As this is Black History Month we recognize and appreciate the many influential individuals that attributed in the progression of equality, justice, and rights for African Americans. We thank people like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks and give them the well deserved credit but we can’t forget the ones not mentioned in our history books. The list is long when it comes to the unknown, so here are a few inspiring individuals.
“The Mother of the Movement”
Born May 3rd 1898 was Septima Clark, the “Grandmother” of the civil rights movement. She worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall and joined the N.A.A.C.P fighting for voting rights for African Americans and employment for African American teachers of Charleston, South Carolina. She developed citizenship workshop and literacy programs as an educator and activist with the focus that “knowledge could empower marginalized groups in ways that formal legal equality couldn’t.” She founded at least 900 citizenship schools before passing December 15th of 1958 and played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement.
“The Father of the Movement”
As we celebrate this month many of us don’t know the origin behind the term. Carter Woodson was a historian, author, and founder of the Study of African American History and Life. He was the first scholar to study black history and was the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard University. Among his many books like Mis-Education of the Negro and The History of the Negro Church he developed literature for elementary and secondary school students. He created this month long recognition of African Americans by encouraging the study of black history beginning in February 1926, and choose this month to honor the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.
“Great Wonderful Hair Grower”
Though she didn’t finish high school Annie Turnbo Malone became one of the wealthiest black women focusing on black hair care and cosmetics. At the age of 20 she created her own shampoo and scalp treatment and for anyone that was a skeptic she let her product do the talking for her. She sold her famous product “Great Wonderful Hair Grower” door to door gaining salespeople and assistants developing an empire from the ground up. She changed the name of the product to “Poro” which meant “physical and spiritual fulfillment” and her success led to the building of a million dollar factory providing employment to African Americans of St. Louis. She then used her profit to donate to many prolific African American charities and organizations.
“Black is Beautiful”
Bantu Stephen Biko was a South African activist that fought against segregation and discrimination. His efforts in the fight for equality led to the creation of the “South African Students Organization” later called the “Black Consciousness Movement”. He once stated, “Black Consciousness is an attitude of the mind and way life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time.” The movement coined the phrase “black is beautiful” and spotlighted the countless accounts of injustice and racial inequality in South Africa.
