Trailblazers in Civil Rights
This iconic civil rights activist refused to give up her seat on a bus in 1955, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Who is Rosa Parks?
This Harlem Renaissance poet and activist is best known for works like "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and for being an important figure in literature.
Who is Maya Angelou?
She became the first African American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate in 1993, representing California.
Who is Kamala Harris?
This Ghanaian woman led a 2003 campaign that resulted in the country’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Who is Leymah Gbowee?
This woman became the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1997, later becoming a prominent educator and author.
Who is Dr. Beverly Tatum?
This African American woman co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and became its first female field secretary.
Who is Ida B. Wells?
This Black opera singer broke racial barriers in the 1950s and became one of the most famous African American women in classical music.
Who is Marian Anderson?
This woman became the first African American female mayor of a major U.S. city, when she was elected Mayor of Chicago in 2019.
Who is Lori Lightfoot?
This Nigerian-born author and professor was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2009 for her work on the experiences of African women.
Who is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie?
She founded the first Black-owned women's college in the United States, Spelman College, in Atlanta in 1881.
Who is Sophia B. Packard?
This former slave became a powerful abolitionist and women's rights activist, best known for her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech.
Who is Sojourner Truth?
This iconic singer, known as the "Queen of Soul," made significant contributions to music and activism, including her powerful rendition of "Respect."
Who is Aretha Franklin?
This African American woman was the first to serve as U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush.
Who is Condoleezza Rice?
This South African leader was one of the first Black women to rise to prominence in the African National Congress and spent years advocating for racial equality.
Who is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela?
This woman founded the National Black Women's Health Project in 1983 to address health issues impacting African American women.
Who is Byllye Avery?
In 1963, this civil rights activist and politician became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress.
Who is Shirley Chisholm?
This actress and civil rights activist was the first African American woman to win an Oscar for her role in Lilies of the Field (1963).
Who is Sidney Poitier?
This woman served as the first African American First Lady of the United States, advocating for health, education, and military families.
Who is Michelle Obama?
This Jamaican woman was an internationally known activist for gender equality and was a prominent leader in the Pan-African and women's movements in the 20th century.
Who is Louise Bennett-Coverley?
This educator and leader co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus and worked tirelessly to promote women's rights and equality in the 1970s.
Who is Bella Abzug?
This activist became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her efforts in human rights and peacebuilding.
Who is Dr. Wangari Maathai?
This acclaimed author wrote Beloved and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.
Who is Toni Morrison?
This activist and politician became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992, representing New Jersey.
Who is Carol Moseley Braun?
This South African activist and politician became the first Black woman to serve as the country's Minister of Defense and later as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
Who is Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka?
In 1864, she became the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.
Who is Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler?