Top Ten Important African Americans

8/3/2019 Top Ten Important African Americans

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By Jordyn Didier & Tabitha KennedyBy Jordyn Didier & Tabitha Kennedy


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1929-1968

Born in Alabama

Accomplishments Nobel Peace Prize recipient of 1964

Led bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested

Gave the I Have A Dream Speech

Main leader of Civil Rights Movement Led the march on Washington


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But it doesnt really matter with me now becauseIve been to the mountain top and Ive seen thePromise Land.

Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for equalitybetween whites and blacks. He is a large part ofthe reason that African Americans gained theirequality. He led many nonviolent proteststhroughout his lifetime and gave speeches thatencouraged African Americans to take charge and

fight for their rights. Due to Martin Luther KingJuniors efforts African Americans gained most oftheir rights including the right to vote. Withouthim, African Americans would be in a verydifferent position today.


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1820-1913

Born in Maryland

Accomplishments Freed over 300 slaves by taking them to the North

Escaped slavery in 1849

Helped organize the Underground Railroad

Never lost a passenger on the Underground Railroad Was a cook, laundress, nurse, scout, and spy for the

Union Army during the Civil War


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I looked at my hands to see if I was the same personnow I was free. There was such a glory overeverythingand I felt like I was in heaven.

Harriet Tubman was a life saver. Thanks to her, over

300 slaves gained their freedom in the North. Sherisked her own life in order to save others not just forthe Underground Railroad, but also when she was aspy behind enemy lines during the Civil War. She isalso part of the reason that the Underground Railroadwas created. If the Underground Railroad had never

existed many escaped slaves would have been foundand punished severely. Without Tubman, many slaveswould have never made it to freedom and manyprobably wouldnt have taken the risk in the first place.


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1961- current

Born in Hawaii

Accomplishments Went to Harvard Law School

First black president

Lead drive that registered more than 150,000 voters

Elected to Illinois senate in1996

Passed first major ethics reform in 25 years


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A good compromise, a good piece of legislation islike a good sentence; or a good piece of music.Everybody can recognize it. They say, Huh. Itmakes sense.

Barack Obama has made a huge step in not onlyAfrican American history, but also United Stateshistory. Obama was elected as the first AfricanAmerican president in 2008. Not only that, but hehas also been a large part of the government by

being the Illinois senate. Today he is an importantfigure to look up to. Obama has left a major markon the United States history due to becoming thefirst African American president.


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1954-current

Born in Mississippi

Accomplishments Won The Golden Globe and Academy Award for her

performance in The Color Purple

Had her own talk show

Owns her own TV network

Established the Oprahs Angel Network, a charitythat supports the empowerment of women andchildren

Has her own magazine


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As you become more clear about who you reallyare, you'll be better able to decide what is best foryou - the first time around.

Oprah Winfrey is a woman of many, many

accomplishments. She has used the power ofmedia as a way to connect to people all over. Oneof the things that makes Winfrey so important isthat she used her power in the media to give back.She has been a woman of charity for years from

simple things as giving away items on her show toactually making her own charities to help others.Her charity is what makes her such an importantpart of African American history.


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1818-1895

Born in Maryland

Accomplishments Challenged his slave owner Edward

Covey and beat him in a fight Escaped slavery in 1838 Lecturer for Massachusetts Anti-

Slavery Society Published his own newspaper called

The North Star Wrote 3 autobiographies


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What is possible for me is possible for you.

Frederick Douglass was a very large advocate forfreedom for slaves. He was able to stand up to his

slave owner in which allowed him to find his ownway to freedom. Afterwards he didnt just hideaway, but he courageously tried to push forfreeing of slaves. He also became a very largewriter in which he expressed his views which was

uncommon among African Americans at that time.Douglass helped lead the way to slaves gainingtheir freedom which is one of the largest steps inAfrican American history.


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1913-2005

Tuskegee, Alabama

Accomplishments

Stood up for herself on the bus, refusing to move for awhite man.

Her civil disobedience led to bus boycotts like theMontgomery Bus Boycott, eventually leading to lesssegregation.

Joined to fight for civil rights & equality in the NAACP in1945.

Inducted into Michigan Women's Hall of Fame

Co-founded with Elaine Eason Steele the Rosa andRaymond Parks Institute for Self Development


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Quote: Each person must live their life as a modelfor others.

Rosa Parks is very well-known for her actions to

not move on that bus. She showed that no humanshould be treated any lower than any other. Herarrest also influenced Martin Luther King Jr. in his

journey to civil rights. Not only did she just getarrested, but she did other notable things such as

co-found an Institute for Self Development. Hermodel achievements put her into a high spot closeto 5 on the list.


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1924-2005

Brooklyn, New York

Accomplishments 1st African American woman elected to Congress 1st major-party African American candidate for

President of the United States

1st woman to run for Democratic presidential

nomination Received 152 first-ballot votes at the 1972 Democratic

National Convention

Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame


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Quote: I don't measure America by itsachievement but by its potential.

Though she is not the first on this list, Shirley

Chisholm does has several firsts. She showedpower of potential for both African Americans andAmerican women. She was a part of Congress andon her way to becoming president before she diedon the first day of 2005. During in her term in

Congress, she fought for rights for Americans. Hersuccessful representation as a woman AfricanAmerican put her on this list.


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1889-1979

Crescent City, Florida

Accomplishments Founded Brotherhood of Sleeping

Car Porters

Led March of Washington in 1963

1st African American man to begin a union for railroad

labor Ran for state office in New York

His acts led Franklin D. Roosevelt to pass ExecutiveOrder 8802 which banned discrimination in armed forces


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Quote: Salvation for a race, nation, or class mustcome from within. Freedom is never granted; it is won.

Justice is never given; it is exacted. Philip Randolph is plenty important enough to learn

about in history class. We learned that he led themarch that fought for African American rights and hewouldn't stop it until something was done. Hefounded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,which was the first labor organization led by AfricanAmericans to be affiliated with The American

Federation of Labor. People actually sought him out tohelp with civil rights, which means he was a greatleader. He has this spot on our list because of his greatexamples as an African American and as a person.


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1856-1940

Thomasville, Georgia

Accomplishments 1st African American graduate of West Point school

1st African American commissioned officer (he was 2nd

Lieutenant) in the US military

1st non-white officer to command regular troops in the US

Army (he lead the Buffalo Soldiers of the10th

Cavalry) Assistant to Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall

Civil engineer in the petroleum industry


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Quote: Will prejudice ever be obliterated from theminds of the people? Will man ever cease to prejudgehis fellow-being for color's sake alone? Grant, Omerciful God, that he may! -The Colored Cadet at WestPoint, an autobiography

It's only obvious the first commissioned AfricanAmerican officer should show up in this list. Flipperwas the first of a very small group of AfricanAmericans attending West Point to graduate.Graduating a cadet, he went on to the army and

eventually became a 2nd Lieutenant, meaning he hadpotential and leadership. His accomplishments are notlimited to the military, though. He was also anassistant to a secretary, who chose him for the job, andan engineer improving civil life.


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1867-1919

Delta, Louisiana

Accomplishments Contributed to YMCA, NAACP, and many black

schools/colleges

Supposedly 1st American woman to make $1 million in assetsthrough her company and real estate investments

Founded her own business (Madam C.J. Walker ManufacturingCompany) as an entrepreneur selling her Wonderful Hair

Grower Inducted into National Business Hall of Fame and into National

Women's Hall of Fame

Member of the 1917 Negro Silent Protest Parade committee


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Quote: I had to make my own living and my ownopportunity. But I made it! Don't sit down and waitfor opportunities to come. Get up and make them.

Madam C.J. Walker believed that opportunities aren't

just handed to people, and that they have to reach outto it and work for it. With this, she set out to grab herown opportunities and worked to the top. She had ascalp problem which led her to find the perfect remedyand make it into a business. Eventually she became a

philanthropist, making over a million dollars. Hercontributions to society and her help in AfricanAmerican civil rights puts her as at least the tenth mostimportant African American.

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Top Ten Important African Americans

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