Written by Kaileen Valencia
It’s important to take time to appreciate the significance and contributions of historical Black heroes– not only during Black History month, but every other month to follow. While there are many well recognized and influential Black legends,– such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Harriet Tubman –there are several other icons with legacies worthy of praise. Here are 5 unsung Black heroes that have changed the world, and deserve to be acknowledged and appreciated in the public eye.
1. Ella Baker: The Woman Behind the Civil Rights’ Curtain
Ella Josephine Baker was a speaker, activist and advocate for civil rights, and is even noted as one of the most prominent figures in the civil rights movement. She came to Atlanta in 1957 to assist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in initiating the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She was conflicted with Martin Luther King Jr. as she felt he was too authoritative and motivated others too little. In her philosophy, she vocalized that “strong people don’t need strong leaders.” Ella Baker was a strong believer in encouraging ordinary individuals to work together and lead themselves. Although Baker preferred to remain mostly behind the curtain and encourage others to become leaders, she formed the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and worked relentlessly to further build a new generation of human rights advocates. Her legacy remains today through the Ella Baker Centre, today’s media representations, and biographical books and websites.
2. Carrie Best: Nova Scotia’s First Black Newspaper Publisher
Carrie Best published The Clarion– the very first Black newspaper in Nova Scotia. She advocated to convey the realities of a time where Black women’s voices were silenced and neglected. In 1941, Carrie Best and her son were arrested for sitting in the “whites-only” area of the same theatre Viola Desmond was segregated in– the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow. She believed that from the forefront she created a sense of dignity and self-esteem, which was a foreshadowing of the woman she would become. She would defy odds and become an author, publicist, and courageous freedom fighter. Her contributions as a journalist and human rights activist have granted her a place in the heart of Nova Scotian and Canadian history.
3. Floyd Norman: Sleeping Beauty’s “Apprentice In-betweener”
Have you ever watched Sleeping Beauty, Monster’s Inc, The Jungle Book, or any of the Toy Story films? If so, then you have seen the beautiful work of Disney’s first black animator, Floyd Norman. Over several years, Floyd Norman has been a part of making the classics of Disney and Pixar come to life. Having first worked as an in-betweener for Sleeping Beauty, he then became the first African-American animator to stay on a long-term basis. Floyd Norman soon left Disney Studios to start Vignette Films Incorporated with Leo Sullivan. Together, they became the first company that created black historical films, and produced segments for Sesame Street and Hey, Hey, Hey It’s Fat Albert. Floyd Norman is currently 85 years old and continues to work with Disney without a title or any pay: he believes that he’d rather do something he loves and receive nothing than “just [sit at] home on the porch.”. The documentary “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life” was released on the United States’ Netflix in 2016 and he was nominated to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Education and Outreach Committee that same year.
4. Gwendolyn Brooks: The Passionate Poet
Gwendolyn Brooks is among the most well-revered, remarkable, and widely read poets of American poetry in the 20th century. She was a well-respected poet, who had the honour of becoming the first black writer to receive the Pulitzer Prize. She was the first black woman to become a poetry consultant at the Library of Congress, and a poet from the State of Illinois. Her poems shed light on the black experience, covering subjects such as racism, drugs, and poverty. Brooks was recognized to have sought to promote an appreciation of black culture through her literature. Often recognized as a pioneer of creative writing and poetry, Brooks also travelled to libraries, classrooms, drug recovery centers, and jails to read her work. She died in December 2000 at the age of 83 due to cancer, but her alluring and compelling literature still thrives today.
5. Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson
Last but not least, we have Marsha P. Johnson: the “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind,” of which she responded every time someone questioned her gender. Marsha P. Johnson had a powerful presence in the Stonewall Inn protest movement in 1969. She died in 1992 and was found dead in the Hudson River, with police governing it a suicide. Ever since, there has been increasing acknowledgement of her sacrifices to the issues of social and economic justice. As well as being an activist, Johnson was a drag artist and member of New York’s urban culture. Her passing in 1992 went uninvestigated by the mainstream media. Today–nearly 30 years later–Johnson is receiving the visibility she was rejected while she was alive. Too much of our understanding of Marsha P. Johnson comes from the stories of people who didn’t look like or come from the same position as her. Since transgender people are now recieving more recognition and acknowledgement both around the world and in the media, there has become a strong necessity to bring the Institute to BLACK trans people who are fighting–seeking to thrive and longing for a culture.
Everyone should continue to remember the significance of historical Black figures outside of Black History Month, since they have created spaces for many well-known faces of the 21st century to flourish today.
Celebrate Black History every day, not just during the shortest month of the year!
Image Credits