Early Influences (1400s-1700s)
This person, known as the "father of racism," claimed that Africans were naturally inferior and needed slavery to become "civilized."
Gomes Eanes de Zurara
This president issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. (Abraham Lincoln)
Abraham Lincoln
This hip-hop group was known for socially conscious lyrics in the 1980s.
Public Enemy
This woman refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.
Rosa Parks
He was the first Black president of the United States.
(Barack Obama)
He was a founding father who owned enslaved people but also wrote that "all men are created equal."
Thomas Jefferson
He was a Black preacher who led a rebellion against slavery in Virginia.
(Gabriel Prosser)
This former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State was the first Black and Indian woman to run for president as a major party nominee.
Kamala Harris
This baseball player broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947.
(Jackie Robinson)
This activist fought for women’s rights and racial equality in the 1800s. Aint I a woman?
(Sojourner Truth)
This Portuguese prince financed exploration, which led to the Atlantic slave trade
Prince Henry of Portugal
He delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington.
(Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
This young persons tragic death led to protests and the Black Lives Matter movement
Trayvon Martin or Tamir Rice
This U.S. President was in office during the Rodney King incident and the 1992 LA Riots he also developed the No Child Left Behind Act
George Bush
This Black nationalist leader started the "Back to Africa" movement.
Marcus Garvey
This early African American poet was enslaved but became famous for her writing
Phillis Wheatley
This civil rights leader promoted Black empowerment and was associated with the Nation of Islam.
(Malcolm X)
He was killed by police in 2020, sparking nationwide protests.
He was killed by police in 2020, sparking nationwide protests.
What does SNCC stand for?
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
U.S. president during the March on Washington who signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964
John F. Kennedy
She was a former enslaved woman who became a famous conductor of the Underground Railroad.
Harriet Tubman
She was a leader in Black feminism and wrote about race and gender equality.
Audre Lorde
This woman co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement.
Alicia Garza
This activist organized the 1963 March on Washington but was left out of the spotlight because he was gay.
Bayard Rustin
This black 90 rapper and actress was known for her impact on hip-hop and Black culture with an empowering message for black women.
Queen Latifa