People in Government
Born in Hawaii and a Senator from Illinois, he was elected as the first Black President in 2008.
Who is Barack Obama?
This writer, essayist, and poet is best known for being active in the Civil Rights Movement and for writing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Who is Maya Angelou?
An abolitionist and activist who is known for escaping slavery and going back to make around 13 missions to rescue many others from slavery. She also served as a scout and spy for the Union Army.
Who is Harriet Tubman?
Who is Jackie Robinson?
A very prominent Civil Rights leader who helped organized the March on Washington in 1963, gave the 'I Have a Dream' speech, and led many other actions that led to the end of legal segregation in American and the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. A busy street in Seattle is named after him!
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
He was appointed by Lynden B Johnson as the first Black Supreme Court Justice, with a lifelong history of fighting for equal rights in the courts as a civil rights lawyer.
Who is Thurgood Marshall?
A poet who is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920's. There is a Performing Arts Institute named after him right here in the Central District!
Who is Langston Hughes?
The most important leader of African American civil rights movement in the 1800's and a leader of the abolitionist movement, he gained fame for his writings and speeches against slavery. He was a key advisor to Abraham Lincoln, and they worked together to end slavery, with Douglass pushing Lincoln to advance equal rights.
Who is Frederick Douglass?
A physician, engineer, and astronaut, she is known for being the first African American woman to go to space.
Who is Mae Jemison?
A prominent civil rights leader who is best remembered for starting the Montgomery bus boycott when she refused to give up her seat on a bus.
Who is Rosa Parks?
She was the first Black woman to be elected to United States Congress, and is known for the quote "If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair. "
Who is Shirley Chisholm?
Dubbed the "Queen of All Media" and the richest Black woman in the world, this person is best known for having her own talk show. She has also authored 5 books, has her own TV network, has acted in multiple movies, and has her own radio channel.
Who is Oprah Winfrey?
An abolitionist and activist for civil rights and women's rights, she is best remembered by her speech "Ain't I a Woman?"
Who is Sojourner Truth?
Best known as the first Black woman to be the First Lady of the United States, she still holds cultural influence into the present day.
Who is Michelle Obama?
He was a prominent anti-apartheid activist, the first president of South Africa. He was instrumental in gaining equal rights for Black Soth Africans and ending apartheid through nonviolent protests.
(Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa)
Who is Nelson Mandela?
He was one of the "Big Six" leaders of groups who organized the March on Washington in 1963, he led the first of three marches from Selma to Montgomery Alabama and was a congressman for 33 years representing Georgia.
Who is John Lewis?
Who is Ida B. Wells?
Who is W.E.B. Du Bois?
Regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, he is the only 3-time lineal heavyweight champion. During his life, he was also an activist for civil rights.
Who is Muhammad Ali?
He is a prominent civil rights leader and revolutionist who is celebrated for his pursuit of racial justice and radical thinking.
Who is Malcolm X.?
She was the first Black woman to be Secretary of State when she was appointed by George W. Bush in 2005. She was also the first woman to serve on the National Security Council when she served from 2001 to 2005.
Who is Condoleezza Rice?
An acclaimed writer and civil rights activist who wrote novels, plays, essays and short stories. One of his best-known works is If Beale Street Could Talk.
Who is James Baldwin?
This civil rights activist was a leader of the Black community in the early 1900's and was the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama (a university for Black higher education). He disagreed with the creation of the NAACP, and thought Black people should achieve equality through education, not changing the laws.
Who is Booker T. Washington?
Who is George Washington Carver?
An American Baptist minister and civil rights leader who mentored Martin Luther King Jr. among other activists and is credited with helping begin the American civil rights movement.
Who is Benjamin Elijah Mays?