By sagnika sinha
Did you know a black woman mapped the first American flight in Space NASA? Did you know it was a black woman who helped create internet technologies that support gaming? Do you know that we are still unaware of several trivia connected to black women?
At times, I feel we do not know so much about black women of history! They have contributed to growth and development across the world for all women. In this article, I will share with you these uncommon facts about black women that will surprise you and inspire you to know more.
You will also be inspired to achieve more in your life and help others. Some incidents have inspired these women to take a stand for themselves and their people, creating history across the timeline you read in this blog.
Uncommon Facts about Black Women You Might Not Know!
Why do you think black women are highlighted in the struggle to create their names? This is because it is not just about being a woman but also their ethnicity. Let me share some uncommon facts about black women you did not know about black women!
Women of African American ethnicity have achieved so much in their lives! These achievements were not just for them but also for generations to come. Clearly, for black women today, the success they experience is not just their hard work and struggle but the hidden figures who made an impact long ago.
History spoke for them. From civil rights leaders to award-winning poets and authors, the women of the past created a significant platform for 21st-century women. Let us delve deeper into the unknown facts about black women; these facts have created a vibrant Black history.
Society
Did you know that the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA) is the oldest Greek-letter organization for Black Women? It was founded in 1908 at Howard University.
It was in 1996 that the first player to sign for the WNBA was Sheryl Swoopes, who debuted just after a year!
In the 1960s, Marie Van Brittan Brown, a New York City nurse, designed a front-door alarm security system after she became seriously concerned about the increasing rates of crimes. To clarify, she later got a patent for her invention, which is very similar to the security systems used today! It was complete with a speaker, alarm, and camera!
The first African American woman to edit a weekly newspaper, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, spoke at the Negro Convention, voted in the national election, along with graduating from law school!
Constance Baker Motley was the first African American woman to become a Federal Court judge. Consequently, a key strategist in the Civil Rights movement, she helped establish that black women were as capable as anyone else.
The first African American woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress, Shirley Chisholm was a passionate politician who worked hard to change society’s perception of African Americans and women’s capabilities.
Space
The first American to go into space in 1961 was Alan Shepard, but who mapped his flight route? A revolutionary mathematician, Katherine Johnson performed unthinkable calculations that propelled NASA’s spaceflight program. Watch the movie Hidden Figures to learn more about this beauty with brains!
Who is the first African American woman in space? In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison boarded the Space Shuttle Endeavour and sank into orbit. To clarify, Jemison inspired other women with her training as an engineer and a medical doctor at the Peace Corps!
Sports
Did you know who the first black woman is to win an Olympic gold medal? That is to say, Alice Coachman was competing in the high jump category in 1948, thus winning the gold!
In 1960, Wilma Rudolph set a record in the 100-meter dash in Rome by completing it in 11.3 seconds.
Inventors
Madam C.J. Walker was the first female African American millionaire! But how did she become one? An inventor of haircare products specifically for African American women, Madam Walker is a self-made entrepreneur.
Her products became quite popular after she started selling them, going home to home. Later, people started demanding these products, for which she got a lot of helpers! You can watch the movie Self Made, a Netflix series based on her journey.
She is Lisa Gelobter, a computer scientist who helped create Shockwave in 1995. This essential technology led to the evolution of web animation, which supports gaming and online streaming today! Above all, now we know who we should thank for the GIFs.
Alice Parker designed a natural gas furnace because she was tired of the New Jersey winters. She created a solution that was more efficient than the fireplaces used at the time. This invention also eliminated any chances of house fires. In addition, her designs were used to create modern central heating!
A physical therapist, Bessie Blount, designed devices to help amputees from World War II eat independently! Moreover, she worked hard to get more sponsors by demonstrating her inventions on a TV show.
Music & Movies
Sylvia Robinson, the first Hip-Hop Godmother, music producer, and singer, produced the first commercially successful rap record. The Sugar Hill Gang produced the record, which includes the song “Rapper’s Delight.”
The first Black woman to win an Oscar was Hattie Mc Daniel in 1940! In the same vein, the role she won the Oscar for her supporting role in the movie Gone with the Wind.
The path to videoconferencing was paved by Marian Croak, who invented ways in which data systems and online voice developed. She already has 200 patents to her name, and her technologies led to the collection of donations through text in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina!
Contralto Marian Anderson was the first African American to be invited to the White House to perform in 1939, thus breaking the color barriers for musicians.
Academic Achievements
Did you know who was the first Black woman to earn a four-year degree in college? Subsequently, Lucy Stanton graduated from Oberlin College with a literary degree in 1850, thus becoming the first black woman in America to earn an academic degree.
Lila Fenwick became the first African American woman to graduate from the Harvard Law School in 1956. Likewise, she came to Harvard after she attended Barnard College and has achieved a feat! Lila did not just stop; she went on to study at the London School of Economics and worked at the United Nations.
Literature
An activist and poet, Lucy Terry, wrote “Bars Fight” in 1946! Firstly, this poem was the first written by a Black American woman. Secondly, an enslaved woman in childhood, Terry, at the age of 26, married a free black man! This is when she became free, too.
Another feat by an African American woman, Phillis Wheatley, was getting her book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, published in 1773! Phillis was born in Gambia and sold as an enslaved person at seven to the Wheatley family in Boston. She was finally free after her book was published!
Finishing Off…
To sum up, I would like to mention how Black women have always inspired women globally. When you read the above blog, you learn about the uncommon facts about black women and different types of resources that contribute to the overall growth of the minority group of African American individuals.
In short, I am sure you will also realize that most of these iconic figures who created the clear path for the upcoming generation are not well known. They do not have global recognition, which is why they are sometimes called hidden figures.
In this blog, I am trying to help you recognize these individuals. Tell me which one of these figures is the most hardworking and activist!
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