There was a time when being a woman made you inferior. We constantly needed someone to take care of us, because we were “delicate little flowers” that needed protection. We had no rights, no voice. However, being a Black woman was not even worth being mentioned. Now, in 2014, I am pleased to know Black women are present everywhere you turn. They are business women, doctors, teachers, actresses, singers … the list goes on. Boundaries for Black women exist no longer. In honour of Black History Month, let me introduce you, or shall I say reintroduce you, to the most influential Black Women of our time.
1. Rosa Parks
It would be a shame on my behalf if I didn’t include this wonderful and brave woman on our list. She refused to give up her seat in the “coloured section” on the bus in 1955 to a white passenger since they were no more places left in the “white section”. She helped end segregation and she is the one that inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to get involved in the movement. She was named “the mother of the freedom movement” by the United States Congress.
2. Michelle Obama
When she married Barack Obama in 1992, I doubt she knew that she would become The ‘First’ Black Lady. This is something to be really proud of. She went to Princeton University as well Harvard Law School. Aside for her other duties, Michelle has been the leader behind the campaign “Let’s Move!” since 2010. The movement is fighting against childhood obesity. Michelle Obama is also a supporter of LGBT rights. Does this woman ever get tired? I don’t think so, because “Yes, She Can” do it all.
3. Oprah Winfrey
There are not enough words to explain how amazing this woman is! She was named the richest Afro-American of the 20th century and currently is the only African-American Billionaire. Out of all the things you wanted to do when you were a kid, well Oprah has done it all. Her talk show had the most ratings from 1986 till 2011. Oprah is a media proprietor, actress, producer, philanthropist and author. However, it wasn’t always the good life for her. She lived in poverty with her single teen mother and she was raped at the age of nine. That just gave her the push to become the woman that we love today.
4. Maya Angelou
It’s impossible than you never heard the name ‘Maya Angelou’ before. She is an Afro-American author and poet. She wrote seven autobiographies, many poetry books and a few books of essays. Maya worked with none other than Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X, as she was an activist during the Civil Right Movement. In 1993, she recited one of her poems at the inauguration of Bill Clinton. Maya’s work is considered as a defense of the Black Community.
5. Toni Morrison
If you haven’t read “The Bluest Eye” yet, you have missed out. The author who wrote this book is a professor, editor and novelist. Toni has a B.A in English from Howard University, and she won a Pulitzer Price, plus a Nobel Prize in Literature. This was the first time a Black woman received that honour!
6. Beyoncé
She is a Diva, she is Sasha Fierce and she is our modern-day feminist. Beyoncé runs the world by being one of the top selling artists. She is also known as an actress and fashion designer. Her fashion line House of Deréon has been out since 2005. After Hurricane Katrina, she created the Survivor Foundation to help survivors get transitional homes. She also has a Cosmetology Center for training men and women. We have not seen the last of her. There are so many more things for her to accomplish.
7. Tyra Banks
Most of us know Miss Tyra for her reality television series “American’s Next Top Model’’. Who didn’t want to be on the show growing up? Tyra isn’t just famous because of ANTM, but for being an Angel for Victoria’s Secret. She got rejected many times before finally landing a deal with L.A Model than Elite Model Management. Time Magazine ranked her among the most influential people, making her one of the four Afro-Americans appearing on that list. Tyra is also known for being a television producer, author and actress.
8. Gaby Douglas
Gabrielle is the first girl of colour to have become an Olympic individual all–around champion in gymnastics. Gabby made her debut in 2008 in a national competition in Texas. Her career just went up from there. However, in 2009 she had an injury so couldn’t compete for a while, but she was back strong in 2010. During that period, Gabby started to train with Liang Chow – the former coach of Shawn Johnson. In 2011, Gabby was part on the gold-winning U.S team. Other than that, she released an auto-biography, had a campaign with Nintendo, and she was acknowledged as “Female Athlete of the Year”. Currently, Gabby is training for the 2016 Olympisc. In other words, “This girl is on fire”.
Is there someone that you would have wanted to see in the list? Leave a comment below.
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