Zoe Holbrook, ’26
For all of the “Rosa Parks’” in the world, there will always be a “Claudette Colvin” who gets overshadowed. There have been many Black women in history that have achieved the unachievable. From women like Shirley Chisolm to Mamie Johnson, they have showcased the Black women that can pioneer careers and excel in them as well. These bright, Black minds have helped progress our community and society at large, but their names never reached the public eye. In honor of Women’s History Month, I dedicate this article to the Black women who broke barriers in U.S. history.
1. Shirley Chisholm
Image source: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm
(Debra Michals)
Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) was an African American woman of many firsts. As the first African American woman in Congress and the first African American woman to run for president under one of the major parties, she paved the way for both Black people and women alike. Chisholm was a champion of activism and joined many different organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the League of Women Voters (LWV). Through encouragement from loved ones, professors, and self-encouragement, she overcame what she called a “double handicap”, being both black and a woman, and became the second African American in the New York legislature in 1964 (Michals 2015). In 1972, she began her campaign to become the Democratic Party nominee for the upcoming election. Despite the rampant discrimination she faced, she still gained 10% of the delegates votes at the time (Michals 2015). “Fighting Shirley” was a testament to the political strength of Black women throughout the Civil Rights Movement and well after it.
2. Bessie Coleman
Image source: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bessie-coleman (Kerri Lee Alexander)
Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) joined many women in the aviation field during the 1920s. Coleman was both the first African American woman and the first Native American woman to take to the skies in the early days of flight. Despite not being able to obtain her pilot’s license in the United Sates, Coleman did not let that stop her and went on to get her license in France instead, even taking French classes at night so that she would be prepared (Alexander 2018). After earning her pilot’s license, she went on to travel to many different places to showcase her tricks and speak about her experiences as a female Black pilot. Coleman flying a plane as a Black woman in the early 20th century gave hope to those who wanted to be like her. While she had some minor accidents, she never let that stop her and continued to perform for African American crowds because she refused to speak at any places that discriminated against Black Americans. Unfortunately in 1926, Coleman died during one of her routine test flights after she fell out of her plane. Even after her premature death, her memory lived on in a multitude of different clubs and organizations named in her honor.
3. Marsha P. Johnson
Image source: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson
(Emma Rothberg)
Marsha P. Johnson pioneered the Gay Rights Movement as a transwoman and is largely the spark that brought the movement to life. Although Johnson did not “throw the first brick” at the Stonewall Riot in 1969, she was still a major contributor to the activism both during and after the riot ended. Throughout the 1970s until her 1992 death, Johnson contributed to a myriad of different projects. In 1970, Johnson co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) to help save transgender youth in New York. Along with that, she also co-founded the STAR House which was meant to shelter transgender youth. For a large part of the 1970s, Johnson did many interviews to create a platform for women like herself. Many of her interviews show her pride for the community and her continued advocation for her LGBTQ+ peers (Rothberg 2022). Even after her 1990 HIV diagnosis, Johnson continued her pride activism despite the stigma around HIV and the transphobic discrimination she faced. Marsha P. Johnson’s tragic death in 1992 shocked her close friends and her supporters alike. Her funeral drew in such a large crowd that people had to stand on the street (Rothberg 2022). Marsha P. Johnson’s fight against discrimination not only helped her generation, but also the generations after hers. Johnson’s activism has cemented her legacy as a transgender woman who wanted to help anyone that she could.
4. Mamie Johnson
Image source: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/johnson-mamie-lee-1935/
(Euell A. Nielsen)
From a young age, Mamie Johnson (1935-2017) knew she wanted to play baseball. Not softball, but baseball. Born in South Carolina, her uncle fostered her love for baseball and made makeshift tools to help her play such as making balls out of rocks and bats out of tree limbs (Nielsen 2021). Johnson went from playing on an all-white boys’ baseball team to playing in the Negro Major Leagues for the Indianapolis Clowns, becoming one of only three women to have ever played in the league. While on the team as a pitcher, she earned the nickname “Peanut” for her short stature, but despite that, she only lost eight games over her 2 year career with the team. Johnson retired in 1955, but she continued to be honored for her achievements up until her death in 2017.
I remember when I first read about Mamie Johnson. Although I had no interest in baseball or softball, her story did push me to become a better athlete in the sports I was interested in. When I learned about Shirley Chisholm, her story sparked my interest in politics and showed me that a Black woman could hold powerful positions in the U.S. government. All of the stories above have changed my life in one way or another, and it is important to spread each of these powerful Black women’s stories so that it could possibly inspire other young Black girls to become the change they would like to see in the world.
