31 History-Making Black Americans Everyone Should Know

When it comes to pioneers in African American history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Muhammad Ali are often mentioned—and rightfully so. But what do you know about other Black history heroes, like Claudette Colvin, Alice Coachman, or Shirley Chisholm? If their names don’t immediately ring a bell, you’re not alone. Educators, activists, and historians have long been attempting to shine a light and pinpoint why so much African American history is missing from our nation’s curriculum. It should be recognized that a large part of America’s notable history includes African American history, innovation, and creativity.

“Those that populated the colonies were free people from communities in Africa with large-scale civilizations that had tax systems, that had irrigation systems, that had universities—they came from civilized nations that were advanced,” Daina Ramey Berry, a University of Texas at Austin history professor, told NBC. “That’s where the curriculum should begin; that’s the biggest omission, from my perspective.”

We’re shining a long-overdue spotlight on the hidden figures of untaught history who deserve to be celebrated for their contributions to civil rights, politics, the arts, and beyond. And remember to acknowledge their impact outside of Black History Month, as they’ve made way for many of the 21st century’s most famous faces to shine today.