Looking Back on Black History

Black History Month is coming to a close, but before we say goodbye, let’s honor the history-shaping changes that have been made in order to have racial equality, and the people out there making a difference today to stop racism and stereotyping. Here are 5 of the millions of activists who changed the history of racism.

1. Joshua Johnson

Joshua Johnson was a portrait painter living and working in 18th and 19th-century Baltimore, and has over 100 portraits attributed to his name. Almost all of his art has a sitter positioned in a three-quarter view, against a plain background, and with props differing from fruit to parasols.

1. Hosea Williams

Hosea Williams was another man in Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle. He was a trusted advisor and friend to King who dedicated his life to public service. He founded the organization “Hosea Feed the Hungry and the Homeless”, one of the largest holiday social services in America.

1. Gloria Richardson

Gloria Richardson was yet another historical figure. In addition, she was also a woman. She co-founded the Cambridge Non-Violent Action Committee. This was a committee that worked to desegregate Cambridge University during the Jim Crow Era and today.

1. James L. Farmer Jr.

James L. Farmer Jr. led and organized the 1961 Freedom Ride on buses throughout the South, which helped start the spark of the desegregation of travel in the US. He served alongside MLK and was known as one of the Big Four Civil Rights leaders of the 1960’s.

1. Benjamin Banneker

Banneker was a largely self-educated mathematician, scientist, and inventor. He also learned a number of other things, like writing, astronomy, and compiling almanacs, and was also one of the first black scientists. But the one thing that is attached to his name: He invented the first American functioning clock.

This is only a slim fraction of the people who changed the way we view the world today. However, in honor to continue their legacy, we must not let their actions and efforts go in vain. We must continue the movement and fight for racial equality, not just between black and white people, but for other members of the POC (People of Color) community.