Is it Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech? Or Rosa Parks’ historic act of refusing to move to the back of the bus? Or Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet”?
When we think about or talk about Black History Month, we often mention major historical events and well-known figures, but what about the people who make a difference in the shadows? Let’s point the spotlight on them, shall we?
Claudette Colvin
Claudette Colvinshares a similar story to Rosa Parks.
Claudette Colvin, a nurse’s aide and Civil Rights Movement activist, was born on September 5, 1939, in Birmingham, Alabama.
At just 15 years old, she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus in 1955.
Later became a key plaintiff in the court case that helped end bus segregation.
Charity Adams Earley was a trailblazer in military history.
She was the first Black woman to become an officer in the Women’s Army Corps and commanded the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II.
Her unit cleared a massive backlog of mail for U.S. soldiers overseas, boosting morale and proving the strength and capability of Black women in the armed forces during a time of segregation and discrimination.
Making a political move isn’t all that Black History Month is about.
There are many other figures making a difference in all kinds of fields, like sports, movies, music, the arts, and more.
Did you know there was a librarian from Philadelphia who recorded TV non-stop for over 30 years?
She created an archive of TV history with more than 70,000 VHS tapes. Her name was Marion Stokes, and her vision was to preserve the history of what appeared on television.
Curious how you can enjoy and celebrate Black History Month?
You can start by learning more about the ways Black voices have paved the way not only in political and civil rights, but also through inventions we use almost daily, such as improvements to traffic signals and blood banks.
