HISTORICAL POWERHOUSES
Served as 44th President of the United States, 2009-2017
BARACK OBAMA
Made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of beauty and hair products for Black women
MADAM C.J. WALKER
Led the largest mass slave escape in U.S history from Oklahoma to Mexico (1849-1850)
JOHN HORSE
Political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation within public transit system of Montgomery, lasted 381 days
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Secretary for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
MEDGAR EVERS
Born Malcolm Little; considered “Little” a slave name and chose “X” to signify his lost tribal name
MALCOLM X
In 1938, hosted the White House Conference on Negro Women and Children, which highlighted the importance of Black women in democratic roled
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
In the 1950s, he invented the first clock in America. It was this invention that put his talents on display for the century
BENJAMIN BANNEKER
Period of time when African-Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage, racial pride, creative expression, and intellectualism
HARLEM RENAISSANCE
A leader of the Civil Rights Movement; active in women’s suffrage and rights
IDA B. WELLS
Ranked as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Illustrated and Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC
MUHAMMAD ALI
First woman of African American descent to hold a pilot license and first American to earn an international pilot’s license
BESSIE COLEMAN
His oil-drip cup invention was so amazing, people termed the phrase “The Real McCoy” which now refers to something authentic and of high quality
ELIJAH MCCOY
Was dragged off a bus and taken to jail for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery segregated bus, nine months before Rosa Parks did.
CLAUDETTE COLVIN
First African American woman elected to the United States Congress
SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
Oversaw the largest growth in the history of the Nation of Islam
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
Advocate for prisoner rights, she co-founded Critical Resistance, an organization working to abolish the prison-industrial complex
ANGELA DAVIS
Published a long essay, The Fire Next Time, in which he predicted the outbursts of Black anger to come
JAMES BALDWIN
Over and above winning medals, these athletes made names for themselves by an act of racial protest
1968 OLYMPICS BLACK POWER FIST
He was a Christian preacher that traveled from plantation to plantation ministering to the so-called slaves about the Word of God
NAT TURNER
Caused women to play an important role in society and were equal to men with civil, religious, and military right and duties
QUEEN OF SHEBA
Received Grammy Hall of Fame Award of interpretation of “I Love You, Prodigy” 2000
NINA SIMONE
Jamaican singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist, and activist
BOB MARLEY
One of the most successful Black economies in American history
BLACK Wall Street
Launched the celebration of “Negro History Week” in 1926, eventually expanded and renamed Black History Month
CARTER G. WOODSON