In 1966, she became the first African-American elected to the Texas Senate, and then just a few years later, she became the first woman and first African-American elected to Congress from Texas. Wally McNamee / Corbis via Getty ImagesĬivil rights leader and attorney Barbara Jordan was a political trailblazer. Her most well known work includes "Sister Outsider," a collection of her essays and speeches, and the semi-autobiographical "Zami: A New Spelling of My Name." BARBARA JORDAN (1936-1996) Barbara Jordan smiles with a "thumbs up" as she receives a Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. Lorde, a self-described "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," broke ground with her emphasis on the intersections of race, gender, class and sexual identity. AUDRE LORDE (1934-1992) Audre Lorde lectures students at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. In 2014, Ailey was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his influential work in bringing dance to underserved communities. His signature work, including “ Cry” and “ Revelations,” continue to be performed all over the world. Keystone / Getty ImagesĪiley was a choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. ALVIN AILEY (1931-1989) Dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. A writer and social critic, Baldwin is perhaps best known for his 1955 collection of essays, "Notes of a Native Son," and his groundbreaking 1956 novel, "Giovanni's Room," which depicts themes of homosexuality and bisexuality. “There isn't a single black gay writer of literary fiction or nonfiction that has not been influenced by James Baldwin on some level," Charles Stephens, executive director of the Counter Narrative Project, told NBC News. JAMES BALDWIN (1924-1987) Author James Baldwin Ted Thai / LIFE Picture Collection/Getty In 2013, Rustin was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his tireless work promoting equal rights. Rustin promoted nonviolent resistance and organized the 1963 March on Washington.
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Rustin was an LGBTQ and civil rights activist best known for being a key adviser to Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
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BAYARD RUSTIN (1912-1987) Bayard Rustin in his Park Avenue South office in New York City, April 1969. He explored issues of sexuality and black identity in his work, and his avant-garde story “ Smoke, Lilies, and Jade” is thought to be the first explicitly gay story published by a black writer. Nugent was a writer, artist and actor during the Harlem Renaissance.