Since 1976, February has been a month of celebration for African Americans. It is a time of remembrance and recognition. It is a time of reflection. Reflection on how far African Americans have come and all of the accomplishments and sacrifices that were made, and reflection on how much further they can go. Of course there are the widely recognized names such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., but what about the lesser known heroes in history? Below is a list of a few unsung heroes that accomplished a lot during trying times and made a difference in their own lives and in the lives of future generations that came after them.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895): Dr Crumpler was raised in Pennsylvania and later attended the West Newton English and Classical School in Massachusetts. At the age of 21 she worked as a nurse and at the age of 29 she was accepted into the New England Female Medical College. Despite the opinions of the male population believing women were not capable and that some material was too sensitive for the delicate nature, the women persisted. As we all should! Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American to graduate from this college and she was the first African American female physician in history.
Bessie Coleman (1892-1926): Bessie Coleman was the first African American to earn her pilot’s license. But she didn’t do so in America, no. She did it in France! American schools refused to accept her, so she learned French and moved overseas. Seven months later she had her license. Specializing in aerial tricks and stunts, she was the first African American to make a public flight in America. Unfortunately, at the young age of 34, an accident during a rehearsal sent Bessie falling to her death. In the end she did not give up and she got to live out her dreams, though they were cut short.
Bayard Rustin (1912-1987): We all know who Martin Luther King Jr. is, but do you know Bayard Rustin? He was a key advisor for Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. He was born in Pennsylvania and moved to New York in the 1930s. He was a part of pacifist groups and civil rights protest. He taught King about non-violent resistance that he learned from Gandhi and was even a key orchestrator of the March on Washington where the “I Have a Dream” speech was given. Despite being arrested for his actions and open homosexuality, Rustin never gave up and kept fighting the fight until a ruptured appendix claimed his life on August 24, 1987.
Claudette Colvin (1939-Present): Before Rosa Parks was 15 year old Claudette Colvin. She paid for her seat and felt it was her constitutional right to not have to give it up. She was dragged off the bus and sent to jail. She became one of the four plaintiffs that helped in the Browder v. Gayle case to end segregation on Montgomery buses. Claudette’s former attorney believes that she gave the town the courage it needed to help support Rosa Parks when the time came. Many are trying to get Claudette’s story more widely known.