These 45 Famous Black Women Are Forces to Be Reckoned With
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The ubiquitous term, “strong Black woman” may sound cliché, but there’s a reason why this phrase has been associated with this formidable group. Due to racial and gender inequities, Black women in this country have suffered countless setbacks and unfair treatment throughout history. Unfortunately, many of those injustices continue to persist today. Therefore, it takes incredible strength to persevere and reach unimaginable levels of success despite the barriers and roadblocks placed before them.
That’s why it’s important to celebrate and honor famous Black women who’ve paved the way for future generations. Sure, being strong may be an attribute that many famous and non-famous Black women possess, but it isn’t the only adjective to describe this demographic. Witty, funny, intelligent, talented, spiritual, political, creative, and artistic are just a few words that come to mind, but the list is virtually endless. Black women are not a monolith and their contributions to society can’t be quantified.
We’ve identified some famous Black women who rose above obstacles and made tremendous strides in their respective fields. From award-winning singers and actors to groundbreaking political activists and medical professionals, this robust list of famous Black women is sure to inspire, enlighten and delight.
While this round-up mostly features modern-day women, we must also acknowledge and honor those who came before them, including trailblazers and pioneers like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and countless others. Continue to expand your knowledge of Black history with our lists of powerful quotes that celebrate Black history and excellence and Black movies that should be required viewing.
Settle in and get ready to be wowed!
Beyoncé
How we know her: Singer, actress, filmmaker, entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: They don't call Beyoncé the Queen Bee for nothing. For starters, the Houstonian has made audiences say her name since the '90s.
The former Destiny's Child member has also had an extraordinary solo career that spans two decades. In fact, she is the most-nominated female artist in Grammy history, with 79 career nominations. What's more, she's taken home 32 of the coveted trophies.
In 2023, her Renaissance World Tour raked in more than $579 million worldwide. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, her documentary based on the groundbreaking tour, topped the box office with $21 million its opening weekend.
Issa Rae
How we know her: Writer, director, actress, producer, entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: Rae personifies the multi-hyphenate title. There's seemingly nothing she can't do. Those who have followed her career since her web series know that she's one of the most creative people in Hollywood.
The self-proclaimed "awkward Black girl" is best known for her hit HBO series, Insecure, which aired for five seasons from 2016-2021. The critically-acclaimed show earned 14 Emmy nominations and won one. Her follow-up to Insecure is Rap Sh!t, a dramedy that she created for HBO Max and is now in its second season. Rae has also starred in more than a dozen feature films, including her most recent role in American Fiction.
When she isn't gracing screens or working on scripts, she's launching various businesses. To date, she is part owner of Sienna Naturals, a vegan haircare line; co-owner of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a local hub for creatives, owner of HOORAE, a media company and most recently, Viarae, a Prosecco brand.
Michelle Obama
How we know her: Former First Lady, author, philanthropist and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: Obama became the first Black First Lady when her husband Barack Obama was sworn into office in 2008. During her time in D.C., she spearheaded initiatives such as Let's Move and worked to support veterans and military families.
She also focused on what she calls her most important role: Mom-in-Chief to her daughters, who grew into accomplished young women during their eight years in the White House.
Michelle has also written several books, including her best-selling memoir Becoming, which sold more than 725,000 copies in the U.S. and Canada on the first day of publication.
Today, the Obamas have a partnership with Netflix, which produces movies and series from their Higher Ground Productions company.
Sha'Carri Richardson
How we know her: Track and field athlete
Why she's praiseworthy: Richardson has given other track and field athletes a run for their money.
The Texan is a record-breaking sprinter who competes in the 100 meters and 200 meters races. Her claim to fame happened in 2019 when she was just a freshman at Louisiana State University. During this time she broke the 100m collegiate record at the NCAA Division I Championships with an impressive 10.75 seconds run.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, her first major outdoor international championships, the 23-year-old broke Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's Championship record to win the women's 100m world title in 10.65 seconds.
Halle Bailey
How we know her: Singer and actress
Why she's praiseworthy: Bailey may have gotten her start singing covers on YouTube, but today she's a Grammy-award nominated singer with a Disney film under her belt.
Her role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid remake was met with controversy and racist comments, but it didn't diminish her experience.
“The racism didn’t surprise me,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a little disappointing, but it’s bound to happen. I didn’t let it affect me and just focused on the positive response I was getting. This moment is so much bigger than any of that. Especially for the Black and brown babies out there, I hope they feel filled with love and confidence in who they are, because it’s essential that they see themselves in roles like these.”
Oprah Winfrey
How we know her: Media mogul, actress, author, and producer
Why she's praiseworthy: Winfrey has been a household name since the 1980s. The public may have known her for her popular TV talk show that aired for 25 years. But that accomplishment is just the tip of the iceberg for this multi-talented mogul.
The Nashville native launched her own magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine in 2000 where she graced the cover each month for two decades. In 2011, she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), a cable network that primarily focuses on content aimed toward African American women.
Winfrey is a media powerhouse and her latest project is producing The Color Purple, a remake of the feature film starring Fantasia and Taraji P. Henson.
Vice President Kamala Harris
How we know her: Vice President of the United States and attorney
Why she's worthy of praise: Harris is the first female vice president of the United States. That alone proves she's more than worthy to be included in this robust list.
Before being referred to as Madame VP, Harris was raised in Oakland by parents who emigrated from India and Jamaica. After graduating from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of Law, she joined the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office where she specialized in prosecuting child sexual assault cases.
In 2003, she was elected District Attorney of San Francisco. Following that role, she went on to become a U.S. senator. Today, as Vice President, she works in partnership with President Joe Biden to lead the nation.
Rihanna
How we know her: Singer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist
Why she's praiseworthy: Rihanna may have become famous for her pop and R&B chart-toppers, but this Barbadian beauty is more than a pretty face who can sing. Since her musical debut in 2005, the mom of two has sold more than 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks worldwide.
While her music career is laudable, her business acumen is just as impressive. She's the founder of Fenty Beauty, which boasts a net worth around $2.8 billion as of 2023. Rihanna also has a lingerie line called Savage x Fenty, which has more than 5 million followers on social media.
Her charity, the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), is named in honor of her parents and invests in climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean & United States and helps communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters.
Kizzmekia Corbett
How we know her: Viral immunologist
Why she's praiseworthy: When the world was fighting against the global Covid-19 pandemic, it was Corbett's work that helped the population obtain a vaccine.
As a research fellow and the scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Research Center (VRC) — it was her team's vaccine concept that was incorporated in mRNA-1273 and swiftly deployed to industry partner, Moderna, Inc.
Aside from her research activities, Corbett is also a member of the NIH Fellows Committee and an active advocate of STEM education and vaccine awareness.
Tracee Ellis Ross
How we know her: Actress, producer, and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: Ross may be the daughter of legendary singer-actress Diana Ross, but this Golden Globe winner is a multi-talented force in her own right.
In addition to starring in ABC's hit sitcom Black-ish for eight seasons, Ross is also a boss. In 2019 she founded Pattern Beauty, a hair care brand dedicated to Black people with curly hair textures. Since its launch, the line now has more than three dozen products.
“I wanted to create a line of products that gave our hair the support it needed to be its true self,” Ross says on the Pattern Beauty website.
Fatima Robinson
How we know her: Choreographer and creative director
Why she's praiseworthy: Before TikTok, it was Robinson's moves that people were mimicking in the mirror. While she may not have been the artist in front of the camera, she was the mastermind behind the dance steps executed by some of your favorite artists.
From choreographing the late Aaliyah's most famous videos to providing creative direction for popular spots for Target and the Gap, Robinson is the go-to person for projects that require eye-catching, unforgettable movement.
Her most recent choreography work includes The Color Purple musical film and Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour.
Maxine Waters
How we know her: Congresswoman
Why she's praiseworthy: Congresswoman Waters is known for her no-nonsense and outspoken demeanor. In her more than four decades of public service, the seemingly fearless Congresswoman has been at the forefront of often controversial issues.
Re-elected in November 2022 to her 17th term in the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 70 percent of the vote in the 43rd Congressional District of California, Congresswoman Waters represents parts of Los Angeles.
In 2019, she made history as the first woman and first African American Chair of the House Financial Services Committee.
Gayle King
How we know her: Broadcast journalist, television personality, and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Many know King as being Oprah Winfrey's best friend for more than 40 years, but what they probably don't know is that they met in the 1970s as young journalists. In fact, the two were working at Baltimore's WJZ station when a snowstorm caused King to be stranded and Winfrey invited her to seek refuge at her place.
“We became friends that first night because for the first time, I met somebody who I felt was like me,” King said in a 2006 interview in O, The Oprah Magazine. “I’d never met anybody like that. Certainly not another Black girl. I grew up in an all-white community.”
She also served as the editor-at-large at O, The Oprah Magazine for 20 years. King joined CBS news in 2011 and is currently the co-host of CBS Mornings.
Yara Shahidi
How we know her: Actress, producer, and activist
Why she's praiseworthy: Shortly after Shahidi got her start as a child model, she began landing roles on TV and film. The latter put her alongside iconic comedian-actor Eddie Murphy in the 2009 move, Imagine That.
As a teen, she scored a coveted role as Zoey on ABC's Black-ish for eight seasons. That character inspired Grown-ish, a spin-off where Shahidi stars on Disney's Freeform network.
In addition to her Hollywood ambitions, Shahidi is also a Harvard graduate.
Angela Bassett
How we know her: Actress, producer, and director
Why she's praiseworthy: Bassett has been gracing the big and small screens for decades.
From her role as Tina Turner in the 1993 box office hit, What's Love Got To Do With It, to her performance as the mother of the character T’Challa in Marvel's Black Panther franchise, the Academy Award-nominated actress has been in more than 50 movies over the course of her career.
Serena Williams
How we know her: Olympic gold medalist and tennis champion
Why she's praiseworthy: Born and raised in Compton, CA, Williams is known for shaking up women's tennis with her groundbreaking style of play and unique flair. Not to mention, she's won more Grand Slam singles titles than anyone — male or female — during the Open Era.
The accolades don't stop there. Williams and her sister, Venus, won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three doubles gold medals at the Olympics.
Williams retired in September 2022.
Symone D. Sanders-Townsend
How we know her: Host, author, conversationalist, strategist, and speaker
Why she's praiseworthy: In 2016, Sanders-Townsend's popularity grew as she was the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. At 25, she became the youngest presidential press secretary on record.
Several years later, the seasoned democratic strategist was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Today she is an author and the host of her namesake show, Symone, which explores issues at the intersection of politics, culture, and race. It airs on MSNBC and on Peacock.
Quinta Brunson
How we know her: Writer, producer, actress, and comedian
Why she's praiseworthy: Before she earned a Golden Globe for Best Performance for her breakout show Abbott Elementary, which tells the story of an underserved public school in Philadelphia, Brunson was a content queen. In addition to working at Buzzfeed, she produced viral videos and memes that made her an online sensation.
In 2019, she took her comedic genius to HBO where she worked alongside other Black women in the space, including Issa Rae, Robin Thede, Skye Townsend and more on the groundbreaking comedy series, A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Abbott Elementary is scheduled to return for its third season in February 2024.
Robin Roberts
How we know her: Broadcast journalist and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Roberts has been a mainstay on TV screens since the '90s. Before Americans started waking up to her on Good Morning America, she was an ESPN sportscaster for 15 years.
A survivor of breast cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disease of the bone marrow, Roberts uses her health challenges to educate others.
In fact, she won a Peabody Award in 2012 for her transparency and contribution to the public by sharing her health battles.
Viola Davis
How we know her: Actress and producer
Why she's praiseworthy: Davis is one of the few performers to earn the coveted EGOT title. Yes, that means she's won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Impressive, right?
Dedicated to her craft, Davis got her start performing in school plays as a child and in theater competitions. She graduated from Rhode Island College with a major in theater.
The decorated thespian later attended Young Peoples School for the Performing Arts in Rhode Island and eventually scored a scholarship to the prestigious Julliard School where she graduated from in 1994.
Simone Biles
How we know her: Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist
Why she's praiseworthy: As the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles is an undeniable dynamo.
Growing up a foster child, the 4-foot-8 athlete's love for gymnastics was sparked by a daycare field trip.
Biles has won 25 medals (19 of them gold) from the World Championship and seven medals (four gold) from the Olympics. She is also the first American woman to win seven national all-around titles and first female gymnast to earn three consecutive World All-Around titles.
In addition to her outstanding sports career, Biles is also a mental health advocate. In fact, she withdrew from the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to mental health struggles.
“It’s challenging to talk about how you’re doing mentally since it’s an invisible injury,” she told Good Housekeeping last year. “People can’t see it, so it’s harder to understand, but I think that’s why it’s so important we feel empowered to open up about it.”
Stacey Abrams
How we know her: Politician, voting rights activist, entrepreneur, and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Abrams is one of the most prominent and influential African American women in the political space.
She served the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, seven as Democratic leader — the following year she also became the Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia. Although she didn't win, her candidacy alone was a historic feat in of itself. No other African American woman in history has received a major party's nomination for governor — she was the first.
In addition to her political efforts, she has also launched multiple organizations devoted to voting rights, financial services, training and hiring young people of color, and tackling social issues at the state, national, and international levels.
She is also a New York Times best-selling author and the founder of Fair Fight, Fair Count, and the Southern Economic Advancement Project.
Misty Copeland
How we know her: Ballet dancer
Why she's praiseworthy: Copeland made history as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre.
At the late age of 13, she started her ballet studies and the rest is history. She was a prodigy who quickly rose through the ranks, changing the face of ballet one step at a time.
In addition to her classical dancing career, the California native has co-written her best-selling memoir, Life in Motion, as well as a children's book, Firebird.
Ava DuVernay
How we know her: Director, writer and producer
Why she's praiseworthy: DuVernay got her start as a junior publicist at an entertainment company. The California native parlayed her PR and marketing skills into writing and directing and hasn't looked back.
In 2010, her debut feature film, I Will Follow, which she financed, wrote, produced, and directed garnered critical praise. She's since gone on to write, direct, and produce for the big and small screens. Notable credits include, Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, 13th, When They See Us, and Queen Sugar, to name a few.
Loretta Lynch
How we know her: Former Attorney General
Why she's praiseworthy: Lynch made history as the first African American woman to hold the role of U.S. Attorney General. She served in this position for two years from 2015 to 2017. In that role she oversaw more than 100,00 employees across various agencies and offices.
Today, the Harvard alum advises clients on complex government and internal investigations and high-stakes litigation matters.
Janet Mock
How we know her: Activist, writer, director, and producer
Why she's praiseworthy: Mock has been blazing trails since her New York Times bestselling memoir, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More hit bookshelves in 2014.
Since then, the accomplished writer, producer, and director has worked on several shows including the Peabody and Emmy award-winning FX series, Pose. During her time with the show, she helped write scripts for fellow trans actress Indya Moore who played Angel.
“Writing her character Angel proved healing for me as a trans woman who had walked in those same platform shoes, longing for more than the crumbs society had thrown girls like us,” she wrote in a piece for Time.
The Honolulu native is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Harvard University’s Artist of the Year Award (2019), ESSENCE’s Black Women in Hollywood Award (2020), and Time's 100 most influential people list.
Fantasia Barrino
How we know her: Singer and actress
Why she's praiseworthy: After bringing the house down on American Idol and earning the top spot on the third season of the popular singing competition TV show, Barrino's star has continued to shine.
Her powerhouse vocals have kept her on the charts and on stages for two decades. The Grammy winner's latest accomplishment is being nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Celie in the musical film, The Color Purple.
“I don’t know what’s next,” she told Deadline after receiving the coveted nomination. “I would love to do more movies and challenge myself in other roles because I love working. But most importantly, I want to help heal as Celie did in this story. I am so proud of her. I want to share my home and bless people with resources and the things they need.”
Sheryl Lee Ralph
How we know her: Actress and singer
Why she's praiseworthy: Ralph has maintained relevance in the fickle entertainment industry for more than 40 years. That takes talent, drive, and unmatched tenacity.
Unlike many of her counterparts, her popularity spans generations. Some people know her for her performance in the 1981 Broadway production of Dreamgirls, while others are familiar with her work on Moesha in the '90s. Today, she's a household name thanks to her role on the award-winning ABC show, Abbott Elementary — which earned her her first Emmy in 2022.
Ibtihaj Muhammad
How we know her: Olympic medalist in fencing, activist, and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: In 2016, fencing champion Muhammad made history as the first Muslim American woman to wear a headscarf while competing for the United States in the Olympics, as well as for winning an Olympic medal wearing it.
In addition to her fencing career, the New Jersey native is also an entrepreneur and author. She's also one of the few people in the world who can say they have a Barbie in their likeness. In 2017, Mattel released their first hijab Barbie, modeled after Muhammad, as part of Barbie’s “Shero” line of dolls.
“To have Mattel approach me to be a part of their "Shero" campaign is an amazing honor,” she said in a 2017 ESPN interview. “I feel like I've always embraced being 'different' -- in respect to breaking boundaries, being an African American Muslim woman in the sport of fencing -- I feel blessed to have this partnership.”
In 2019, Muhammad was recognized as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador.
Tamron Hall
How we know her: Broadcast journalist, TV personality, and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Hall started her broadcast journalism career as a general assignment reporter in Texas.
Since then, she's worked in a variety of roles at NBC, including as a national news correspondent for NBC News, daytime anchor for MSNBC, host of the program MSNBC Live with Tamron Hall, and a co-host of Today's Take, the third hour of Today.
Today, she hosts her own nationally syndicated eponymous talk show, which has earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards.
Jennifer Hudson
How we know her: Singer and actress
Why she's praiseworthy: Hudson may not have won the third season of American Idol, but this Windy City native has been winning ever since.
She's one of the few entertainers who can proudly call themselves EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners). That coveted status is reserved for the talents at the top of the game and Hudson fits right in.
Today, she's the host of Jennifer, her nationally syndicated daytime talk show.
Carla Hall
How we know her: Chef, TV personality, author, and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: The public first met Hall when she was a contestant on Top Chef, the popular cooking competition show. Although she didn't snag the top prize, she didn't leave empty-handed.
The professionally-trained chef packed her knives and became a co-host on the popular lifestyle series The Chew, opened a restaurant in Brooklyn, guest-starred on countless TV shows, and authored several cookbooks.
Allyson Felix
How we know her: Track and field athlete
Why she's praiseworthy: Felix has been on the fast track to success since 2001 when she won her first her first international title in the 100 meters race.
Since then, her career took off and didn't slow down until her retirement in the 2022 season.
Felix is the most decorated female Olympian in track and field. She's won 11 Olympic medals—7 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze, which are also the most won by an American track and field athlete.
Sherri Shepherd
How we know her: Actress, TV personality, and comedian
Why she's praiseworthy: Shepherd has been a fixture in pop culture since the mid-90s.
The Daytime Emmy winner got her start doing stand-up, which eventually landed her guest roles on sitcoms and in movies, including Everybody Loves Raymond, The Jamie Foxx Show, and 30 Rock, to name a few.
Additionally, she was also a co-host on The View for seasons 11-17. Today, the Chicago native is the host of her nationally syndicated daytime talk show, Sherri.
Angela Davis
How we know her: Political activist and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Davis has been an advocate for social and racial justice since the Civil Rights Movement.
After graduating from Brandeis University in Massachusetts, she studied in Germany and completed a PhD in philosophy.
Once back on American soil, she turned her focus toward civil rights and became a professor of philosophy at the University of California at Los Angeles, where she was ultimately fired due to her activism.
In 1970, guns belonging to Davis were used in an armed takeover of a courtroom in Marin County, California, in which four people were killed. Prosecuted for three capital felonies—including conspiracy to murder—she was held in jail for 18 months before being acquitted of all charges in 1972.
During her time in jail, she became an international symbol of resistance by many. Today, she is the Distinguished Professor Emerita of the History of Consciousness at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She continues to lend her voice to social and racial issues.
Shiona Turini
How we know her: Costume designer, stylist, and consultant
Why she's praiseworthy: Ever watched HBO's Insecure and admired Issa's and Molly's outfits? If you didn't watch that award-winning show, maybe you marveled at the jaw-dropping ensembles showcased throughout Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour?
If you've seen the attire worn during either of these iconic productions, then you've seen Turini's work. This Bermuda native is the creative talent responsible for the outer layer of storytelling that's communicated through clothing.
The Hampton University alum is behind some of the biggest projects in entertainment and it's likely that the best is yet to come.
Halle Berry
How we know her: Actress, producer, and director
Why she's praiseworthy: Berry has made her mark in Hollywood. For starters, she's the first and only African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Monster's Ball in 2002.
“I do feel completely heartbroken that there's no other woman standing next to me in 20 years,” Berry said in an interview with ABC in 2022.
“I thought, like everybody else, that night meant a lot of things would change,” she added. “That there would be other women. I thought I would have the script truck back up to my front door and I'd have an opportunity to play any role I wanted. That didn't happen. No other woman is standing there.”
The former beauty pageant queen has starred in more than 50 movies over the course of her career.
Amy Sherald
How we know her: Painter
Why she's praiseworthy: Sherald is making the world a brighter and more colorful place thanks to her artistic talents.
The Georgia-born, New York City-based painter documents the contemporary African American experience through her award-winning work.
In 2016, Sherald was the first woman and first African American to ever receive the grand prize in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Her arresting portraits captivated audiences and even caught the eye of former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Two years after her groundbreaking win, Sherald was selected by Obama to paint her portrait as an official commission for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.
“I paint American people, and I tell American stories through my paintings,” Sherald said following the unveiling of the portrait. “I truly consider today to be a defining milestone in my life’s work.”
Shonda Rhimes
How we know her: Screenwriter, producer, showrunner, and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: Rhimes made a name for herself in Hollywood when she created, wrote and produced the popular series Grey's Anatomy, which is scheduled to return on ABC for its 20th season in 2024.
In addition to that award-winning show, Rhimes also created other well-loved series including Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, and Bridgerton — all of which fall under her production company, Shondaland.
The prolific writer continues to shake up the television and streaming landscape one script at a time.
“There’s always that feeling of competition with myself, the desire to do better than I did last time,” she said in an interview with Town and Country. “I’m always pushing myself to be better than I was before.”
Queen Latifah
How we know her: Actress, rapper, singer, producer, and author
Why she's praiseworthy: Latifah — born Dana Owens — popped on the hip hop music scene and has remained in show business for more than 30 years.
From music to acting to producing, Latifah is an all-around entertainer. The New Jersey native has maintained longevity thanks to her broad range.
You may see her hosting an awards show, rapping at a concert or exercising her acting chops on the big screen; Latifah's talents have no limits.
Viewers can watch her on CBS's hit drama series, The Equalizer, which returns on February 18, 2024.
Sheila Johnson
How we know her: Businesswoman and entrepreneur
Why she's praiseworthy: Johnson, along with her then-husband Robert, founded the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network in 1981.
After the couple sold the network to Viacom for nearly $3 billion in 2001, her knack for business and entrepreneurship only proliferated.
Today, Johnson — who is also an accomplished violinist — is noted as being America's first Black female billionaire. She is also the CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts. Additionally, her new memoir Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph, was released in 2023.
Condoleezza Rice
How we know her: Former Secretary of State and author
Why she's praiseworthy: George W. Bush appointed Rice the Secretary of State in 2004 — making her the first African American woman to serve in this role. She was in this position for five years before leaving in 2009.
“One of the most important ways that we must measure the value of our international community is by how effective we are in protecting and providing justice for the most vulnerable of our members,” she remarked at the UN Security Council in 2008. “When women and girls are preyed upon and raped, the international community cannot be silent or inactive. It is our responsibility to be their advocates and their defenders.”
Rice's best-selling memoir, Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me, was published the year following her departure from office.
Whoopi Goldberg
How we know her: Actress, talk show host, producer, and comedian
Why she's praiseworthy: Goldberg has been a fixture in entertainment since the '80s. While she started in stand-up comedy, she is now arguably one of the most popular celebrities in the world.
Multi-talented, the New York City native is currently a co-host on ABC's The View, where she's been for the past 16 years. She is also one of the few performers to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award — making her an illustrious EGOT member.
Nikki Giovanni
How we know her: Poet, author, and social commentator
Why she's praiseworthy: Giovanni is a world-renowned poet whose body of work stands the test of time. She's published numerous collections of poetry, many of which were influenced by her participation in the Black Arts and Black Power movements during the late 1960s.
The Fisk University alum's autobiography, Gemini, was a finalist for the 1973 National Book Award.
Giovanni has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the inaugural Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, the American Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, and the Virginia Governor’s Award for the Arts. She is also a seven-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award.
Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose (2020) is her most recent publication. Giovanni also has a a new HBO documentary, Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, which travels through time and space revealing her enduring influence.
Ruth E. Carter
How we know her: Costume designer
Why she's praiseworthy: Carter has paid her dues while paving the way for future Black costume designers. The Massachusetts native got her big break in the late 1980s working as the costume designer for several Spike Lee productions, including School Daze and the seminal film, Do the Right Thing.
What's more, the Hampton graduate was also the first African American to be nominated for the costume design Academy Award for her work on Lee's Malcolm X in 1993.
Since then, the two-time Oscar winner has outfitted some of Hollywood's biggest stars in film, television, and theater. But it was her work with Ryan Coogler on Marvel's Black Panther that has brought her the most joy.
“Creating Wakanda and designing Afrofuturistic looks where people can find their own beauty represented is the greatest gift of my career,” she wrote on her official website.
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