Black History Month - Forgotten Heroes

October, in the UK, is Black history month - a time to celebrate black culture, food, music and history. Everyone knows the famous faces of the civil rights movement such as Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman and many more, which is why I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my favourite, less well known black heroes and heroines. 

Mae C. Jennison

Mae Carol Jennison is an engineer, physician and astronaut - she is the first black woman to go to space. She served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour and orbited the Earth for nearly 8 days. She has a degree in chemical engineering, a degree in African and African-American studies and a medical degree from Cornell university. Before her stint as an astronaut, she served as a medic in the Peace Corps and also worked as a general medical practitioner. She holds many honorary doctorates, and is in the National Women’s Hall of Fame as well as the International Space Hall of Fame. She also founded a technology company, as well as some small acting features on shows such as Star Trek and has also authored several children’s books. There are very few things this incredible lady has not done!

Matthew Henson

Matthew Henson is often credited as the co-founder of the North Pole - he accompanied Robert Peary on seven journeys over 23 years. He was an integral part of the team - in his autobiography and interviews, he claims to be the first actual person on the North pole despite Peary planting the physical flag. He is also an author of a memoir in which he details his journey. He has been awarded many exploration awards, including the highest level of membership of The Explorer’s Club. He is arguably one of the most important explorers in history. 

Shirley Chisolm

Shirley Chisolm was an American politician, and the first African American woman elected to Congress. She also became the first African-American candidate for a major party as well as the first female ever to run for the democratic party as a presidential candidate. She faced a lot of discrimination during her campaign for both her gender and race, and was severely underfunded, only receiving $300,000. She also led a career in education and continued to campaign after her defeat for other candidates. She has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in America and was also nominated to be the US Ambassador to Jamaica by Bill Clinton. He legacy continues, however, with several film adaptations about her life, as well as a Shirley Chisolm centre of Research in Brooklyn College to promote research and projects for women. 

Joe Louis

Joe Louis Barrow, nicknamed the Brown Bomber, was a professional boxer who reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937-1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, and is ranked as number 1 by the International Boxing Research Organisation - he has had the longest single reign as champion than any other boxer in history. His legacy is larger than his sport, however, as he is considered to be the first African-American to be regarded as a national hero in America. He raised a lot of money for charity through his fights, especially for the US military for WW2 and became a focal point for anti-Nazi sentiment in America and a figure for young soldiers and men to rally behind.

These are only a few of the many overlooked people who have impacted our world greatly, from sportspeople to academics to politicians. This month is about the celebration of black culture and it is our responsibility to make sure that we do just that!