There are several African American people who have contributed so much to the world, and some of their efforts do not get the attention they deserve. Therefore, this article highlights a bit about some notable African Americans who changed the world. The idea is not to fill in any gaps within history but simply to highlight some remarkable people and their contributions to humankind.
1. Malcolm X
Malcolm X was one of the most prominent figures of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States during the 20th century. His contribution was in the form of his ideas and his dedication to seeing African American people free from subjugation. He was part of the organization called the Nation of Islam for some time.
Regardless of his presence in the organization, he always stood strongly for revolution against oppressors so that freedom could be possible for all Black people. While his focus was the United States, he is an example all around the world of a revolutionary that died for a noble cause.
2. Martin Luther King Jr.
It’s impossible to talk about the Civil Rights Movement without talking about Martin Luther King Jr. King’s approach to ending Black subjugation in the US differed from that of Malcolm X’s as it was focused on achieving that through peaceful protest. King is a figure respected in various parts of the world for his undying commitment to seeking a future where equality for all was the norm.
3. Marie Van Brittan Brown
Marie Van Brittan Brown may be a more obscure name than the ones mentioned above. She was an inventor that created a closed-circuit television security system that created the foundation for home security systems that are used today.
Her invention was created for domestic use, but its effectiveness got businesses interested in it as well. If you want to read more about Marie Van Brittan Brown and other African American inventors who revolutionized the world, you can check out the book The African American Inventor Package.
4. Jimi Hendrix
We cannot deny the influence African American people have made on Western music in the 20th century. While there are several major contributors, Jimi Hendrix is certainly among some of the best. He revolutionized electric guitar playing, and he’s respected as one of the greats among modern-day guitar players.
5. Audre Lorde
Audre Lorde, the writer, poet, civil rights activist, and feminist, is a renowned icon of female empowerment that also focused on class struggle and race. She wrote several poems that discussed these important issues, and much of it was provocative, pushing her readers and listeners to take note of various injustices and act on improving them.
Last Few Words
While there are undeniably many, we’ll stick to highlighting only these 5 notable African Americans who changed the world forever. What’s amazing is that even though their contributions were contextualized in the US, their ideas and work were appreciated and celebrated in various parts of the world. Buy the book African American Inventor Package by Philip Franklin to learn about the unsung black inventors in history.