It would be close to impossible to list all their struggles and achievements. The following list, therefore, includes only a few of the most prominent and important Black women in history and a brief summary of what they were/have been able to achieve.
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1. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
She dedicated her life to fighting against slavery and achieving gender equality. She managed to escape, with her son, from her life of slavery and was the first Black woman to win a custody case against a white man in 1828. She is most famous for her speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” which she delivered at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention. She received widespread fame and recognition for her efforts in the American Civil War and was one of the first Black women to be invited to the White House.
2. Harriet Tubman (1822-1913)
Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland and remained a slave until her escape in 1849. Once free, however, she returned to help free her family members as well. She spent the next 12 years of her life helping hundreds of slaves escape to freedom by travelling along a route which came to be known as the “Underground Railroad.” During the American Civil War, she worked as a nurse, a scout and a spy for Union forces. After the war she fought for the establishment of schools and other educational institutions for the Black community and became actively engaged in women’s rights activism as well.
3. Ida B. Wells (1862-1931)
Wells was a journalist, educator and an activist. She is considered a prominent figure in the history of the early civil rights movements. She received her freedom as a result of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and dedicated her life to educating minorities. Her career in journalism focused on the plight of African Americans as well as the discrimination faced by women in general. She was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
4. Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954)
Terrell was born into considerable privilege. Her father was one of the first African American millionaires in the South and her mother was a successful Black woman in her own right. She received the best education available for a Black woman and was one of the first African American women to achieve a college degree. She was an educator, activist, journalist and suffragette. She was a member of the NAACP, the Colored Women’s League of Washington and one of the founders and the first president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). She was also one of the founding members of the National Association of College Women (later known as the National Association of University Women) and the first Black woman to be a member of the school board of a major American City.
5. Maggie Lena Walker (1864-1934)
Maggie Lena Walker not only broke racial stereotypes, but gender stereotypes as well. She was a successful businesswoman and was the first woman (of any color) to establish and serve as the president of a bank. She was born to former slaves, and received her education in Richmond, Virginia. She started her career as an educator and went on to establish a newspaper as well. In 1903, she established the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank and served as its first president. She also served as the chairwoman of the board when the bank merged with two others.
6. Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
Rosa became a part of the civil rights movement in 1932 when she married activist Raymond Parks. She joined the local chapter of the NAACP in Montgomery, Alabama in 1943.
However, she is most famous for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in December 1955. She is often, incorrectly, credited for being the first woman to do so. However, she was actively involved in the subsequent bus boycott that led to the desegregation of the city’s public transport over a year later. She remained an active civil and women’s rights activist until her death in 2005.
7. Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)
Fannie Lou Hamer was the daughter of Mississippi share croppers and spent most her life working in the fields. She, and her husband, worked at the Marlow plantation until 1962 when she was fired for registering to vote. She dedicated the rest of her life to activism. While she did not have much of a formal education, she learned to read and write through bible study and passed her literacy test later on. She was one of the founders as well as the vice chairman of the Freedom Democratic Party and spoke at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) of 1964. She was an eloquent orator and some of her quotes are still famous today – the most famous one being “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” She was one of the organizers of the Freedom Summer and a co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus. She ran, unsuccessfully, for U.S Congress in 1964 and for the Mississippi State Senate in 1971. She was posthumously inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993.
8. Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005)
While today, Black women hold many positions of power and authority, Shirley Chisholm was the first African American Woman to be elected to Congress in 1968. In 1972, she became the first woman as well as the first African American woman to campaign for the presidential nomination from the platform of the Democratic Party. She championed the rights of women and minorities throughout her life and was a member of various organizations such as the New York chapter of the League of Women Voters, the Democratic Party club in Brooklyn and the NAACP.
9. Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Maya Angelou was an American author, actress, screenwriter, dancer, poet and civil rights activist. She is best known for her 1969 memoir, I know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was the first nonfiction bestseller by a Black woman. Raped by her mother’s boyfriend as a 7 year old, she became quiet and reclusive. This incident would have a lasting impact on her life, work and activism. Over the course of her acting career, she received Tony and Emmy nominations and even won a Grammy for the audio version of a collection of her poems. He works touched on the race and gender based problems she experienced in her life and her success acted as an inspiration for countless Black women.
10. Claudette Colvin (b. 1939)
Claudette Colvin is a retired American nurse. However, she is also one of the pioneers of the civil rights movement in the 1950s. While Rosa Parks is the more famous example, Claudette Colvin is actually the first known Black woman to refuse to give up her bus seat to a white person in March 1955. She was, then, just 15 years old and was arrested for violation of an ordinance addressing segregation.
11. Oprah Winfrey (b. 1954)
Oprah Winfrey is an American TV personality, actress, author, businesswoman and philanthropist. Born into poverty in rural Mississippi, she went on to become the first North American multi-billionaire, the richest African American of the 20th century, and has been frequently called the most generous African American philanthropist. She is frequently considered one of the most influential women in the world. Her political endorsements are much sought after and carry a lot of political weight. While she is best known for her talk show and is dubbed the “Queen of All Media”, she is also a successful businesswoman and the Oprah Winfrey Network is one of her most famous ventures. Her accolades include 18 Daytime Emmy Awards, 2 Primetime Emmys, and a Tony Award, a Peabody Award and various Academy Awards and nominations. She has given away hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable donations to different causes and hundreds of scholarships. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2013.
12. Michelle Obama (b. 1964)
Michelle Obama is an American attorney, author and political personality. She served as the First Lady of the United Stated during her husband’s presidency from 2009 to 2017. She is the first Black woman to be the First Lady of the United States. She is a Princeton and Harvard graduate, and has worked as an attorney at prestigious law firms as well as various non-profit organizations. She has also served as the associate dean for Student Services at the University of Chicago. During her tenure as the first lady she worked for and championed many causes including women’s rights, racial equality, LGBTQ rights, education, and health awareness programs. She was actively involved in the efforts for the safe retrieval of kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria, and is a strong proponent of healthy and organic lifestyles. She is considered by many to be a fashion and pop culture icon as well.
Intersectionality and Complex Identities
The experiences of prominent African American women in history are often shaped by the intersections of various identities, including race, gender, sexuality, and class. Intersectionality recognizes that these identities interact to provide distinct experiences and difficulties rather than existing in isolation. Many of these women struggled with their various identities’ intricacies while fighting against ethnic and sexual prejudice.
Exploring How Race, Gender, and Other Identities Intersect in Their Experiences:
Intersectionality brings to light the various forms of bigotry and discrimination experienced by African American women. Women like Sojourner Truth, for instance, experienced racism in addition to sexism in the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements. Zora Neale Hurston’s experiences as a Black woman in the literary world had a similar effect on how she viewed herself and her culture.
Recognizing the Unique Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ African American Women:
The intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation compounds the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ African American women. Figures like Audre Lorde and Lorraine Hansberry navigated not only racial and gender discrimination but also challenges related to their sexual orientation. Their voices were frequently ignored by the larger LGBTQ+ rights movement, which prompted them to fight for the inclusion of their experiences in racial and LGBTQ+ justice campaigns.
African American women in history who identified as LGBTQ+ faced the daunting task of challenging multiple forms of marginalization. The experiences of these women and their efforts serve as a powerful reminder of the value of inclusive action and the need to consider the variety of African American lives.
Understanding intersectionality deepens our appreciation for the resilience and courage of these prominent women as they tackled the complex challenges arising from their multiple identities. We may better comprehend their accomplishments and the importance of their advocacy in the fight for equality and justice if we acknowledge the interconnectedness of oppression and prejudice.
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
The legacy of prominent African American women in history extends far beyond their lifetimes, leaving an indelible mark on American society and serving as beacons of inspiration for future generations.
Reflecting on the Lasting Influence of These Women on American Society:
These women’s achievements have significantly and enduring influenced many facets of American society. Their tenacity, grit, and pioneering spirit broke down boundaries and opened the path for further societal advancement. Their accomplishments, whether in civil rights, the arts and humanities, politics, or academics, have increased the possibilities for marginalized people.
Highlighting Their Inspiration for Future Generations of Activists and Leaders:
The legacies of African American women continue to inspire and empower present and future activists and leaders. For inspiration and advice, young people look to historical heroes like Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, and Maya Angelou, a writer who utilized her talent to elevate the Black experience. These women’s experiences serve as a reminder that change is possible with tenacity, grit, and steadfast advocacy.
Their achievements also challenge prevailing narratives that attempt to limit the roles and contributions of marginalized groups. Today’s leaders are motivated by the experiences of those who came before them as they take on persistent problems for racial fairness, gender equality, and social justice.
Citations
i) https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/23/us/african-american-women-in-history/index.html
ii) https://www.thoughtco.com/notable-african-american-women-4151777
iii) https://powertodecide.org/news/Black-history-month-6-african-american-women-trailblazers-have-changed-world
iv) https://www.biography.com/activist/fannie-lou-hame
v) https://www.biography.com/writer/maya-angelou
vi) https://www.biography.com/media-figure/oprah-winfrey
vii) https://www.biography.com/news/famous-womens-rights-activists
viii) https://www.insider.com/women-who-fought-for-rights-2018-8
ix) https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/
x) https://www.biography.com/us-first-lady/michelle-obama