Women's History Month: Black Pioneers List Celebrating 'First Of Many'

UPDATED: 6:00 a.m. ET, March 1, 2021

The month of March is recognized as Women’s History Month and is dedicated to the celebration of everyday women, as well as pillars and pioneers whose accomplishments have allowed for following generations to feel empowered to constantly break barriers.

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Black women, in particular, have been accomplishing the unthinkable for centuries and NewsOne is highlighting some of these women and their feats.

And while this list would obviously be incomplete without the inclusion of Kamala Harris — the first woman and Black woman to be vice president and the highest-ranking woman in the history of American government — her impressive accomplishment is among dozens of other achievements that Black women have steadily been realizing for many decades.

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The month-long celebration of women dates back to 1980 when former President Jimmy Carter issued the first Proclamation, which declared the week of March 8, 1989, as National Women’s History Week, according to the National Women’s History Museum.

In March of 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, proclaiming March as Women’s History Month.

“Throughout history, women have driven humanity forward on the path to a more equal and just society, contributing in innumerable ways to our character and progress as a people,” said former President Barack Obama in his 2016 Women’s History Month Presidential Proclamation. “In the face of discrimination and undue hardship, they have never given up on the promise of America: that with hard work and determination, nothing is out of reach. During Women’s History Month, we remember the trailblazers of the past, including the women who are not recorded in our history books, and we honor their legacies by carrying forward the valuable lessons learned from the powerful examples they set.”

Obama continued, “Because of the courage of so many bold women who dared to transcend preconceived expectations and prove they were capable of doing all that a man could do and more, advances were made, discoveries were revealed, barriers were broken, and progress triumphed. Whether serving in elected positions across America, leading groundbreaking civil rights movements, venturing into unknown frontiers, or programming revolutionary technologies, generations of women that knew their gender was no obstacle to what they could accomplish have long stirred new ideas and opened new doors, having a profound and positive impact on our Nation.”

Keep reading to find our curated list of Black women pioneers in history as well as the present day.

1. Kamala Harris, first woman and Black woman Vice President of the United States

“Herstory” was made on Jan. 20, 2021, when Kamala Harris was sworn in to become the first Black and South Asian woman Vice President of the United States.

Donning the colors purple and wearing a string of pearls in tribute to her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Harris took the pledge while placing her left hand on a bible that belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court Justice.

2. Barbara Jordan, First Black Woman Elected Into Congress from the South

3. Bianca Smith, MLB’s first Black woman coach

Bianca Smith was hired as a minor league coach for the Red Sox, making her the first Black woman coach in the MLB’s 151-year history.

The athlete-turned-coach has a storied sports career. Smith played softball at the New England-based Dartmouth college and went on to serve in coaching roles at Case Western Reserve in Ohio, the University of Dallas, and most recently Carroll University in Wisconsin. Her appointment with the Red Sox isn’t her first experience with the MLB. She served as an intern in the baseball operations departments for the Cincinnati Reds and the Texas Rangers. Smith credits her mother for introducing her to the game.

“My mom was a fan, not the extent I am where I watch games every day,” she said. “Even if my team isn’t playing, I’m watching a game on MLB.tv; my mom would feel like we actually had to go to the games. She didn’t like watching them on TV. But once she introduced the game to me, I fell in love with the strategy. I should have known then that I wanted to coach.”

4. Mae C. Jemison, First Black Woman in Space

5. Amanda Gorman, the nation’s youngest inaugural poet

Amanda Gorman, the nation’s first youth poet laureate, captivated the hearts of Americans and likely anyone else who was listening to her deliver the Inauguration poem on Jan. 20, 2021. In doing so, the 23-year-old became the nation’s youngest inaugural poet.

The Harvard University graduate whose work focuses on the area where feminism, race, youth and community intersect, delivered her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” which touched on a number of topics du jour, including race and national unity.

Read the full poem here.

6. Bessie Coleman, First Black Woman Pilot

7. Mellody Hobson, first Black woman to chair Starbucks' board

Mellody Hobson was appointed to serve as the chairwoman of Starbucks’ board of directors, marking the first time a Black woman will be at the helm of the world’s largest coffeehouse chain’s board.

The Chicago native and Princeton University graduate has been a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion within major corporations and previously served on the boards of companies such as DreamWorks Animation, Estée Lauder and Groupon. 

8. Mary Jackson, First Black Woman to Work for NASA

9. Meisha Ross Porter, first Black woman to be NYC Schools Chancellor

10. Hattie McDaniel, First Black Woman to Win an Academy Award

11. Jennifer King, First Black Woman NFL Coach

12. Alice Coachman, First Black Woman To Win an Olympic Gold Medal

13. Oprah Winfrey, First Black Woman Billionaire

14. Madam C.J. Walker, First Black Woman Millionaire

15. Nia DaCosta, first Black woman to direct a Marvel movie

Nia DaCosta has been confirmed as the director for “Captain Marvel 2” for Marvel Studios, making her the fourth woman to direct a Marvel Studios picture and the first Black woman to do so.

The NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate also has directing credits on “Top Boy,” the British television drama about two London drug dealers which streams on Netflix.

“Captain Marvel 2” was given a tentative release date of July 8, 2022.

16. Mariya Russell, First Black Woman Chef to Earn a Michelin Star

17. Whoopi Goldberg, First Black Woman to Win EGOT (Academy Award, 1990), (Emmy, 2002 & 2009), (Grammy, 1985) and (Tony, 2002)

18. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, First Black Woman to Become a Doctor of Medicine in the U.S.

19. Serena Williams, First Black Woman to Win a Career Grand Slam in Tennis

20. Loretta Lynch, First Black Woman to be Attorney General of the U.S.

21. Stacey Abrams, First Black Woman to be a Major Party Nominee for State Governor