DR. MARIE MAYNARD DALY (1921-2003) Dr. Marie Maynard Daly was an American biochemist whose research helped advance the fields of molecular biology, cell metabolism, and cardiovascular disease. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. degree in chemistry in the United States. Marie Maynard Daly was born in Queens, NY in 1921. … Read more

MICHELLE OBAMA (b. 1964) Michelle Obama is a lawyer, writer, philanthropist, and former First Lady. As First Lady, she focused her attention on social issues such as poverty, education, and healthy living. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson was born in 1964 in Chicago, IL and has an older brother. Raised with an emphasis on education, she and … Read more

BARBARA SMITH (b. 1946) Barbara Smith is a Black lesbian feminist pioneer, scholar, activist, lecturer, author, and publisher.  Smith was born in Ohio in 1946 and has a twin sister named Beverly. Their mother died when they were 9, leaving her in the care of her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Academics and activism were … Read more

KATHERINE JOHNSON (1918-2020) Katherine Johnson was one of NASA’s human computers, performing the complex calculations that enabled humans to go to space and return home safely.  Katherine Johnson (née Coleman) was born in 1918 in West Virginia. She was a bright child with a gift for numbers and complete 8th grade by the time she … Read more

MISS MAJOR GRIFFIN-GRACY (b. 1940s) Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, often referred to as Miss Major, is an American author, activist, and organizer for transgender rights. She has spent the last 50 years fighting for her trans and gender noncomforming community.  Miss Major was born in Chicago, IL in the 1940s and assigned male at birth (AMAB). … Read more

PAULI MURRAY (1910-1985) Pauli Murray was a civil rights activist, advocate, legal scholar, and later in life, an Episcopal priest. Murray’s work influenced the civil rights movement and helped to expand legal protections for gender equality. Murray — born Anna Pauline Murray — was born in Maryland and was the fourth of six children. Murray’s mother … Read more

SEPTIMA POINSETTE CLARK (1898-1987) Septima Poinsette Clark was a teacher and civil rights activist who was a fierce advocate for literacy, education, and social progress. Clark is often referred to as the “Mother of the Civil Rights movement” for her efforts in getting African Americans to register to vote.  Born in 1898 in South Carolina, … Read more