These are three African American women who did everything from run for president to sing opera. They never received the recognition Rosa Parks or Coretta Scott King did, but their impact on America was powerful.
Sojourner Truth (1797 – 1883)
Isabella Baumfree was born into slavery in Upstate New York. Until the age of 13, she spoke fluent Dutch. She suffered from abuse and harassment at the hands of her masters. Unhappy and desperate for a better life, Isabella escaped from slavery and was taken in by a kind Dutch family. She learned English and started to write. She changed her name to Sojourner Truth and spoke to diverse groups about women’s rights and the hardships of slavery. When the audience accused her of being a man (she was over 6 feet tall) at one event, she unbuttoned her blouse to reveal her breasts. She was a dedicated activists and one of the first African American women to have her work published.
Marian Anderson (1897 – 1993)
Born in Philadelphia to a working class family, Marian exhibited a gift for singing at an the age of 6 in her church choir. Even though she was denied admittance into a local music school because she was African American, Marian was still determined to explore her musical talents. She won a Philadelphia Philharmonic Society singing contest in 1925 and in 1928, was selected to perform a solo recital at Carnegie Hall. After studying music in Europe, she returned to the United States and became the first black to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Shirley Chisholm (1924 – 2005)
Shirley was born in Brooklyn, New York, but her parents were natives of the Caribbean. She showed a passion for learning at an early age and went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree from Brooklyn College and received a Master’s Degree from Columbia University in 1952. She worked in early childhood education for several years and was elected to the New York State Legislature in 1964. In 1968, she became the first black woman to serve in Congress. In 1972, she took the bold step of running for president. There were three assassination attempts on Shirley’s life and she survived. Her slogan was, “unbought and unbossed.” She campaigned in 12 states and won Mississippi, Louisiana and New Jersey but ultimately loss the Democratic nomination to George McGovern.