10 Black Moms in History You Should Know About

With the ongoing protests against racial injustice in the United States, there is no better time to pay tribute to black mothers in history. These women not only left indelible marks through their social influence in society but they also nurtured and cared for their children – both biological and adopted.

Motherhood is generally an unrivalled experience. But for black mothers – especially at the forefront of prejudice based on skin colour, it is about living against the odds and swimming against the tides of centuries-old institutionalized discrimination.

More importantly, it is about raising children who know and do better, who are taught to first be human before any other thing, even though the world does not reciprocate.

We have compiled this list to recognize and celebrate these ten women you should know about who have led new directions, stirred conversations, and rebelled against the status quo in the discussion of race alongside shouldering the everyday responsibility of being mothers:

1. Harriet Tubman, Freedom Fighter, Abolitionist, and Spy (circa 1822 – 1913)

The most intriguing fact about Harriet Tubman is that she not only escaped from slavery herself, after working on a plantation all her life, but she also returned to help her family and other slaves escape into freedom. Through the Underground Railroad, a system of secret routes and safe houses, Tubman was able to succeed in the dangerous mission of rescuing slaves over long distances. She led the Combahee Ferry Raid in South Carolina, which resulted in the liberation of over 700 slaves, making her the first woman to lead a military expedition. Her continuous heroic acts earned Tubman the alias ‘Moses’. Apart from being a saviour to slaves, Tubman was also mother to an adopted infant girl, Gertie, with her second husband Nelson Davis. Her resilience is indeed worthy of emulation. Tubman’s life story has been adapted into an eponymous biopic and was released in 2019.

2. Madame CJ Walker, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Political & Social Activist (1867 – 1919)

Long before she became known by the moniker ‘Madam CJ Walker’, Sarah Breedlove was a hair care and cosmetics entrepreneur. Although she became a widow at barely 20 years, Breedlove was determined to send her daughter A’Leila to school even though her job as a laundress barely earned her up to a dollar daily. Walker learned the trade of the hair care industry while selling products for Annie Malone, an African-American hair care entrepreneur who would later be Walker’s biggest rival in the industry. She would later develop her product line which expanded beyond the United States and into Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and other South American countries. Walker got an education by enrolling in a night school and later rose to become the first, self-made African-American millionaire woman, engaging in philanthropy and activism. Her daughter A’Leila was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. A Netflix miniseries which portrays Madam CJ Walker’s life premiered in March 2020.

3. Josephine Baker, Performer, War Hero, and Activist (1906 – 1975)

Mother of the “Rainbow Tribe”, Josephine Baker is famous for her activism in the NAACP days fighting against discrimination and helping the French Army during the Second World War (1939-1945). On the home front, Baker called herself Mother of the Rainbow Tribe because she was also the adoptive mother of 12 children, who were from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, a pointer to the fact that humanity is the first and most important thing regardless of race or skin colour.

4. Maya Angelou, Poet and Civil Rights Activist (1928 – 2014)

The iconic poet Maya Angelou rose to fame after the publication of I know why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), the first of seven autobiographies chronicling her life experiences. But before then, Angelou broke a record in history by being the first black woman cable car conductor in San Francisco. While this may not sound too fancy, it would be the first of many achievements. Maya, who would later earn one of the highest honours in America – the Presidential Medal of Freedom was a single mother to her son Guy Johnson at 17. She supported her family by working multiple jobs as a waitress and a cook, while but not compromising on her dreams to write poetry. She eventually became an award-winning writer, musician, actress, dancer, director, journalist, political activist, and educator.  

5. Dr Mayme Clayton, Collector, Librarian, and Historian (1923 – 2006)

Dr Clayton dedicated her life to building a collection of black literature, documents, photographs, films, books, and memorabilia. According to her, it is important for children to “know that black people have done great things” and this is what she set out to do. She accumulated a vast collection which would subsequently grow to become a treasured resource for scholars and communities in Los Angeles and abroad. Beyond this, Dr Clayton was a wife and mother to three sons, Avery, Lloyd, and Renai. Her eldest son Avery became the executive director of the Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum (MCLM) which was instituted to house the extensive collection after it outgrew the garage of her home.

6. Ruby Dee, Activist Actor, Screenwriter, Songwriter (1922 – 2014)

Award-winning actress of stage and screen performances, Ruby Dee and her husband Ossie Davis were both active players in the Civil Rights Movement and shared close ties with leading figures, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. But when the star actress-cum-songwriter wasn’t doing her thing as an entertainer, she was being a mother to their son Guy. The mother-and-son duo would later compose music together written Dee and directed by Davis for the family musical Take It from the Top!

7. Nina Simone, Singer and Activist (1933 – 2003)

We’d be right to say Nina Simone is one of the most versatile singers of all time, with her songs cutting across several genres of music. Her voice? There’s nothing like it! She began her career as a singer, performing covers and originals from jazz, blues, spirituals, pop, soul and folk music. Some of her most notable songs were ‘Civil Rights songs such as Young, Gifted, and Black and Mississippi Goddam. Asides her remarkable career, Simone had a daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, who was also a talented singer.

8. Katherine Johnson, Mathematician, NASA Scientist, 1918-2020)

Katherine Johnson was one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist and human-computer whose calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first and subsequent spaceflights of the United States’ NASA – which was called NACA until 1958. She and her husband, James Goble had three children, Constance, Joylette and Katherine. Her laudable work along with that of other women who helped the inaugural crewed flight to space was portrayed and recognized in a 2016 movie titled Hidden Figures.

9. Dr Shirley Jackson, Physicist and Educator (born August 5, 1946)

Dr Shirley Jackson is the first African-American woman to have received her PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Theoretical Solid State Physics. Her work which spans over 40 years has contributed to companies such as Bell Telephone and AT&T Bell Laboratories. Dr Jackson, who also sits as the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has won numerous awards. She is also the inventor of the Caller ID and Call Waiting features which are used in communication today. When she’s not teaching at prestigious universities or serving on boards, Dr Jacksoon plays her role as mom to her son Alan along with her physicist husband, Dr Morris A. Washington.

10. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, Lawyer, Congresswoman, and Politician(born October 5, 1932)

Yvonne Brathwaite Burke was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress. She is also one of the first black women to be admitted to the University of Southern California Law School. Outside of her official responsibilities, she is mother to Autumn who was born in 1973.

These incredible women have broken astounding records, blazed the trail for future generations and pressed for change where it matters the most. More so, they did it while raising their children, with a heart full of love and a great deal of girl power!