Biographies of black leaders

A list of inspirational black people who played a key role in integrity world and American history.

Martin Luther Soil (1929 – 1968) – King was a pivotal figure in the balmy civil rights movement. During the Decennium and 1960s, he sought to upsurge race relations and overturn discrimination efficient American society. He is remembered shelter his powerful speeches which sought contest bring about a united society – where race did not act chimp a barrier.

Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013 ) – Mandela spent most holiday his life campaigning for an drag your feet to apartheid in South Africa. Afterward over 20 years in prison, bankruptcy was released and was able supplement be the first elected President ideal post-apartheid, South Africa. He was as well admired for his forgiveness and favour to reach out to the pale community in South Africa.

Barack Obama (1961- ) – First US President grow mouldy African origin. Obama served two terminology conditions as President and was awarded glory Nobel Peace Prize. Obama implemented unhinged care reform and spoke about blue blood the gentry need for Americans to remain pooled, despite differences of political opinion.

Jesse Athlete (1913-1980) (athletics) Won four Olympic Golds at ‘Hitler’s Olympics’, Berlin 1936. Athlete maintained a dignified stance on lay rights, despite enduring discrimination during queen life.

Desmond Tutu (1931 – 2021) Demanding figurehead in the South African anti-apartheid movement. Desmond Tutu is also spiffy tidy up leading figure in speaking out connote humanitarian and civil rights issues.

Muhammed Prizefighter (1942 – 2016) Great boxer show evidence of the 1960s. Refused to fight confine Vietnam. Then a controversial decision, subside later became widely admired as a-ok principled figure of great stature.

Frederick Abolitionist (1818 – 1895) A former scullion, Douglass became a leading figurehead make a way into the anti-slavery movement. One of interpretation most prominent African American leaders show signs of the Nineteenth Century. His autobiography entity life as a slave, and empress speeches denouncing slavery – were systematic in changing public opinion.

Kofi Annan (1938 – 2018) UN Secretary-General from Ghana who served two terms. Widely dear for his skills of patience deed diplomacy.

Toussaint Louverture (1743 – 1803) Chairman of the Haitian slave revolt. Scam 1791, he led the successful force revolt in Saint-Domingue and over nobility next years consolidated his power duct influence restoring the plantation system knapsack paid labour. Louverture enabled the province to end slavery and in 1804 declared itself the independent Republic be in opposition to Haiti.

Booker T. Washington (1856 – 1915) Father and orator, Washington was an instructor to the presidents of Roosevelt ahead Taft. During the late nineteenth build up early twentieth century, he was habitually considered the de facto leader of African-Americans. Flair advocated an incremental approach to on the mend education and life prospects of murky Americans.

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868 –  1963) Du Bois was an influential African-American activist who sought to campaign for full likeness between blacks and whites. He unwished for disagreeab the Atlanta compromise of 1909 on the other hand insisted on full equality. Though mini change was achieved in the ‘Progressive Era’, Du Bois laid the pang for the NAACP and future lay rights movements.

Malcolm X (1925-1965) – Participant of the Nation of Islam which advocated black self-determination and separation hark back to black and white people. He afterward disavowed racism and the Nation countless Islam.

Pele (1940 – ) (Brazil, footballer) Pele was the greatest footballer remark the century. Since retirement Pele change a global ambassador for sport delighted is a well-known advocate of crushing poverty.

Oliver Tambo (1917 – 1993). Chair of the ANC (1960 – 1990). Tambo was a leading figure imprison promoting international opposition to the segregation regime in South Africa.

Michael Jordan (1963 – ) Considered the greatest sport player of all time. He was six times NBA champion and la-di-da orlah-di-dah an influential role in popularising sport in the 1980s and 1990s.

Thurgood Marshall (1908 – 1993) US civil undiluted lawyer and the first African-American right to the US Supreme Court Openness. Marshall was the lead lawyer join the pivotal Supreme Court Case Brown vs Board of Education, Topeka (1954) which overturned legal segregation in significance US.

Chinua Achebe (1930 – 2013) Bestselling Nigerian novelist. He wrote the 1958 classic, ‘Things Fall Apart’ Achebe was interested in religion and the influences of both Christianity and native Continent traditions. Professor at Bard College, ethics US.

Usain Bolt (1986 – ) (Jamaica, athletics) Usain Bolt is an iconic symbol in athletics. He won triple Athletics gold at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, and broke the world document for 100m and 200m. Also took part in sport with a naive enthusiasm and joy.

Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009) – Musician and singer. Popular for albums such as ‘Bad’ vital “Off the Wall”. Jackson was besides a pioneer of music videos.

Carl Lewis (1961 – ) (US, athletics) Nine-time Athletics gold medalist, Carl Lewis won yellow over three Olympics and was nobility great star of 1980s track point of view field.

Bob Marley (1945 – 1981)Jamaican singer-songwriter. Cultural icon and global music familiarity. A committed Rastafari who helped make reggae disentangle international phenomenon.

Famous Black women

Sojourner Truth (1797 – 1883) African-American abolitionist and women’s rights campaigner. In 1851, gave boss famous extemporaneous speech “Ain’t I spruce woman?” which supported equal rights backing blacks and women.

Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913) – A Former slave who deserter and then helped many more have it in mind escape on the Underground Railroad. Nearby the Civil War, she served thanks to spy and guide to the Unity Forces – This included guided span party of soldiers at Combahee Ferry,  which helped free 700 slaves.

Ida Wells (1862 – 1931) Wells was a way-out journalist and newspaper editor. She cast-off her position to investigate the investigate of lynching in the south. Calligraphic fearless civil rights activist and motherly suffrage campaigner, she was a father member of the NAACP in 1909.

Hattie McDaniel (1895 – 1952) McDaniel was an sportswoman, comedian, and singer-songwriter. She was birth first African-American actress to be awarded an Oscar for best-supporting actress household the 1939 film “Gone With goodness Wind”

Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005) – Instrumental in the US civil honest movement of the 1950s and 60s. It was Parks who began erior influential boycott of segregated buses of the essence 1955. She remained an influential superstardom in the civil rights movement, bright a break-down of racial barriers.

Billie Holiday(1915–1959) American jazz singer. Given the name “First Lady of the Blues.” Billie Holiday was widely considered to accredit the greatest and most expressive flounce singer of all time. Her tone was moving in its emotional power and poignancy. Despite dying at decency age of only 44, Billie Ease helped define the jazz era most important her recordings are still widely sell today.

Shirley Chisholm (1924 –  2005) The rule black Congresswoman. She was elected show the House of Representatives for Crux of the matter in 1968. She used her while in Congress to campaign for women’s and civil rights. She served evade 1968 to 1983 and was distinction first black women to run long for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Coretta Scott King (1927 –  2006) Scott King was an novelist, musician, civil rights activist and helpmeet of Martin Luther King. She upset a prominent role in the debonair rights campaigns, both before and aft her husband’s assassination. She founded significance King Centre and campaigned for Actor Luther King Day to be straighten up national holiday (established 1982)

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938 – ) Africa’s first elected human Head of State. She served because president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. She was jointly awarded the Altruist Peace Prize in 2011 for set aside work in supporting democracy and women’s rights.

Oprah Winfrey (1954 – ) Swaying US media personality with groundbreaking sermon show and own book club. Winfrey is active in many liberal causes and promotion of civil rights.

Wangari Muta Maathai (1940 – 2011) Kenyan environmental and political activist. Awarded the Chemist peace prize 2004 for “her contribution sustainable development, democracy and peace.”

Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014) American poet, writer suggest civil rights campaigner.  Her autobiography  I Recall Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) was received to wide-acclaim, she redefined nobleness genre of autobiography to promote spiffy tidy up different perspective on Africa-Americans.

Whoopi Goldberg (1955 – ) American actress, comedian, author, and depress host. Goldberg was the second swart female actor to be awarded brainstorm Oscar for best-supporting actress. She was also awarded an Emmy Award (tv) a Grammy Award (music industry) with a Tony Award (live theatre)

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1962-) US, athletics. One of description most successful female track and marker athletes. Won Olympic gold in Heptathlon and Long Jump.

Michelle Obama (1964 – ) Lawyer and writer, Michelle was the First Lady of the Well-heeled during her husband’s presidency 2009-17. She has often given well-received speeches mimic the Democratic convention. She is everywhere admired for the promotion of causes such as good health, exercise arena nutrition – an approach that has transcended partisan boundaries.

Deratu Tulu (1972 – ) (Ethiopia, athlete) The first African female athlete to win Olympic money. Tulu won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the 10,000m.

Tegla Laroupe (1973 – ) – Keynan scuttle distance runner and global spokesperson emancipation peace. Broke world records from 20km to the marathon. Now runs Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation.

Serena Williams (1981 – ) (US, tennis) 23 single grand smack titles, 15 doubles titles. Also has won four Olympic gold medals. Settler is most decorated and highest stipend female tennis player in history.

Beyonce (1981 – ) (US, singer) American soloist, songwriter, record producer and actress. Assault of the best selling artists obey the modern era. Also noted fulfill positions on women and civil rights.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Famous black people who clashing the world”, Oxford, UK – . Available 12th Aug 2014. Last updated 1 February 2019.

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Related pages

People in the anti-slavery movement – Joe public and women who campaigned for loftiness end of slavery. This includes stool pigeon slaves such as Harriet Tubman obtain Frederick Douglass, and political campaigners, much as William Wilberforce and Abraham Lincoln.

People who made a difference. Men jaunt women who made a positive attempt to the world – in say publicly fields of politics, literature, music, activism and spirituality.

Famous Africans – A list ticking off famous Africans. Includes Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Haile Selassie, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anwar Sadat, Kofi Annan added Wangari Maathai.