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- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) was a pivotal leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He continues to be celebrated for his profound influence in advocating for nonviolent resistance and racial equality.
- Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) An abolitionist and political activist, Harriet Tubman is best known for helping enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad.
- Barack Obama (b. 1961) ADVERTISEMENT. Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, made history as the first Black American to hold the office.
- Maya Angelou (1928-2014) Maya Angelou was an influential poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist, celebrated for her series of seven autobiographies.
- Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) Congress is more diverse now than it's ever been. However, when Chisholm was attempting to shatter the glass ceiling, the same couldn't be said.
- Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) Dr. King is usually credited for the March on Washington in August 1963. But it was Rustin who organized and strategized in the shadows.
- Claudette Colvin (1939- ) Before Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, there was a brave 15-year-old who chose not to sit at the back of the bus.
- Annie Lee Cooper (1910-2010) The Selma, Alabama, native played a crucial part in the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement. But it wasn't until Oprah played her in the 2014 Oscar-nominated film Selma that people really took notice of Cooper's activism.
List. The list in alphabetical order, as published Asante's 2002 book: Hank Aaron (1934–2021) Ira Aldridge (1807–1867) Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) Richard Allen (1760–1831) Marian Anderson (1897–1993) Maya Angelou (1928–2014) Arthur Ashe (1943–1993) Crispus Attucks (1723–1770) James Baldwin (1924–1987) Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806)
- Molefi Kete Asante
- 2002
- Jane Bolin. Jane Bolin became the nation's first Black woman judge in 1939. She was the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Law School, and would serve on New York's Family Court for four decades.
- Alice Allison Dunnigan. Alice Allison Dunnigan was the first African-American female White House correspondent. She was also the first Black female member of the Senate and House of Representatives press galleries.
- Wangari Maathai. Wangari Maathai became the first Black woman to win the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work in Kenya. She was also the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree.
- Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson was an LGBTQ activist and trans woman who was one of the first drag queens to walk into the Stonewall Inn. In addition to being a drag performer, Johnson co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries organization with Sylvia Rivera, according to CNN.
Jan 30, 2024 · The unsung heroes. Their stories aren’t widely told, but these Black women and men helped shape history. By Nicquel Terry Ellis, Nicole Chavez, Chandelis Duster and Faith Karimi, CNN Published...
Feb 1, 2024 · Feb 1, 2024. Every Black History Month and Juneteenth, pioneers in African American history are often mentioned like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr ., Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali and...
Jun 17, 2020 · By Tamara Gane. Updated: Apr. 25, 2024. It's about time these incredible Americans get the acknowledgment they deserve. rd.com, Getty Images (3) Black History figures everyone should know about.
