Black Historical
figures of the 1800's
figures of the 1800's
Invented the first electric roller coaster, the Figure Eight, in 1892; patented an improved telephone transmitter in 1887; held over 50 patents
Who is Granville Woods
Born in 1954, she became the first African American child to desegregate and elementary school in the South by attending the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Her image is immortalized in a Norman Rockwell painting.
Who is Ruby Bridges
Who is Rosa Parks
Michelle Obama was the first African American First Lady of the United States. Her first memoir became a best-seller. What is the name of her first book?
What is "Becoming"
American poet, essayist, and activist who fought against racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. She was a leader in the intersectional feminist movement
Who is Audre Lorde
Born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1919 and am a proud graduate of Bennett College. Graduating from Meharry Medical, I became the first women to practice general surgery in the south, and the first African American women to be made a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Who is Dr. Dororthy Lavinia Brown
In 2006 she coined the phrase "Me Too" which started one of the largest social media movements marked with a hashtag. This trendsetter has had an influential connection to NC to through her work on sexual violence advocacy and empowerment.
Who is Tarana Burke
This triple-threat of singer, actress and beauty brand owner launched "Fenty Beauty" on September 8, 2017, during New York Fashion Week. With only 200 employees, the beauty brand is currently estimated at $2.8Bn
Who is Rihanna
Born in 1867, this innovator created specialized hair products for African American hair care and was one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire.
Who is Madame CJ Walker
A tennis and golf player, this historic figure was the first African American to compete in the US National Championships (now the US Open) and Wimbledon.
Who is Althea Gibson
A prominent political powerhouse has represented North Carolina's 12th congressional district in the US House of Representatives since 2014. She is the first African American woman elected to congress from North Carolina.
Who is Rep. Alma Adams
Born in 1986, this prominent immunologist played a key role in the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Hailed in this 1773 newspaper as “the ingenious Negro Poet,” she was the first African American female poet to be published.
Who is Phyllis Wheatley
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown
In 2005 this trailblazer founded Salamander Hospitality, a series of luxury resorts. In addition to owning teams in the NHL, NBA and WNBA, she played a pivotal role in founding the International African American Museum in Charleston.
Who is Sheila Johnson
In 2021 the city of Charlotte collectively grieved the loss of this distinguished physician, community leader and advocate who began her family practice residency at Charlotte Memorial Hospital (now Atrium Health), becoming the hospital's first Black female family-medicine resident.
Who is Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown
This legend begins her North American 19th-century Black activist work, changing her name from Isabella Van Wagener. Freed from enslavement by New York state law in 1827, she serves as an itinerant preacher before becoming involved in the anti-enslavement and women's rights movements.
Who is Sojourner Truth
An American entrepreneur, abolitionist, and civil rights leader. She was a key figure in the California Gold Rush and the Underground Railroad. She is known as the "mother of civil rights” in California.
Who is Mary Ellen Pleasant
A resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina during her later years, this globally celebrated poet, author, and civil rights activist is best known for her memoir "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" her most iconic work. In 2010 she donated her personal papers and memorabilia to the Schomburg Center in Harlem.
Who is Dr. Maya Angelou
In 2024, she made history as the first female, Black and South Asian Vice President of the United States. Her tenure has been marked by significant policy initiatives and advocacy for social justice.
Who is Kamala Harris