12 Black Women In History

THAT HAS CHANGED THE WORLD

Happy Wednesday Golden Divas!

This week at Club Fifty I will be talking about some very influential and talented women that have changed the world. Now, according to James Brown, “this is a man’s world,” can we all say baby bye!! The following women prove feminine power is undeniable in shaping the world we live in today.

Golden Divas, I know you know about Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Mary McLeod Bethune, Harriet Tubman, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and many more trailblazers that set our world on fire, however., the women I’m about to bring to the forefront are some bad kick butt sistas! Their contributions should never go unnoticed, and for that very reason, I’m highlighting twelve powerful women whom you may know or may not know in this week’s post.

They have revolutionized everyday tasks with their inventions, fought for our freedom during the Civil Rights Movement, and continue to push for further inclusion and diversity in the media for future generations to come. They smashed the glass ceiling to smithereens in the business world and continued to struggle for new inclusion and diversity in the media for future generations to come. Let these ladies inspire you to think outside of the box and to find a window when it seems like all the doors are shut.

THE TALENTED TWELVE

Ethel Waters

Waters was an African American blues and jazz singer and actress. Despite growing up in extreme poverty she was able to achieve great things; which included being the first African American woman to win an Emmy Award. 

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Ellen is the world’s first elected Black female President and Africa’s first female Head of State. During her campaign for Presidency, she vowed to boost Liberia’s economy and get rid of the corruption and civil war plaguing the country. Liberia’s President also spoke out against Charles Taylor’s brutal regime of violence and worked towards getting him deported in 2006. In 2011 she shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman “for their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

Mary Kenner

Mary received five patents in her lifetime for household items including the sanitary belt (maxi pads), the bathroom tissue holder, a back washer that mounted on the wall of the shower, and the carrier attachment on walkers for disabled people. She worked as a florist and credited her father for encouraging her creativity during her childhood. Despite her major success, Mary maintained that she created these items because she enjoyed making life easier for people and it was never about the money.

Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza was the first Black woman to serve as the US National Security Adviser and Secretary of State. She was also the first Black female to hold the position of provost at Stanford University, where she also worked as a professor and went back to after her time in the White House. She has written several political books and has broken down many typically male employment structures. Her heart lies in education reform, despite her childhood dreams of being the first female President, but who knows what is in store for her bright future.

Ruane Jeter

Ruane was most notably the inventor of the toaster, but along with the help of Sheila Lynn Jeter, they created many items of stationery. This included sheathed scissors, the stapler, a staple remover, and many multi-purpose office supplies. Her toaster had a digital clock that timed how long food should stay in depending on how well done you wanted it. This toaster could also be used for bagels, waffles and pop tarts, in addition to bread. They were prime examples of how to follow through on your ideas.

Ella Baker

Ella was a dedicated civil rights activist, who worked with the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee among other organizations. Spurred on by her grandmother’s tales of slave master cruelty, Ella spent her life fighting for equal rights while single-handedly taking care of her niece. A documentary chronicled her story in 1981 entitled ‘Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker’. ‘Fundi’ was her nickname, which came from the Swahili word for a person who passes down her craft to the next generation. Ella left an impressive legacy behind for us to be grateful for.

Alice Parker

Alice designed a gas heating furnace, which led to the modern version of central heating that we use today. Her design negated the need to stock and burn wood in a traditional furnace for heat, making the system a lot safer for people to operate and regulate. She recognized the need for this improved design when like the rest of us, she grew tired of being freezing and found the fireplace ineffective in warming the rest of her house.

Marjorie Joyner

Marjorie was a beauty salon owner, who changed the game of hairstyling when she invented the “permanent wave machine.” Her perm machine simplified the process of straightening and curling hair for all women; it allowed women to achieve a long-lasting style without the hassle of heating many rods in an oven. She also invented a scalp protector to make the experience less painful. The perm machine made Marjorie the first Black woman in history to receive a patent for her work, but unfortunately, all the royalties and rights to her invention went to Madame C.J. Walker’s business, as a stipulation of her employment with her as a National Supervisor of her Beauty Colleges.

In addition to her inventions, Marjorie worked tirelessly to improve the lives of her fellow beauticians and hairstylists. She did this by co-founding the United Beauty School Owners and Teachers Association in 1945 with Mary McLeod Bethune. She also raised money for Black colleges and founded the Alpha Chi Pi Omega sorority and fraternity to raise the standards for

Josephine Baker

As a dancer and singer, Josephine was one of the most popular and highest-paid entertainers of her time. She also toured France and the States as a comedian and Broadway actress. Lady Jo performed in controversial, revealing outfits, such as a skirt made entirely out of bananas, which made her memorable to French audiences. In her home country of America, her performances were met with racist reactions, and so she tended to embrace her French audiences more.

She married multiple times and earned military honors for her efforts during the French resistance. She had 12 adopted children from different ethnic backgrounds, who she referred to as the ‘rainbow tribe,’ and used as an example of how different races can live together harmoniously. She participated in several boycotts and demonstrations against segregation, which the NAACP honored by giving her a day.

Shirley Chisholm

Way before Hillary Clinton had her sights set on being the first female President of the United States, Shirley Chisholm put in a bid for the role in 1972. She was the first Black congresswoman and the first major-party Black candidate to run for President. Her main passions were educational reform and social justice, which explains why she left politics in 1983 to teach.

Before her time in Congress, she worked with organizations concerning child welfare and education. In 1969 she was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. She also wrote two books in her time and was known for her caring nature in paying attention to the needs of the individual. In 2015 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom nearly 11 years after her death.

Diahann Carroll

Academy Award nominee Diahann Carroll dominated Hollywood, the Broadway stage and the silver screen in the 1960s. Her leading role in Julia made her the first Black woman to star in her own television series and scored her an Emmy and Golden Globe. Before becoming a household name, Diahann was also a singer and model. She has been nominated for an Emmy three times and married four times. In recent years she has made some notable guest appearances on Grey’s Anatomy to prove that once a starlet, always a starlet.

Dame Eugenia Charles

The Caribbean’s first female Prime Minister, who held the position in Dominica for 15 years until 1995, was the longest-serving female Prime Minister in world history. Before her time working in Parliament, she became the first Dominican woman to work as a lawyer. Not afraid to go toe to toe with the overbearing male politicians in her cabinet, she once arrived in a bathing suit to Parliament to make a mockery of her predecessor’s ridiculous dress code act. Affectionately dubbed ‘Mamo,’ she used her big voice to give Dominica back its backbone after years of corruption and political excess. She survived many attempted coups, including one backed by the Ku Klux Klan. She improved the country’s infrastructure and living standards but lacked popularity for her cold front and lack of empathy for women’s rights.

These women are just a handful of the many who have made an enormous difference to the world through their work, and hopefully, they will inspire even more women to go on and do great things.

Golden Divas Happy Women’s History Month!

Sources: http://thesource.com/2016/03/07/15-black-women-in-history-that-have-changed-the-world/