10 Black Women Who Changed American History (But Rarely Get Credit)

American history loves a few familiar names, but far too often, it forgets the Black women whose brilliance, courage, and labor shaped this country behind the scenes. From science and civil rights to journalism, politics, and entrepreneurship, Black women have been architects of progress, yet rarely receive the credit they deserve.

This list highlights 10 Black women who changed American history.

1. Claudette Colvin

The Teen Who Challenged Segregation First

Nine months before Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old student, refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. She was among the four plaintiffs in the federal court case filed on February 1, 1956, by civil rights attorney Fred Gray, which became known as Browder v. Gayle, the case that ended bus segregation.

Yet because of her age and social status, history largely erased her role. She passed away on January 13, 2026, at the age of 86. 

Why she matters: She proved that courage doesn’t wait for permission or adulthood.

2. Henrietta Lacks

The Woman Whose Cells Were Used to Study the Effects of Cancer Treatments

While receiving radium treatments for her cancer, Henrietta Lacks’ doctor discovered that her cells continued to multiply. Her cells, nicknamed “HeLa” cells, were used to study the effects of a variety of cancer treatments. 

Why she matters: She played a critical role in modern medicine. 

3. Septima Poinsette Clark

The Architect of the Civil Rights Movement

Often overshadowed by male leaders, Septima Clark developed citizenship schools that taught Black Americans literacy, civic engagement, and voter registration, which empowered thousands across the South.

Why she matters: Voting rights do not happen without education, and she built the blueprint.

4. Mary McLeod Bethune

The Power Broker Nobody Talks About

An educator and founder of Bethune-Cookman University, Mary McLeod Bethune was also a political force. She advised multiple U.S. presidents and helped shape New Deal policies affecting Black Americans. As of July 2022, she became the first African American to be represented with a state statute in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.

Why she matters: She turned education into political power.

5. Anna Julia Cooper

The Original Black Feminist Scholar

Long before “intersectionality” had a name, Anna Julia Cooper was writing about race, gender, and class in America. Her 1892 book A Voice from the South remains foundational to Black feminist thought.

Why she matters: She gave language to liberation before it was fashionable.

6. Pauli Murray

The Legal Mind Behind Modern Civil Rights

Pauli Murray’s legal theories directly influenced Brown v. Board of Education and later gender discrimination cases. Ruth Bader Ginsburg even credited Murray as a co-author in spirit. Yet Murray’s name is rarely taught.

Why she matters: She helped reshape constitutional law.

7. Sarah Breedlove (Madam C.J. Walker)

The Blueprint for Black Women Entrepreneurs

Often reduced to a trivia fact, Madam C.J. Walker was more than America’s first self-made female millionaire. She created jobs, funded civil rights efforts, and redefined Black women’s economic independence.

Why she matters: She built wealth and community.

8. Dorothy Height

The Woman Always in the Room, but Rarely Named

As president of the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years, Dorothy Height worked alongside every major civil rights leader, yet was often excluded from the spotlight. She focused on issues concerning Black women, including voter awareness, unemployment, and illiteracy. 

Why she matters: She was a strategist of movements. 

9. Fannie Lou Hamer

The Voice That Shook American Democracy

A sharecropper turned activist, Fannie Lou Hamer exposed voter suppression on a national stage with raw truth and moral clarity. She announced her bid for the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1964, but she was barred from the ballot.

Why she matters: She forced America to confront itself. 

10. Bessie Coleman

The First Black Woman Pilot Anywhere

Denied entry into U.S. flight schools because she was Black and a woman, Bessie Coleman learned French, trained overseas, and became the first Black woman pilot in the world.

Why she matters: She refused to let racism determine her altitude.

Why These Stories Matter Now

When Black women’s contributions are erased, history becomes incomplete, and injustice repeats itself. Their stories remind us that progress often comes from people history tried to ignore.