Black Heroes You May Not Have Heard Of

Everyone has heard of Martin Luther King Jr,  Malcolm X and Rosa Parks, but there are others out there who have made a huge impact. Here are five Black heroes you may not have heard of.

Linda Brown- Does Brown v. Board of Education sound familiar to you? Well, this was the little girl who was barred from attending an elementary school because she was Black. She fought for equality in education and brought up the idea that segregations in schools was unlawful. She is one of the many reasons that schools aren’t segregated these days. Thanks, Linda Brown!

Fred Jones- A Black mechanic, entrepreneur, inductee of the Inventor’s Hall of Fame, AND winner of the National Medal of Technology. This man is the reason why we have mobile refrigeration! He also created the first portable air conditioning unit! This man was an innovator and forever changed the course of history with his inventions.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler- This woman was crucial to African-Americans back in 1864. She was a physician who cared for those in need and those who couldn’t afford care. She also was the first Black woman to become a doctor! Isn’t that amazing?? She went on to publish a book about women’s health and educated many. 

Matthew Henson- Henson was an explorer. He was a part of many expeditions, including one to the North Pole with Robert E. Peary. These men became the first to successfully make it to the North Pole! Fun fact: Henson was the one to place the American flag on the North Pole! 

Bayard Rustin- This man was a F-I-G-H-T-E-R.  A close ally of MLK, he fought for civil rights, socialism, non-violence AND LGBTQ+ rights. He should be talked about more often. Additionally, he led the Washington movement and fought for African-Americans to be able to have jobs. He’s written two books about his life and his experience fighting for the rights of African-Americans which you can find here and here at Brooklyn Public Library!