Inspirational Black Women That Have Made an Impact on History

This Women’s History Month we celebrate the contributions of women all over the world.  With this in mind, we honour inspiring black women, many of whom serve as role models for us all.
Actresses, singers, athletes, entrepreneurs and activists are among those on the list.  These women are not just celebrities, but also leaders who we admire in all aspects of life. They have been responsible for trends, firsts, cultural developments, and innovation that have changed our world for the better.
As strong, talented black women, they have paved the way for a generation of women to follow in their footsteps. We recognise their courage, determination and contributions to society and therefore we celebrate their success.

 

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

Known for: American singer, songwriter, entertainer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Why we love her: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, nicknamed Queen Bey by her loyal fans, is arguably one of the most talented entertainers of our time. (Thanks to her, we all know who runs the world.) With 79 nominations, she is the most nominated female artist in Grammy history, and with 28 wins, she has won the most Grammy’s for a female artist to date.  She’s performed twice at the Super Bowl, and is one of the world’s best-selling recording artists, having sold 118 million records worldwide. She’s also an advocate of the Ban Bossy campaign, which promotes female leadership through television and social media.

Queen Bey took the stage when she became the first African American woman to headline at Glastonbury in 2011.  Beyoncé is not only one of the music industry’s greats, but also someone who really cares about others. Beyoncé is one of the co-founders of CHIME FOR CHANGE, an organization dedicated to empowering women and girls through education, wellbeing, and justice. The American performer has not only inspired many through her music but also through her charitable acts.

 

Viola Davis

Known for: Actress and producer

Why we love her: Why she’s remarkable: For her performance in ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder, Davis made history by becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy for an outstanding lead actress role in a drama series. Davis is also an Academy Award winner who’s appeared in many amazing award-winning movies.

Davis and her partner, Julius Tennon are the co-founders of JuVee Productions. Davis is also well-known for her promotion of human rights and equal rights for women, especially women of colour.

 

Kanya King CBE MBE

Known for: Entrepreneur and founder of the MOBO Awards and MOBOLISE

Why we love her: Kanya King CBE, an internationally renowned entrepreneur. King demonstrated the drive and ambition required to take urban music from the margins of British popular culture to the heart of mainstream culture. Not only in the UK, but around the world through her role as CEO, founder, and visionary of the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards. Kanya has grown the MOBO’s into a globally recognised brand since its launch in 1996.

Since receiving an MBE in 2018, awarded for her contributions to music, culture, and entrepreneurship. Kanya has been listed as one of London’s Most Influential People (Evening Standard), one of Britain’s Most Entrepreneurial Women (Real Business), and one of Britain’s Most Influential Black People (Thomson Reuters/JP Morgan Power List).

Kanya King CBE, has launched a digital platform aimed to stimulate open discussions around race and diversity and improve businesses that promote equality and opportunity. MOBOLISE seeks to reverse inequality by showcasing black talent and to accelerate careers.

People of all ages will be able to network with leaders and workers from diverse sectors to obtain mentorship, boost confidence, discover vacancies, showcase talents, and attend networking and mentoring activities that level the playing field of opportunities. UK talent such as Emeli Sandé, Afua Hirsch, Mo Gilligan, and George The Poet support the MOBOLISE platform.

 

Michelle Obama

Known for: Author, lawyer, the former first lady of the United States

Why we love her: Mrs Obama captivated many with her compassion, strength, and optimism while serving as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. As first lady, Michelle Obama worked as a role model for women and championed poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating. She is also the bestselling author of Becoming and a podcaster.

 

Madam C J Walker

Known for: Entrepreneur, philanthropist and political and social activist

Why we love her: Madam C. J. Walker is America’s first female self-made millionaire, made possible through her homemade line of hair care products for black women. Walker created a business empire by selling goods directly to Black women first, then recruiting “beauty culturalists” to sell her products. The self-made millionaire used her fortune to fund Tuskegee Institute scholarships for women and generously donated some of her wealth to the NAACP, the Black YMCA, and other charities. Today Madam CJ Walker is now known as a highly successful black female entrepreneur who inspired many through her financial independence, business acumen, and philanthropy.

Madam C J Walker didn’t become a self-made millionaire over night; she took risks, persevered and uplifted others in her community. Walker established employee clubs, empowering them to volunteer in their neighbourhoods and rewarding them with incentives when they did so. She championed female talent, at a time when Black women’s work prospects were limited.

 

Lauryn Hill

Known for: Singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and record producer

Why we love her: Queen of hip hop, Lauryn Noelle Hill’s soulful voice pushed her to the top of the hip-hop and rhythm-and-blues charts at the end of the 20th century.  She is generally considered as one of the best rappers of all time, as well as one of her generation’s most influential singers.

Hill is credited with breaking down barriers for female rappers and popularising melodic rapping, hip-hop and neo-soul. She is best known as a member of the Fugees and for her solo album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’, which was a multi-award-winning album that went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Lauryn Hill became the first female artist in the United States to achieve diamond status. Her debut album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ has sold more than 10 million copies and has therefore reached diamond status.

 

Creola Katherine Johnson

Known for: Mathematician

Why we love her: Creola Katherine Johnson also known as Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician who worked for NASA. Her calculations about orbital mechanics were crucial to the first and subsequent US crewed spaceflights. She gained a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations during her 33-year career at NASA, she also helped pioneer the use of computers to perform her duties. Katherine Johnson was recognised by NASA as the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist.

For her pioneering work Johnson received a number of awards. One of her most inspiring awards was honoured by NASA in September 2017 with the dedication of the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility, a new research building named after her.

Her story was told in the 2016 Hollywood film “Hidden Figures,” which was based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s non-fiction book series. Mrs Johnson, the lead character in the film, was performed by Taraji P. Henson. The film received three Oscar nominations, including best picture. It is clear that Johnson’s legacy is admired by those that knew her and supported her.

 

Mary Seacole

Known for: Nurse, healer and business woman

Why we love:

Mary Jane Seacole was a courageous woman. A British-Jamaican nurse, healer, and business woman, who set up the “British Hotel” behind enemy lines during the Crimean War.

The British Hotel near Balaclava provided comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers. She raised funds for her venture by selling supplies and serving meals and alcohol. She used the proceeds to provide for the sick and wounded. She also visited the battlefield, sometimes under fire, to nurse the wounded, and became known as ‘Mother Seacole’.

At the start of Seacole’s career she helped heal the sick that were affected by the cholera outbreak in 1850. Mary Seacole relied on herbal therapies as well as other treatments. In Jamaica, she also dealt with a yellow fever outbreak.

On June 30, 2016, Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE unveiled a memorial statue of Mary Seacole in the gardens of St Thomas’s Hospital.

The statue is significant because it reflects Mary Seacole’s contribution to British society and the global majority. We, on the other hand, see it as something more than a memorial, we recognise the statue to be a powerful influence of good will. The statue has restored the memory of Mary Seacole and the amazing charitable acts she bestowed throughout her career.

 

Venus and Serena Williams

Known for: Professional tennis players

Why we love them: The Williams sisters are extremely accomplished athletes, having won a total of 122 career singles titles and nine Olympic medals between them.

Serena Williams is the first tennis player to win 23 Grand Slam titles and Venus winning 7. While their rivalry has carried through on the singles court, they’ve maintained a loving sibling bond and most notably on the Olympic stage.

Their hard work and dedication demonstrates that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

 

Mothers

Known for: Their love, words and encouragement

Why we love them:  Mothers have a significant impact on their children through their words, actions, and unconditional love. Therefore they must be recognised for all of their incredible qualities.

As we grow from infants to adults, our mothers give us life, nurture us, and support us. They educate us, care for us, and give us guidance (welcome or not!). To celebrate Women’s History Month we wanted to make a special mention to all of the mothers who often juggle careers and daily life and make it look so easy. So thank you to all the mothers that offer their love, support, education and help others to become the best person they can be.

With the many challenges mothers face, Mother of Abundance provides advice on how to balance motherhood and career goals. Planning Your Best Life & Living It Every Day is a workbook provided by Mother or Abundance so you can dream big and still support your family. To find out more about Mother of Abundance visit their website.

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