Black History Icons They Don't Want You To Know About

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As we celebrate traditional figures like Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman and Malcolm X — let’s not forget the lesser known people who’ve also had an impact on African American culture today. This year, let’s not only celebrate the brave, inspirational folks who marched for freedom or created inventions that we can’t live without to this day.

Let’s also highlight about the low-key, undercover legends whose small successes in the past opened the door for us to enjoy the little things in life, in a major way. The ones that don’t get the love and respect from the culture that they deserve. Like Bayard Rustin. Usually just known as Dr. King’s friend and one of the few openly gay men of the movement. But did you know that he organized and strategized most of the protests and marches of the Civil Rights Movement?

Or Dorothy Height, deemed the “godmother of the women’s movement,” who used her background in education and social work to advance women’s rights.

There’s so much more to Black History that can’t fit in just one month or a series of meme. It also doesn’t help that Black History Month is celebrated in the coldest, shortest month of the whole year. But as we honor our traditional heroes this month, we must remember to highlight the lesser known game changers.

Hit the flip for more Black History Icons they don’t want you to know about.

Robert Sengstacke Abbott

In 1905, Abbott founded the Chicago Defender weekly newspaper which played an integral part in encouraging African Americans to migrate from the South for better economic opportunities.

Marsha P. Johnson

Johnson, a Black trans woman and activist, was at the forefront of the LGBTQ movement. “In addition to being the co-founder of STAR, an organization that housed homeless queer youth, Johnson also fought for equality through the Gay Liberation Front.”

Matthew Henson

Henson is an American explorer best known for his participation in the 1908-1909 expedition that claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on April 6, 1909. Henson said he was the first of their party to reach the pole.

Gwendolyn Brooks

Brooks was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for Annie Allen, and she served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress, becoming the first Black woman to hold that position.

Jane Bolin

Bolin was the first Black woman to attend Yale Law School in 1931. In 1939, she became the first Black female judge in the United States. “One of her significant contributions throughout her career was working with private employers to hire people based on their skills, as opposed to discriminating against them because of their race.”