(Summary at the bottom)

Black History Month (BHM) is a time to learn about, recognize and celebrate the history and culture of Black communities around the world. The month began as a way to ensure that Black history would be acknowledged and shared. Over time, it has grown into a global observance focused not only on history but also on visibility and recognition.

 

Throughout this month, we will be sharing newspost every week focusing on important people and places within Black history and culture. In previous newsposts about BHM, we have explained BHM in more detail, including why it exists, how it can be marked and ways we can show support and solidarity. If you’d like to explore that further, you can check out those posts linked here.

BHM 2025 NEWSPOST
BHM 2024 NEWSPOST

 

 

BLACK HISTORY MONTH - WEEK 2: Powerful Women Who Changed History

 

BHM is also a time to recognize the contributions of black women, whose leadership and impact have often been overlooked in historical narratives. This week, we highlight 2 women whose actions and determination helped shape history in powerful ways: Claudette Colvin and Shirley Chisholm.

 

Claudette Colvin was born on 5th September 1939 in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1955, at just 15 years old, she refused to give her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks. Her arrest became a key part of the civil rights movement. Claudette was also one of the plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark court case that ultimately ruled bus segregation unconstitutional in the US.

 

Despite her bravery, her story was largely overlooked at the time due to her age and social circumstances. She later lived a quiet role, but her role in history has since been rightfully recognized.

 

Claudette Colvin passed away in January 2026 at the age of 86, leaving a powerful legacy that reminds us all that courage knows no age and that lasting change often begins with young voices.

 

Shirley Chisholm made history as the first black woman elected to the US Congress in 1968. She was also the first black woman to seek the nomination for president of the United States from a major political party. Beyond breaking political barriers, she was also a founder of several important organizations that worked to advance equality and representation. She helped found the Congressional Black Caucus, an organization made to ensure that Black voices were represented in U.S. policymaking. She was also a co-founder of the National Women's Political Caucus, which focused on increasing women's participation and leadership in politics.

 

Known for her famous phrase “unbought and unbossed”, she advocated fiercely for civil rights, gender equality, education and social justice. She refused to be silenced, using her platform to speak up for communities that were often ignored.

 

Why do these women matter?

Claudette Colvin and Shirley Chisholm represent different forms of power: resistance and institutional leadership. Together, their stories remind us that Black history is shaped not only by famous names, but by everyday bravery and the refusal to accept injustice.

 

While we highlight these powerful women this week, they are part of a much larger legacy of Black women who shaped history across different generations.

 

• Rosa Parks: Also called “the mother of the civil rights movement," invigorated the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Alabama.
  
  
• Angela Davis: Activist and author whose work continues to influence conversations around justice and equality.
  
  
• Maya Angelou: Poet and writer whose words gave voice to Black womanhood and identity.
  
  
• Audre Lorde: Writer and activist who challenged systems of oppression and emphasized the power of intersectionality.
  
  
• Wangari Maathai: Political activist and the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

These women and many others remind us that Black history has been shaped by Black women’s leadership, creativity and resistance.

 

Their impact continues to inspire generations today.

 

Summary:

• Black History Month Week 2 highlights Black women whose impact is often overlooked, focusing on Claudette Colvin and Shirley Chisholm.

• Claudette Colvin was just 15 when she refused to give up her bus seat in 1955 and later helped end bus segregation through a landmark court case.

• Shirley Chisholm broke political barriers as the first Black woman in Congress and the first to run for president from a major party.

• Their stories show that change comes from both everyday courage and leadership inside powerful institutions.

 

With love,

and the Inclusivity Group.