Discover our ‘Saluting Our Sisters’ Lightbox here.
In a world where resilience, passion, and the pursuit of justice know no bounds, we find inspiration in the stories of these remarkable women. While we’ve handpicked 100 incredible women, we recognise that countless more deserve their place in the spotlight.
The ‘Saluting our Sisters’ lightbox is a tribute to the fearless leaders, groundbreaking artists, and extraordinary athletes who have left an indelible mark on history. They represent diverse backgrounds, talents, and accomplishments, but they share a common thread of unwavering determination.
From Aaliyah’s harmonious melodies to Pat McGrath’s transformative artistry, each name on this list adds a unique verse to the symphony of women’s achievements. Simone Biles defies gravity, Shirley Chisholm reshapes politics, and Sojourner Truth speaks truth to power. They remind us that greatness knows no gender or colour.
These extraordinary women represent the embodiment of strength, resilience, and innovation. As we salute these sisters, we invite you to explore their stories, to gain inspiration from their diverse accomplishments, and to join us in celebrating their incredible legacies.
100 Incredible Black Women and Their Legacies
Aaliyah – A talented singer, actress, and model who achieved success in the music and film industries.
Alice Coachman – The first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the high jump at the 1948 London Olympics.
Alice Walker – The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Color Purple” and a prominent feminist and civil rights advocate.
Amanda Gorman – The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, known for her powerful poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Angela Davis – A political activist, scholar, and author known for her involvement in the civil rights and feminist movements.
Annie Easley – An African American computer scientist and mathematician who contributed to the development of software for the Centaur rocket.
Audra McDonald – An award-winning actress and singer known for her work on Broadway and in television.
Audre Lorde – A renowned writer, poet, and civil rights activist known for her literary works and essays on intersectional feminism.
Barbara Jordan – A lawyer, educator, and politician who served as the first African American woman in the Texas Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar – known professionally as Cardi B, is a well-known rapper, songwriter, and actress.
Betty Shabazz – An educator and civil rights activist, she was the widow of Malcolm X.
Bessie Coleman – The first African American woman to hold a pilot’s license and the first woman of African American descent to hold an international pilot’s license.
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter – is a highly influential singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman.
Billie Holiday – A legendary jazz and blues singer.
Brenda Fassie – A South African pop singer known for her powerful music and advocacy for social change.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham – An educator, activist, and writer who co-founded Campaign Zero and is an advocate for racial equity.
Celia Cruz – A Cuban-American singer known as the “Queen of Salsa.”
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – A celebrated Nigerian writer and author of books like “Half of a Yellow Sun” and “Americanah.”
Claudette Colvin – A civil rights pioneer who, before Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama.
Coretta Scott King – An author, activist, and the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., who continued the civil rights work after her husband’s assassination.
Cicely Tyson – An iconic actress known for her powerful performances in film, television, and theater, with a career spanning several decades.
Deborah Cox – A Canadian singer and actress known for her contributions to R&B and dance music.
Diana Ross – A legendary singer and actress who became a cultural icon with The Supremes and in her solo career.
Diane Abbott – A British politician and the first Black woman to be elected to the House of Commons, where she has served as the Member of Parliament for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.
Diane Nash – A prominent civil rights activist and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Dorothy Dandridge – An iconic actress and singer, she was the first African American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Carmen Jones.”
Dr. Joy DeGruy – An educator and author known for her work on post-traumatic slave syndrome and its impact on African American communities.
Dr. Joycelyn Elders – A pediatrician who became the first African American Surgeon General of the United States.
Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings – A political strategist and former Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.
Eartha Kitt – A singer, actress, and activist known for her distinctive voice and performances.
Edmonia Lewis – A prominent African American and Native American sculptor known for her neoclassical sculptures.
Ella Baker – A civil rights leader and organizer who played a key role in several civil rights movements, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Ella Fitzgerald – A legendary jazz singer often referred to as the “First Lady of Song.”
Elaine Welteroth – The former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue and an advocate for diversity and inclusion in media.
Fannie Lou Hamer – A civil rights leader and voting rights activist who co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
Faith Ringgold – A prominent visual artist and author.
Faye Wattleton – A reproductive rights advocate and the first African American and youngest president of Planned Parenthood.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper – An influential abolitionist, suffragist, poet, and author who advocated for civil rights and women’s rights.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti – A Nigerian women’s rights activist and political leader who was a prominent advocate for women’s suffrage.
Gina Prince-Bythewood – A filmmaker known for directing and producing impactful films such as “Love & Basketball” and “The Old Guard,” and for her contributions to the world of cinema.
Gladys Bentley – An American blues singer, pianist, and performer who was openly lesbian and challenged gender norms.
Grace Jones – A multifaceted artist known for her work in music, fashion, and acting, challenging traditional notions of beauty and gender.
Gwendolyn Brooks – A celebrated poet and author, she was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
Halle Berry – An Academy Award-winning actress.
Halle Bailey – is a talented American actress and singer,
Harriet Tubman – An abolitionist who helped hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
Ida B. Wells – A journalist, suffragist, and early civil rights leader known for her anti-lynching activism.
Ijeoma Oluo – An author, speaker, and advocate known for her work on race, feminism, and social justice.
Kah Walla: Kah Walla is a Cameroonian politician and women’s rights activist. She is known for her political involvement and advocacy for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Kamala Harris – The first woman, first Black woman, and first Asian-American woman to serve as Vice President of the United States.
Kara Walker – A contemporary artist known for her thought-provoking silhouetted artwork.
Katherine Johnson – A pioneering mathematician and physicist who worked at NASA and played a crucial role in calculating trajectories for space missions, including the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Kimberlé Crenshaw – A scholar, lawyer, and civil rights advocate known for her work on critical race theory and intersectionality.
Loretta Lynch – The first African American woman to serve as Attorney General of the United States.
Madam C.J. Walker – An entrepreneur and philanthropist, she is widely regarded as the first female self-made millionaire in the United States. She achieved success by developing and marketing a line of beauty and haircare products for Black women.
Mae C. Jemison – The first African American woman astronaut to travel in space.
Maggie L. Walker – An African American businesswoman and the first woman to charter a bank in the United States.
Mariam Sankara – An African feminist and women’s rights activist, she is the widow of Thomas Sankara, the former President of Burkina Faso.
Marian Anderson – A groundbreaking contralto singer who became the first African American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera.
Marian Wright Edelman – The founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, a leading advocate for children’s rights and education.
Marielle Franco – A Brazilian politician, feminist, and human rights activist who fought for the rights of marginalized communities.
Marsha P. Johnson – A transgender activist and prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Mary McLeod Bethune – An educator, political leader, and civil rights activist who founded Bethune-Cookman University and was an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Maya Angelou – An acclaimed poet and author known for her autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
Maya Moore – A professional basketball player who stepped away from the sport to advocate for criminal justice reform and played a crucial role in the release of Jonathan Irons.
Michelle Obama – The former First Lady of the United States, an advocate for education, health, military families, and veterans.
Miriam Makeba – A South African singer and civil rights activist known for her powerful music and anti-apartheid activism.
Misty Copeland – The first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.
Naomi Osaka – A professional tennis player. She has achieved great success in the world of tennis, winning multiple Grand Slam titles and becoming a prominent figure in sports.
Nawal El Saadawi – An Egyptian writer, feminist, and activist known for her advocacy of women’s rights and her powerful writings.
Nikki Giovanni – A highly regarded poet, writer, and commentator known for her social and political commentary.
Nina Simone – An iconic singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist known for her music and social commentary.
Ntozake Shange – An accomplished playwright, poet, and author known for “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf.”
Oprah Winfrey – A media mogul, talk show host, and actress.
Phylicia Rashad – A celebrated actress known for her role as Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.”
Queen Nzinga – An Angolan queen who resisted Portuguese colonialism in the 17th century and played a significant role in defending her kingdom.
Queen Tiye – An Egyptian queen who played a significant role in the 18th dynasty of Egypt and is known for her powerful influence.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty – is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman.
Ruby Bridges – The first African American child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in Louisiana during the civil rights movement.
Ruby Dee – An acclaimed actress and civil rights activist known for her roles in film, television, and theatre.
Shirley Chisholm – The first African American woman to be elected to the United States Congress, representing New York’s 12th congressional district. She later made history again as the first Black woman to run for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States.
Simone Biles – Simone Biles is an exceptional gymnast and one of the most decorated gymnasts in the history of the sport. Simone Biles is celebrated not only for her athletic prowess but also for her advocacy for mental health and her resilience in the face of challenges.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – A gospel singer and guitarist considered a pioneer of rock and roll.
Sojourner Truth – An African American abolitionist and women’s rights activist.
Sonia Sanchez – A highly regarded poet, playwright, and professor known for her contributions to African American literature and her involvement in the Black Arts Movement.
Tarana Burke – The founder of the #MeToo movement, which aims to empower survivors of sexual assault.
Toni Braxton – A Grammy Award-winning singer and actress known for her contributions to the R&B genre.
Toni Morrison – Nobel Prize-winning author celebrated for works like “Beloved” and “Song of Solomon.”
Pat McGrath – Pat McGrath is a world-renowned makeup artist and the founder of Pat McGrath Labs, a successful cosmetics company. She is known for her groundbreaking work in the fashion and beauty industry, creating iconic looks for runways, photoshoots, and celebrities. Her contributions have had a significant impact on the beauty world.
Wangari Maathai – An environmental and political activist from Kenya, she was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which focused on tree planting, conservation, and women’s rights.
Wilma Rudolph – A track and field athlete who became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela – A South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who was married to Nelson Mandela.
Yaa Asantewaa – A Ghanaian queen mother and warrior who led the Ashanti rebellion against British colonialism in the early 1900s.
Yaa Gyasi – A Ghanaian-American author known for her novel “Homegoing,” which explores the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka – A South African singer, songwriter, and humanitarian known as the “Princess of Africa.”
Zora Neale Hurston – Renowned for her novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman – known professionally as Zendaya, is an American actress, singer, and fashion model.