Our history is made up of women who have pushed the boundaries, taken that first step, and truly initiated change not only in our country, but also throughout the world. In honor of Black History Month, we recognize nine inspirational Black women who have inspired us and made an imprint on our hearts.
Katherine Johnson: Named one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist, Katherine Johnson proved herself as a skilled mathematician, calculating orbital mechanics as the United States planned their first crewed space flights. She was so well-respected that a young John Glenn requested her expertise before taking flight aboard Friendship 7, in which he was the first astronaut to orbit the moon. A graduate of high school at age 14, Katherine enrolled at West Virginia State, where she took every math course offered, graduating summa cum laude in 1937 at the age of 18. She received degrees in both mathematics and French and began her career as a teacher before working in aeronautics as a mathematician.
Mary Mahone: The first African American licensed nurse, earning her credentials in 1879, Mary Mahone sought to encourage greater equality for African Americans and for women. As discrimination was overwhelming in her field of public nursing, she worked as a private nurse, and, according to the National Women’s History Museum, was known for her efficiency, patience and bedside manner. She was instrumental in the women’s rights movement and was one of the first women to register to vote in Boston after the 19th amendment was ratified in August 1920.
Dr. Alexa Canady: Dr. Canady made history as the first African-American woman neurosurgeon in the United States in 1981. After a summer program in genetics during her undergraduate studies, she fell in love with medicine and went on to pursue a medical degree, during which she became intrigued by neurosurgery. Though landing an internship was difficult, she was persistent and, in 1975, became the first woman and first African American to be enrolled as an intern at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Following her successful medical career, Dr. Canady remains an advocate for young women, encouraging them to consider careers in medicine and neurosurgery.
Ruby Bridges: In 1960, several years after Brown v. Board of Education declared school segregation unconstitutional, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, LA. Despite the hardships Ruby and her family faced during this transition, she continued to attend Franz Elementary, escorted daily by federal marshals and, for the first year, taught alone by the only teacher willing to teach Ruby. Still a resident of New Orleans, Ruby chairs the Ruby Bridges Foundation promoting “the values of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences.”
Jane Bolin: Not only was Jane Bolin the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Law School, she was also the first to join the New York City Bar Association. And in 1939, she was sworn in as a judge, becoming the first Black woman to serve in this role in the United States. Working as a judge in the Domestic Relations Court, she would continue to be the only Black female judge for 20 years. Her mission to encourage racially integrated child services made her a powerful advocate for children’s rights and education.
Marsha P. Johnson: An activist, drag queen, and performer, Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson was instrumental in the Stonewall uprising in 1969, a series of protests brought on when New York City police raided Stonewall Inn, a gay club. These riots were pivotal for the gay rights movement throughout the country and the world.
Toni Morrison: The first Black female editor in fiction at Random House in New York City, Toni was also a prolific novelist best known for her novel The Bluest Eye, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Beloved, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. Her work garnered recognition by the National Endowment for the Humanities, honoring her for her achievement in humanities by selecting her for the Jefferson Lecture in 1996.
Janet Collins: Born in 1917 and known for breaking the color barrier in the field of dance, Janet Collins was one of just a handful of classically-trained Black ballet dancers of her generation. Janet was the first Black ballerina to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City where she danced in prestigious roles such as Aida and Carmen. She later taught at the infamous Balanchine's School of American Ballet and Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.
Alice Coachman: After growing up poor in Georgia with little access to proper training for her interest in sports, Alice Coachman began her training as a high jumper with just a rope and sticks. With true grit and determination, practicing by running barefoot on dusty roads, she worked her way up in the sport of track and field, eventually becoming the first Black woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field and the only American woman to win gold in the 1948 Olympic Games.
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