Truly Amazing Black Women
The very first black First Lady of the United States of America.
Who is Michelle Obama?
From the Supremes to the Wiz, this woman was always the star of the show.
Who is Diana Ross?
Having founded a college in Florida named after her, she started the National Council of Negro Women and was a national advisor for Franklin D. Roosevelt throughout his administration in the 1930s-40s.
Who is Mary McLeod Bethune?
Former attorney general of California, the second black woman to ever sit in the Senate, and the first black vice president of the United States.
Who is Kamala Harris?
First African-American actress to win Best Actress in the Academy Awards for Monster's Ball. One of her first roles was opposite Eddie Murphy in Boomerang. Other famous roles were as Storm in the X-men, and a Bond girl in Die Another Day. She established herself as one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood during the 2000s.
Who is Halle Berry?
The first black woman billionaire. Owner of her own TV network, her own magazine, acting in her own movies.
Who is Oprah Winfrey?
From a child star on Good Times to a musical icon with the Design of a Decade best hits album including Control, Pleasure Principle and What Have You Done for Me Lately, she is nearly as famous as her brother.
Who is Janet Jackson?
She was college president for both Spelman College in Georgia and Bennett College in North Carolina, the only two black women's colleges in America. She then became Director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art.
Who is Johnnetta Cole?
The first black woman to ever sit in the House of Representatives, she also was the first African-American to ever run for President under the Democratic Party.
Who is Shirley Chisholm?
In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Sounder. She has also won 3 Emmys. She starred in the Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and had roles in Roots, Fried Green Tomatoes, and many other films and Broadway productions.
Who is Cicely Tyson?
The heroine of the Underground Railroad. Also a Union Spy.
Who is Harriet Tubman?
The amazing songstress who wow'ed millions when she sang the National Anthem, and sold platinum albums with songs like "Saving All My Love" and "I Will Always Love You". Sadly she committed suicide in 2012.
Who is Whitney Houston?
The first black woman to graduate from MIT with a PhD in Physics, this women worked at AT&T Bell Labs on semiconductors while teaching at Rutgers. She served as president at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, America's oldest technological research university, for over 20 years.
Who is Shirley Ann Jackson?
Political leader, voting rights activist, NYT bestselling author and founder of Fair Fight. Even though she lost the Georgia governor race to Brian Kemp twice, she was considered one of the most famous black women politicians in America. Before running for Governor, she served eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Democratic Leader.
Who is Stacey Abrams?
American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her portrayal of Uhura in Star Trek and its film sequels. Her portrayal of Uhura was groundbreaking for African American actresses on American television. From 1977 until 2015, she volunteered her time to promote NASA's programs and recruit diverse astronauts,
Who was Nichelle Nichols?
After her husband died, she lobbied successfully for his birthday to become a national holiday.
Who is Coretta Scott King?
The very first black woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance, she sang songs like A-Tisket, A-Tasket, and Summertime from Porgy and Bess.
Who was Ella Fitzgerald?
Born into slavery in 1862, she was a teacher and later an activist who passionately documented and protested the lynching of African-Americans, publishing stories that put her life at risk. She was also involved with the founding of the NAACP.
Who was Ida B. Wells?
The most senior of the 12 black women serving in Congress she has served since 1991. She chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 1997 to 1999. She is the second-most senior member of the California congressional delegation, after Nancy Pelosi. She advocated divestment from South Africa's apartheid regime and was an outspoken opponent of the Iraq War.
Who is Maxine Waters?
The “black Marilyn Monroe” became famous in 1954, in the title-role of Carmen Jones, Hollywood adaptation from Georges Bizet’s opera made only with black actors. She was the first black actress to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. She was also the first black woman to appear on a Life magazine cover. In 1960 she won the Golden Globe for the musical Porgy and Bess.
Who is Dorothy Dandridge?
The Queen of Soul, singing R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Natural Woman, Jump to It and Who's Zoomin' Who from the 60's to the 90's.
Who is Aretha Franklin?
Known for her amazing four octave singing range and her sweet song "Lovin' You", she died in 1979 from breast cancer at age 31. Her daughter Maya Rudolph is now a famous actress.
Who is Minnie Riperton?
An American educator, missionary, and lifelong supporter of higher education for women, she was also the country’s first Black principal and the first Black superintendent. She escaped slavery at age 12, and was self-taught until she got to Oberlin College. A college in Baltimore is named after her.
Who is Fanny Jackson Coppin?
An American voting and women's rights activist, community organizer, and a leader in the civil rights movement. She was the vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party, which she represented at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.
Considered one of the greatest sex symbols from 1970’s, she became the face of ‘blaxpoitation’, a genre of action films made by and for black people. including Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974). She played the lead in Jackie Brown (1997) — for which she won the Golden Globe. According to Quentin Tarantino, she is “the first female star of action films.”
Who is Pam Grier?