Black Girl Magic: Modern Day Firsts, A Black History Month Spotlight

Black History Month is a time to highlight and celebrate Black culture, history, accomplishments, and issues facing Blacks in America. In case you weren't aware, Black History Month was created by Carter G. Woodson , commonly referred to as the Father of Black History. Woodson is credited with being one of the first scholars to study and research the history of African Americans.

Throughout history, Black people have consistently shattered glass ceilings and broken down barriers of entry for others to follow. There are always a group of people who are the first to accomplish something great, perform a noble act, or contribute to society in a meaningful way. In celebration of Black History Month, this article offers a brief history lesson to highlight the "Black Girl Magic" of modern-day "firsts" to highlight women who are the trailblazers of our times.

As we wrap up Black History Month for 2023, I'd like to take a moment to recognize some amazing Black Women who have been the first to accomplish some remarkable achievements in modern times.

Listed below is a short list of Black women who have made significant accomplishments in their respective professions and a brief description outlining why they classify as the "first" in their category (in no particular order).

1. Michelle Obama - First Black woman to become First Lady of the United States.
2. Kamala Harris - First Black woman to be voted as Vice President of the United States.
3. Ketanji Brown Jackson - First Black woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
4. Condoleezza Rice - First Black woman to serve as Secretary of State for the United States.
5. Carla D. Hayden - First Black woman to serve as Librarian of Congress.
6. Oprah Winfrey - First Black woman billionaire (solo), first woman television show host, and first black woman to receive the prestigious Golden Globe Cecil B. Demille Award.

7. Loretta Lynch - First Black woman to become Attorney General of the United States.

8. Shiela Johnson - First Black woman to co-own a major cable TV network and become a Billionaire along with her former spouse. First Black woman to own stakes in three professional sports teams; WNBA Mystics, NBA Wizards, and NHL Capitals.

9. Shonda Rhimes - First Black woman to create and executive produce a top 10 network series.

10. Karine Jean-Pierre - First Black person/woman to serve as the White House Press secretary.

11. Karen Bass - First Black woman elected as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles being the first to lead the city.

12. Gabrielle Douglas - First Black woman to become individual all-around Olympic Champion.

13. Amanda Gorman - First Black woman to perform a poem at the Super Bowl (2021).

14. Tia Norfleet - First Black female licensed Nascar Driver (2016).

15. Keechant Sewell - First Black woman to lead the New York City Police Department as Police Commissioner in NY, NY.

16. Erin Jackson - First Black woman to win a gold medal for solo speed skating at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

17. Beyonce Knowles - First Black woman to win the Best Dance Electronic Album and First to beat the record for the most Grammy Awards won in history.

18. Missy Elliott - First Black female hip-hop artist nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

19. Mariya Russell - First Black woman to run a Michelin-starred restaurant (2019).

20. Janice Bryant Howroyd - First Black woman to operate a company (ActOne) that brings in a yearly revenue of $1 Billion plus.

21. Terry Davis - First Black female denim manufacturer (Brilliant You Denim) in the US.

22. Cathy Hughes - First Black woman to lead a publicly traded company and Founder of RadioOne, a broadcast media company.

23. Venus Williams - First Black woman to be ranked #1 in tennis.

24. Serena Williams - First Black woman to win a career grand slam in tennis and first to be named year-end world champion by the International Tennis Federation.

As you can see, this is merely a partial listing of "firsts" in the accomplishments of Black women in America, there are many others. If I were to list all of the achievements of Black women who have made history as the first to do something, it would be a book, not a short article.

In the spirit of celebrating "first" achievements, who is someone that has inspired you, be it male or female? What did they accomplish? Why was that accomplishment significant to you?

Please SHARE YOUR COMMENT below.

At the very least, I hope this article inspires ANY woman who sees it to know that you can do whatever you set your mind to do. Your goals are real and your dreams matter. To achieve anything great in life you need determination and resilience. Let this post be your sign, that the world awaits your brilliance.

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This post was written by Lori A. Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group - www.qualitymediaconsultants.com . Connect with Lori on LinkedIn, click here.