February is Black History Month and there are countless amazing and phenomenal African American women who have inspired us. Some are still alive while others are resting peacefully. To honor these gems, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most influential African American women in history. Narrowing it down to just 10 was extraordinarily hard as the list is truly endless, so this is just the tip of the iceberg. This list is in no particular order but is made up of a diverse bunch from the community. We are proud to call them sisters. We are proud to call them icons and, most importantly, we are proud to walk the same earth as them.
Ava DuVernay
It is one thing to be a double major at UCLA but it is quite another to go on to have a successful film career and that is just what Ava did. She became the first African American female director to be nominated for an Oscar, the first to direct a feature film with a budget of over $100 million (A Wrinkle in Time, co-starring Oprah), and has been nominated for several awards and walked away with a couple of Primetime Emmys. She even had a Barbie made in her likeness that was auctioned off and became so popular that a collectible version was created and sold. Do you have a Barbie made of you?
Oprah Winfrey
Since we were just speaking of her . . . Not only is she an actress (The Color Purple, anyone?) but she is also an entrepreneur, editor, a weight-loss advocate, a media mogul, and after an impactful speech at this year’s Golden Globes, Oprah’s name was thrown around as a presidential candidate for 2020. She loves to give, is always involved in charities, shares her favorite things with her audiences, and even gave $1 million to her bestie Gayle King so she would know what it was like to be a millionaire. #Oprah2020
Rosa Parks
She refused to give up her seat on a bus in 1955 and this has been her legacy to this day. In her autobiography, Parks said of that day: “People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” A true icon if ever there was one.
Laverne Cox
Being different is never easy but add being African American and transgender and that opens a whole new can of worms. Though she will not reveal her pre-transition name, the college-educated Cox made a name for herself on Orange Is the New Black. The show has become a family affair in that her twin brother plays the male version of her character, which has garnered her a Primetime Emmy nod, the first for a transgender person. She has won a Daytime Emmy for Orange is the New Black and has received fourteen awards and honors. Be proud to be who you are; if Laverne can then so can you!
Michelle Obama
The first lady who dances, performs “Carpool Karaoke” with James Corden, initiates healthy eating programs for children, loves her family, and should be the next vice-president (along with Oprah). This is Michelle Obama. A Princeton and Harvard Law School graduate, the lawyer turned the first lady spent eight years smiling, welcoming others, and changing lives. #WinfreyObama2020
Maya Angelou
She wrote striking, impactful words, spoke so eloquently and was ever so honest. She had her son, Guy, at age seventeen and was known for I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She spoke at President Clinton’s inauguration, and Oprah counts herself a fan. It was a sad day when Angelou passed in 2014 at age eighty-six. She is someone you should read about, along with her own works.
Tina Turner
At seventy-eight, she’s still “simply the best.” Born Anna Mae Bullock, she fought through an abusive marriage to Ike Turner and has been a musical icon since 1958. In 2013, she wed Erwin Bach. She became pregnant at eighteen and was thrown out of her home, eventually finding solace with Ike, who later adopted her son. The two had another child together and Tina went on to care for Ike’s other two children post-split, despite his claims that they were never legally married. She had many down periods but was able to pick herself up in the classiest of Tina ways and has won twelve Grammys. What’s love got to do with it? Ask Tina!
Harriet Tubman
Born Araminta Ross in 1822, she was a Civil War nurse, suffragist, and civil rights activist, utilizing the Underground Railroad to get slaves to safety. She cared about all people, men, and women, not just those of her race but the other races as well. Be like Harriet.
Lisa Leslie
Three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Leslie is not just a sports figure but a model and actress with an MBA from the University of Phoenix. I believe anything is possible and she has proven this.
Whoopi Goldberg
Controversial, yes. Awesome, absolutely. Born Caryn Elaine Johnson, Goldberg is not just an actress and co-host but the creator of a line of marijuana-infused products to help women suffering from severe menstrual cramps. From studies that have been done, it appears that they actually work. She’s an Oscar winner with dyslexia, had a daughter at eighteen, and is an active LGBTQ advocate. Thank you, Whoopi.
There is no way to thank all the amazing women who have shaped our lives and continue to do it selflessly but all we can say is thank you to the moon and back and hope we can display half the dignity and honor that they have and continue to do.