Celebrating Black History Month with Girl Scout Alums

February is Black History Month, and as we honor and celebrate those historical figures who made such an indelible impact on our country, I want to take the opportunity over the course of the next month to also highlight some of the incredible Black Girl Scout alums whose contributions to American cultural life will fill tomorrow’s history books. Today’s post will focus on the fields of entertainment and sports.

Tyra Banks is a television producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and model. She was once one of the world’s top-earning models, but she has gone on to pursue an incredibly varied career as a television and movie actress, host and executive producer of America’s Next Top Model, businesswoman, philanthropist, and young adult novelist.

Queen Latifah, who narrated Girl Scouts’ “Lifetime of Leadership” PSA two years ago, is a pioneering rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and producer who blazed trails for women in hip hop starting with her first album, All Hail the Queen, in 1989. She went on to have an incredibly successful music and acting career, and she was even nominated for an Oscar in 2002 for her role in the movie “Chicago”!

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a retired track and field athlete who won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals in four different Olympic Games. She holds the world record in the heptathlon, which is a track and field combined events contest involving seven events. Sports Illustrated voted her the greatest female athlete of the 20th century.

Tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams together have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and are unbeaten in Grand Slam doubles finals. Venus is the first African American woman to reach the No. 1 ranking in the modern era of tennis. She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other active female player—except for her sister! Serena holds the record for most Grand Slam singles titles in the modern era—the most of any man or woman since 1968. Both women have won four Olympic gold medals as well. They are truly two of the greatest athletes of all time.

Throughout their lives and careers, these amazing women have shown a go-getter spirit that is the hallmark of Girl Scouts everywhere. Girl Scouts is proud to call them alums and to have been such an impactful part of their lives.