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Happy Black History Month! February is truly for celebrating the achievements and impacts that African Americans have had within U.S. history, while also recognizing many of the barriers and struggles they have faced.
While we all know names like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks from the Civil Rights Movement, there are so many inspirational Black leaders driving change every day. Because this month is all about amplifying voices within the Black community, it is important to read and truly try to understand the words of such leaders. Below are ten amazing Black changemakers that have completed amazing feats in the United States.
Amanda Gorman
Youngest Inaugural Poet in U.S. History
“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Raphael Warnock
Georgia’s First Black Senator
“Your voice is your voice, and your voice is your human dignity. That’s why we must pass voting rights legislation no matter what.”
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
Most Visible Spokesman and Leader in the Civil Rights Movement
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Sandra Lindsay
First Person in the U.S. to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
“I have no fear. I trust my profession is deeply rooted in science, what I don’t trust is getting Covid-19, because I don’t know how it will affect me and the people around me that I could potentially transfer the virus to.”
Nicholas Johnson
Princeton’s First Black Valedictorian
“Don’t let yourself be intimidated by individuals who don’t look like you and might be dominating the space you are trying to enter.”
Alicia Boler Davis
Amazon’s First Black Woman Senior Vice President
“Driving change takes a lot of courage, and it takes the willingness to challenge an organization regardless of how big it is.”
Nia DaCosta
Marvel’s First Black Woman Director
“I just want to tell good stories in ways that will shine light on lives rarely seen on screen, because stories can push humanity forward.”
Bozoma Saint John
First Black C-Level Executive at Netflix
“It’s important to be an ally. You don’t have to be a Black woman to think we should have more Black women in tech.”
Bessie Coleman (January 26, 1892 – April 30, 1926)
First African American Woman to Fly and Hold an International Pilot License in Aviation as a Civil Aviator
“I thought it my duty to risk my life to learn aviation and to encourage flying among men and women of our race, who are so far behind the white race in this modern study.”
Mae Jemison
First African-American Female Astronaut and Black Woman in Space
“When I’m asked about the relevance to Black people of what I do, I take that as an affront. It presupposes that Black people have never been involved in exploring the heavens, but this is not so. Ancient African empires – Mali, Songhai, Egypt – had scientists, astronomers. The fact is that space and its resources belong to all of us, not to any one group.”
Oprah Winfrey
First Black Female Billionaire
“I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.”
Two of the iconic leaders on this list are diseased. Bessie Coleman was killed upon impact after falling from the cockpit during a test flight with mechanic William Wills on April 30, 1926. Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically assassinated at 39 years old on April 4, 1968. We can amplify their stories and impacts by continuing to fight for the causes they sacrificed so much for. Spend the rest of February listening to Black voices and continue working on your allyship. Supporting Black communities and fighting for justice in whatever ways you can are a great ways to celebrate Black History Month.
