![]() She was one of the first openly gay liberation activists and a key figure in the Stonewall riots in 1969. Johnson, born Malcolm Michaels Jr., was the first self-identified, drag queen in the U.S. Blige and Whitney Houston, Franklin was also the very first female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Inspiring generations of singers after her, including Mary J. ![]() The “Queen of Soul" was ranked No.1 in Rolling Stone’s “ 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” and it’s been said that no one understood soul music better than Aretha Franklin. Wendy Stone / Getty Images Aretha Franklin (1942-2018) Wangari Maathai was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the Wangari Maathai Institute. She was also an elected member of Parliament and served as assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resources between 20. In the 1970s, she founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on environmental conservation and women’s rights. Wangari Maathai was the first Black African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in environmental conservation. Robert Alexander / Getty Images Wangari Maathai (1940-2011) Audre Lorde was a Master Artist in Residence at the Central Florida arts center in 1983. In her writings, she highlights her experience being a Black lesbian woman and confronts issues of racism, homophobia, classism and misogyny, giving voice to other Black female writers and activists. Nina Simone is the voice behind "I Put a Spell on You," "Feeling Good" and "I Loves You, Porgy." Getty Images Audre Lorde (1934-1992)Īudre Lorde made incredible contributions to feminist literature. Between 19, Simone recorded more than 40 albums, leaving an indelible mark on music. In her early years, Simone changed her name from Eunice Kathleen Waymon, her birth name, to her new alias, Nina Simone, to disguise herself from her family while trying to forge her career in jazz as a pianist and singer. Nina Simone possessed a unique raspy voice and had a massive impact on the jazz community, as well as the civil rights movement. She rose to fame in 1969 after the publication of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” one of her autobiographies detailing her early years as a young Black woman. She left a legacy with her large body of work, including memoirs, poems, essays and plays. Maya Angelou has a distinct voice as a Black writer and activist. The United States Congress has since honored her as “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement.” Rosa Park's arrest launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott by 17,000 black citizens. 1, 1955, but led to revolutionary change. Her defiance to give up her seat led to her arrest on Dec. Rosa Parks, a trailblazer known for her courageous participation in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, ignited the movement against racial segregation on public transit. Chicago History Museum / Getty Images Rosa Parks (1913-2005) Wells founded the Alpha Suffrage Club, an organization of women who helped elect candidates who would best serve the Black community in Chicago. She was one of the founders of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and led a powerful anti-lynching crusade in the U.S. Wells was a prominent Black investigative journalist, educator and activist in the early civil rights movement. Her legacy is indelible in the movement to abolish slavery, as she is documented to have made approximately 13 trips through the Underground Railroad, leading dozens of slaves to freedom and was never caught, despite a $40,000 reward for her capture. Harriet Tubman (unknown-1913)Īmerican abolitionist Harriet Tubman is best known for her efforts to move slaves to liberation in the Underground Railroad, a network of antislavery activists. On May 21, 1796, a 22-year-old Ona successfully escaped her enslavement to President George Washington while he and wife, Mrs. ![]() Vernon and brought to Philadelphia to serve at the president’s house. Ona Judge, known by the Washingtons as "Oney," was a mixed woman born into an enslaved family on Mt. Her suit helped lead to the permanent abolition of slavery in the state of Massachusetts. Elizabeth Freeman (unknown-1829)įreeman, also known as Mum Bett, was a nurse and midwife who successfully sued Massachusetts for her freedom in 1781, becoming the first African American enslaved woman to win a freedom suit in the state. In honor of Black History Month, we've gathered a list of influential Black women, whose contributions, accomplishments and talent have not only helped shape the world, but made it a better place for all. ![]() While there's still a long way to go, these iconic women along with Maya Angelou, Harriet Tubman and other famous females have forged a path toward progress and, in return, leave their legacies behind. ![]()
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