Black History Month: Important Women in African American History

Whenever we learn about notable women in African American history, a few names, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks, are often the ones thrown out. But many Black women have contributed to the rich African American culture of resilience and achievement against incredible odds. 

Note: The list below is not a ranking. Please let us know who we missed. 

1. Harriet Tubman – Born into slavery, Tubman escaped to freedom and became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of enslaved people to freedom. She was also a spy for the Union army during the Civil War.
2. Maya Angelou – A writer, poet, and civil rights activist, Angelou was a powerful voice for African Americans and women throughout her career. She was the first African American woman to have a non-fiction bestseller with her book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
3. Fannie Lou Hamer – A voting rights activist and leader in the Civil Rights Movement, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and was a delegate to the 1964 Democratic National Convention.
4. Sojourner Truth – Born into slavery, Truth escaped to freedom and became an influential abolitionist and women’s rights activist. She delivered her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in 1851.
5. Ida B. Wells – A journalist, newspaper editor, and anti-lynching activist, Wells was one of the leading voices in the fight against lynching and segregation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
6. Shirley Chisholm – The first African American woman elected to the US Congress, Chisholm was a trailblazer for women and minorities in politics. She also made a historic run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972.
7. Angela Davis – A scholar, activist, and author, Davis was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and a prominent voice for social justice and equality. She was a professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Cruz for many years.
8. Barbara Jordan – The first African American woman from the South to be elected to the US Congress, Jordan was a powerful voice for civil rights and equality. She was a keynote speaker at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
9. Ella Baker – A civil rights activist and organizer, Baker was a key leader in the Civil Rights Movement, working behind the scenes to support the work of organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
10. Katherine Johnson – A mathematician and NASA scientist, Johnson was a trailblazer in the field of aeronautics and space exploration. She was one of the human “computers” who helped calculate the flight paths for early space missions, including the first moon landing in 1969.
11. Rosa Parks – A civil rights activist, Parks is best known for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which helped end segregation on public transportation in the US. Despite facing arrest and significant opposition, she continued to fight for civil rights throughout her life.
12. Coretta Scott King – A civil rights activist and the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., King was a powerful voice for equality and justice. She continued her husband’s work after his assassination and became a prominent advocate for human rights and social justice.
13. Toni Morrison – A Nobel Prize-winning novelist, Morrison was one of the most important and influential writers of the 20th century. Her groundbreaking work explored the Black experience in America and her stories and characters continue to inspire generations.
15. Zora Neale Hurston – A novelist, anthropologist, and filmmaker, Hurston was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most important Black female writers of the 20th century. Her groundbreaking work in literature and anthropology continues to inspire generations.
16. Dorothy Vaughan – A mathematician and computer programmer, Vaughan was one of the first African American women to work at NASA. She made significant contributions to the space program and was a trailblazer for Black women in technology.
17. Mary Jackson – A mathematician and computer programmer, Jackson was one of the first African American women to work at NASA. Her calculations were critical to the success of many of America’s early space missions, and she broke new ground as a Black woman in a male-dominated field.
18. Bessie Coleman – A pioneering aviator, Coleman was the first African American woman to hold a pilot’s license. She inspired a generation of Black aviators, and her bravery and determination made her a trailblazer for women in aviation.
19. Claudette Colvin – A civil rights activist, Colvin was one of the first people to resist bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, years before Rosa Parks. Her bravery and determination inspired a generation of activists and helped to launch the modern Civil Rights Movement.
20. Althea Gibson – A tennis player, Gibson was the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam title and one of the most successful Black female athletes of her time. Her bravery and determination broke down barriers in a sport that was previously reserved for white players, and she continues to inspire generations.
21. Mae Jemison – An astronaut, physician, and engineer, Jemison was the first African American woman to travel in space. Her groundbreaking work in science and engineering continues to inspire generations of young people, particularly young Black women, to pursue careers in these fields.
22. Septima Clark – A civil rights activist and educator, Clark was a leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She fought for the rights of Black Americans through her work on voting rights and her efforts to improve education for African Americans.
23. Oprah Winfrey – A media mogul, talk show host, and philanthropist, Winfrey has used her platform to empower and inspire people worldwide. She is one of the most influential Black women in history.
24. Angela Bassett – An actress and director, Bassett has made significant contributions to the entertainment industry and has used her platform to advocate for social justice and equality.
25. Nikole Hannah-Jones – A journalist and writer, Hannah-Jones is a leading voice in the fight for racial justice and equality. She is the creator of the New York Times’ 1619 Project, which examines the legacy of slavery in the US
26. Ruby Bridges – A civil rights activist, Bridges was the first African American child to integrate an elementary school in the South. She faced intense opposition and violence, but her bravery and determination inspired a generation of activists.
27. Sarah Roberts – A civil rights activist, Roberts was one of the first African American children to integrate schools in Boston in the mid-1800s. Despite facing discrimination and segregation, she continued her education and became a teacher, inspiring future generations of Black girls.
28. Linda Brown – A civil rights activist, Brown was the plaintiff in the landmark 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Her bravery in standing up for her rights helped to end segregation in American schools and pave the way for future generations of Black students.