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Feburary may be the shortest month of the year, but it holds a lot of impact. Black History Month is a time to celebrate those that have helped pave the ways for future generations; here are 8 examples of ladies that have done just that.
Rhianna- Not only is Rhianna a singer and actress, but also an entrepreneur. She has her own beauty line, Fenty Beauty, that has helped redefine beauty in an industry where diversity was severely lacking. She also has a lingerie line, Savage x Fenty. Both are aimed at building women’s confidence.
Cashmere Nicole- Speaking of the beauty industry, do you recognize this name? Owner of the brand ‘Beauty Bakerie,’ Nicole is an advocate for supporting black-owned businesses. A single mother and cancer survivor, she has overcome more than some of us can even fathom in order to build a multi-million dollar brand.
Laverne Cox- Cox is a transgender actress known for her character on Netflix’s ‘Orange is the New Black.’ On the show, she plays a trans character fighting to be accepted by her family and her fellow inmates. It sheds a new light on the everyday struggles of being a trans woman. She is looked up to by the LGBTQ+ community, and continues to be an advocate. She recently walked at NYFW, and she killed it.
Hattie McDaniel- McDaniel was the first black woman to win an Academy Award for her role in ‘Gone with the Wind’ as Mammy. Though she still struggled with criticism all her life, she left a mark on Hollywood, and the world, that allowed other black actresses to follow in her footsteps.
Rosa Parks- This list would not be complete without Rosa Parks, who is a true icon. Famous for refusing to give up her seat on the bus, she became a major figure in the Civil Rights movement. Congress has even dubbed her the ‘First Lady of Civil Rights.’
Maya Angelou- Angelou was a writer, singer and a civil rights activist. Throughout her life, she did multiple inspiring things, including working alongside Martin Luther King Jr., and writing autobiographies describing growing up amongst racism. Personally, I remember reading ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ when I was a freshman in high school. It helped open my eyes to the hatred that she, and way too many others, had to face, and still struggle with today.
Oprah Winfrey- If being one of the only female billionaires isn’t enough, Oprah also has an impressive resume that includes producer, activist, writer and talk show host. She has her own magazine and t.v. network. She has used her platform to help recognize dozens of deserving authors, as well as donated millions of dollars to charity. She has also used her platform to talk about her childhood trauma, which has led her to become an advocate for children’s rights.
Shirley Anita Chisholm- A name that should be better known that it is, Chisholm was the first black woman to be elected into Congress. She served in New York’s 12th Congressional District for 7 terms. In 1972, she became the first black candidate to be nominated for a major party in the presidental election. That’s right, not just the first woman. The first ever. Talk about girl boss. She was also the first woman to run as a Democrat in the presidental race. Without Chisholm, we wouldn’t have seen the major steps of progression we did in the November election.