#African-American Women

[importantwomensbirthdays]

Hydeia Broadbent

AIDS activist Hydeia Broadbent was born in 1984 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Broadbent was born with HIV and diagnosed at age 3. She had developed AIDS by the time she was 5. A member of the first generation of children born with this condition, Broadbent began speaking publicly by the time she was 6. She made numerous television appearances and worked to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around HIV. When Broadbent was 12, she spoke at the Republican National Convention. Her activism continued throughout her life. She took part in the CDC's Let's Stop HIV Together campaign, established the Hydeia L. Broadbent Foundation, and worked with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Hydeia Broadbent passed away in 2024 at the age of 39.

[f0restpunk]

[sheltiechicago]

Mae Jamison

Artist Paints the First Full-Color Hyperrealistic Portrait of Female African-American Women

Artist: Jade Yasmeen

[thevillain-s]

HOODOO: “If freedom don’t ring, these “roots” gonna sing!!!!”

[oncanvas]

Mars Dust, Alma Thomas, 1972

Acrylic on canvas 69 ¼ × 57 ⅛ in. (175.9 × 145.1 cm) Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, NY, USA

[sbrown82]

Donyale Luna, the world's first Black supermodel, showcasing her signature look!

[originalhaffigaza]

[importantwomensbirthdays]

Gloria Richardson

Civil rights activist Gloria Richardson was born in 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland. Richardson was a founder and leader of the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee, which focused on a broader range of issues than other civil rights campaigns, including housing discrimination and inadequate healthcare. She was a key figure in what was known as the Cambridge Movement, and led sit-ins to desegregate bowling alleys, movie theaters, and restaurants. In 1963, civil rights protests in Cambridge and the response by white supremacists grew violent. This ultimately led to Richardson meeting with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, as well as other activists, local leaders, and DOJ officials to negotiate the "Treaty of Cambridge". The agreement called for a yearlong halt to demonstrations in return for desegregation.

Gloria Richardson died in 2021 at the age of 99.

[f0restpunk]

[ts-wicked-wonders]

Black history: Did you know?

Phillis Wheatley was only 12 when she became the first female African American author published.

Despite Phyllis Wheatley’s fame, we know surprisingly little about her early life. She was taken from her home in Africa when she was seven or eight, and sold to the Wheatley family in Boston. The family taught her to read and write, and encouraged her to write poetry as soon as they witnessed her talent for it. In 1773, Phyllis published her first poem, making her the first African American to be published. She was only 12 at the time.

Read more: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/phillis-wheatley

[paymetea]

Azizi Johari for Player’s Magazine (1978)

[usnatarchives]

Beyond the Stars: Mae Jemison’s Odyssey ✨

Happy Black History Month!

This Black History Month, we spotlight the extraordinary life of Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space. Born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Jemison’s journey into the stars is a testament to the power of dreams and determination.

From an early age, Jemison showed a keen interest in science and space, but noticed the absence of women astronauts. She pursued her passion relentlessly, earning a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and an M.D. from Cornell Medical College. Before joining NASA, Jemison was a general practitioner and served in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where she managed health care for other volunteers. In 1987, Jemison’s dream became reality when she was selected for NASA’s astronaut program. On September 12, 1992, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor on mission STS-47, Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space, serving as a mission specialist. During her eight-day mission, she conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness, contributing valuable data to the field.

Jemison’s honors include induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and the Texas Science Hall of Fame, among others. Her story is not just one of breaking barriers in space exploration, but also of inspiring generations to pursue their dreams, regardless of birth and obstacles.

For more information on Mae Jemison’s groundbreaking journey and contributions to science and humanity, the National Archives holds numerous resources that illuminate the lives and achievements of African American pioneers:

[jareckiworld]

Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891-1978) "Astronauts’ Glimpse of the Earth" [acrylic on canvas, 1974]

[mimi-0007]

Eartha Kitt. Beautiful and talented..

[sbrown82]

Marsha Hunt, circa 1970.

[agelessphotography]

Untitled (Eating lobster), Carrie Mae Weems, 1990