Black women have been at the forefront of many major achievements and movements throughout history. Without black women, this country would not be where it is today. Here are 10 women who I feel deserve to get some time in the spotlight for their achievements that allowed for the advancements of future women of color.
1) Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson became known as one of the strongest and most vocal trans-rights advocates after the Stonewall Inn Riot of 1969; though she was a well known figure in the community before this event. She and Sylvia Rivera founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and through this she became a role model for young kids and those who were pushing back against the patriarchal norms of society. She was found on July 6, 1992 in the Hudson River, and though it was ruled a suicide, many to this day believe that she was murdered. Her case has never been looked into as a potential homicide.
2) Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary Bethune opened the Daytona Beach Literary and Industrial school for Training Negro Girls, and in 1929 she blended the college with the Cookman Institute. This was the creation of the Bethune-Cookman Institute, which is now one of the most well known and revered historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). She came from parents who were former slaves, and by the end of her life she had created a historic college and worked with multiple presidents to help better the lives of African Americans.
3) Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm was a force to be reckoned with in Congress. She was the first African American woman elected into Congress and the first to try to get the nomination for POTUS. Though she faced blatant racism and discrimination, she introduced 50+ pieces of legislation and fought continuously for equality across all facets of society. She opened the door for women of color to make their voices heard in our government.
4) Melba Pattillo Beals, Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Carlotta Walls LaNier, and Thelma Mothershed (6 of the Little Rock Nine)
These women were part of the group of students who were a crucial part in the integration process for schools. In Arkansas, they were blocked from entering their high school by the National Guard who was deployed by the then Governor. They persisted and faced the abuse and racism head-on until the senior of the group, Ernest Green, graduated. Schools in Little Rock were then closed from 1958-1959 in an attempt to prevent integration.
5) Cheryl Butler McDonald
Cheryl McDonald was the first African American woman to join the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets in 1973 as a sophomore. She and the few other women in the Corps were responsible for breaking down stereotypes and creating an equal playing field for the women of the Corps. It was she and the other women of her squadron that led to the integration of women into the Corps and we can see that today as women are now a part of every aspect of the Corps.
6) Katherine Johnson
The ‘human computer’ who helped the U.S. accomplish some of the most notorious space missions. Though NASA eventually began to use computers to calculate flights in space, she was relied on to check the calculations because of her impeccable mathematical abilities. Her calculations led to many achievements, like the Apollo 13 where her calculations allowed then to return back safely.
7) Dominique Dawes
The star of the the seven female gymnasts known as the Magnificent Seven in the 1996 Olympics. She was the first African American on the U.S. national gymnastics team and she became the first African American to earn an individual medal in women’s gymnastics. She faced racism and discrimination that to this day is still prevalent in the sport; but it is her perseverance that led to girls like Gabbie Douglas and Simone Biles becoming some of the most well known African American gymnasts for the U.S.
8) Ava DuVernay
An independent film mastermind who has taken the world by storm with her documentary 13th and the historical drama Selma. She has helped shine the light on the plights of people of color in the U.S. and she continues to open doors for others with her collective ARRAY. ARRAY works to help people of color and women to get their films out in the world for everyone to see. Her work has and will continue to break ground as people are forced to face the facts of our country’s history of oppression, racial injustice and sexism.
9) Marley Dias
#1000BlackGirlBooks is a campaign to collect 1,000 books with black girls as the main characters. Her goal was to collect books and give them out in the community so that other young girls of color could get to read about girls like them who look like them. She has collected over 9,000 books and has her own book coming out soon, so if you know any young black girls keep an eye out, because her story truly is an inspiring one.
10) Erica Garner
The daughter of Eric Garner, who in 2014, was murdered by a police officer using a banned chokehold. She passed recently, but not after leaving her mark on this world by becoming an advocate for the need for accountability in the cases of police brutality. Though she suffered with her own health issues, she didn’t stop her fight to create a better society not only for get children, but all of the children growing up in this time of such fear and confusion about police brutality. She was a spark to a bigger movement that will continue to fight for justice and accountability, especially in communities of color.
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