Martin Luther King, Kwame Nkrumah, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and other remarkable Black leaders have significantly reshaped the trajectory of Black history, creating a path for resilient generations that persist in championing Black empowerment. These enduring heroes continue to make noteworthy contributions on a global scale today.
Individuals of African descent have faced adversity, frequently having to jeopardize their lives and voices to combat the injustices they confronted.
Considering the courage and lasting influence of these Black icons, here are ten historical figures of African descent who left an indelible mark on the world.
Sojourner Truth (1797 -1883)
Sojourner Truth, originally known as Isabella Baumfree, was an African-American advocate for the abolition of slavery and women’s rights. Born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, she successfully escaped with her young daughter in 1826, attaining freedom. Deeply religious, Truth felt a divine calling to address issues like slavery throughout the United States.
In 1851, she delivered a famous impromptu speech titled “Ain’t I a woman?” at a Women’s Rights Convention in Ohio, passionately advocating for equal rights for both women and African Americans.
Toussaint Louverture (1743 – 1803)
Toussaint Louverture played a pivotal role as the figurehead of the slave revolt in Haiti. In 1791, he led a successful military uprising in Saint-Domingue and, in subsequent years, solidified his authority by reintroducing the plantation system with a focus on wage labor.
The Haitian Revolution, led by Toussaint Louverture and other black leaders in Saint-Domingue, inspired millions of individuals of African descent—both free and enslaved—across the Atlantic world to strive for freedom and equality. This movement marked the only instance in which an Atlantic slave society successfully overthrew its oppressors.
Under Louverture’s leadership, the colony successfully abolished slavery, leading to the establishment of the independent Republic of Haiti in 1804.
Frederick Douglas (1818 – 1895)
Fedrick Douglass, once enslaved, emerged as a prominent figure in the Black movement and became one of the most renowned black leaders in the nineteenth century.
Addressing a gathering of abolitionists in Massachusetts, he recounted his experiences as a slave, showcasing his exceptional oratory skills. This led to him embarking on a tour across northern states, compelling large audiences to reconsider and oppose the institution of slavery.
His influential anti-slavery speeches and autobiographical account of his life as a slave significantly shaped public opinion on the matter.
Booker T. Washington (1856 – 1915)
Despite facing numerous hurdles due to his enslaved background, Booker T. Washington exhibited remarkable resilience in pursuing an education. Following the Emancipation Proclamation, which granted freedom to his family, the absence of nearby schools didn’t deter him. Undeterred, he undertook an arduous journey of 500 miles across Virginia at the age of 16, relying on foot and train travel, despite lacking money and a map, all in the pursuit of education.
His determination bore fruit when he later established the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, assuming the roles of its first principal and teacher. His motivation stemmed from a deep-seated desire to impart knowledge to others. Washington’s influence extended beyond the realm of education; he served as a consultant to Presidents Taft and Roosevelt. Widely acknowledged as the de facto leader of African-Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Washington advocated for a gradual approach to improving Black Americans’ access to education and opportunities in life.
Ida B. Wells (1862- 1931)
Less than a year to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which freed slaves, Ida B. Wells was born into slavery in Mississippi.
Wells was a trailblazing newspaper editor and journalist who made use of her position to look into the South’s lynching customs. She spent months traveling the South, conducting interviews with locals and looking into records of previous assaults. Although she was attacked for her publications, she moved to another state and continued to write about Black discrimination.
She was also a fearless advocate for women’s suffrage and civil rights, and a 1909 NAACP founding member.
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)
Nelson Mandela fought against apartheid in South Africa for the majority of his life.
Following the Rivonia Trial, he was detained and sentenced to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the government in 1962. Between Robben Island, Pollsmoor Prison, and Victor Verster Prison, Mandela spent 27 years in prison.
He later became the first elected president of South Africa after apartheid. Mandela was also admired for his capacity for forgiveness and willingness to engage with South Africa’s white community. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to end racial segregation in South Africa.
Haile Selassie (1930 – 1974)
Haile Selassie I (Lij Tafari Makonnen) ruled Ethiopia as its emperor. He was renowned for modernizing Ethiopia, for his exile (1936–41), and for being deposed in 1974.
In 1931, he established the Bank of Ethiopia and promoted the development of newspapers.
However, during this time, tensions with Italy, which had been occupying Eritrea since the 1890s, grew. Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy, gained confidence as a result, and decided to invade Ethiopia completely. The Italians pushed forward with an enormous amount of resources and a heavy reliance on chemical weapons.
Emperor Haile Selassie was exiled by May 2, 1936, and appeared before the League of Nations in Geneva in June to demand international action. He eventually succeeded in preventing Ethiopia from being colonized; the East African nation proudly stands as the only African country that was never colonized.
Haile Selassie I placed a lot of importance on education; among other things, he established the Ministry of Education, teacher training institutions, secondary education, and a long-term education planning committee.
He also contributed to the creation of the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) in 1963.
Wangari Muta Maathai (1940 – 2011)
Wangari Muta Maathai was a political and environmental activist from Kenya.
In order to encourage environmental preservation in Kenya and Africa, she established the Green Belt Movement in 1977 in an effort to reduce poverty, end conflict, and plant trees throughout Kenya. She was motivated by a belief that there was a link between poverty and conflict, as well as environmental degradation.
She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.”
Emmett Till (1941 – 1955)
Emmet “Bobo” Louis Till was tortured and killed at age 14 by Roy Bryant and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, after the former’s wife, Carolyn Bryant – a white store clerk, accused him of taunting her.
The body of Emmett attracted a large crowd after his mother, Mamie Till, decided to leave his casket open to show the world the injustice that had been done to her son.
His death sparked an unquenching uproar in the US, especially within the African American community, causing Black leaders and the youth to confront the threat of violence in the Jim Crow South. Speaking and making impact beyond the grave, Emmett’s death catalyzed the civil rights movement.
Barack Obama (1961- Present)
The first African American president, Barack Obama, served as the 44th president of the United States. He completed two terms and achieved a number of notable feats.
Obama implemented health care reforms, stressing that Americans should remain united despite political disagreements. He also worked to strengthen the economy during the 2009 global financial crisis.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for his efforts to enhance international relations and signed the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement, to name a few of his accomplishments.
