In school, when students learn about black history, they hear the stories of Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman, and then are taught about many black men who have shaped history, such as Martin Luther King Junior. Although these black men have monumentally shaped history, many black women who have done the same are forgotten. Later on, when someone is asked about the black women who have shaped history, many can only recall the stories of Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. However, so many more women have shaped black history and made monumental strides in numerous fields for both men and women.
One such woman is Claudette Colvin, a fifteen-year-old who refused to give up her seat for a white person a few months before Rosa Parks did. However, when Colvin was asked why her name is not associated with protesting segregation the way Parks’ name is, Colvin said that she believed that Parks was the perfect person to be the center of the Civil Rights Movement. This was not only because of Parks’ demeanor and personality but also because she had lighter skin than Colvin, and Colvin believed that was crucial in having white people ending segregation.
Another woman that shaped black history while being an LGBTQ+ activist was Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson was a transgender woman who not only helped those in the LGBTQ+ community, who suffered from HIV and AIDS, but she also led the LGBTQ+ Stonewall Riots that were in response to the police raid at a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the first well-known people of color of the LGBTQ+, and without her contributions to the LGBTQ+ movement, LGBTQ+ history would be continued to be white-washed by society.
Bessie Coleman has also shaped black history, as well as women’s history because she became one of the first female pilots and the very first well-known African American female pilot. Bessie Coleman faced much adversity because of her race and gender, which made it nearly impossible to become a pilot. However, Robert Abbott, the publisher of the Chicago Defender, financed a trip to Paris for Bessie Coleman to train with some of the world’s best pilots and receive her international pilot’s license. Bessie Coleman paved the way for females to become pilots, and it was because of this, Bessie Coleman became a very successful and respected pilot.
Although many African American women were making history in many various fields, it was not until 1968 that Shirley Chisholm paved the way for African American women in the political sphere when she was elected as the first black woman in the US Congress. Shirley Chisholm advocated for employment and education opportunities for people of color and was the first black woman to seek the Democratic nomination for the presidential race.
As we continue to remember those who have fought for the betterment of the United States during Black History Month and beyond, it is essential to stop for a moment and think about all of the unknown heroes that have paved the way for equality in the United States, especially the female heroes of color. Without these women and their resilience, we, as a nation, would not be where we are today. As Black History month comes to an end, it is crucial to recognize that it took numerous people to fight for equality, especially regarding gender and race.