Written by Robert Thompson III | 2/18/21

Although, when it comes to pioneers in African American history. However, what do you know about other Urban Intellectual history heroes like Claudette Colvin, Alice Coachman, or Shirley Chisholm? If their names don’t immediately ring a bell, you’re not alone. Furthermore, educators, activists, and historians have long been attempting to shine a light and pinpoint why so much African American history is missing from our nation’s curriculum. Therefore, let’s get into lesser known Urban Intellectuals that changed history.

Ida B. Wells

Firstly, Ida Wells was a journalist, newspaper editor, suffragist, sociologist, and feminist. Ida Bell Wells was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on July 16th, 1862. She was born into slavery during the Civil War. Once the war ended Wells-Barnett’s parents became politically active in Reconstruction Era politics. Her parents instilled into her the importance of education. Wells-Barnett enrolled at Rust College. In 1884, Wells-Barnett filed a lawsuit against a train car company in Memphis for unfair treatment. She had been thrown off a first-class train. despite having a ticket. Although, she won the case on the local level. The ruling was eventually overturned in federal court.  In 1878, Wells-Barnett went to visit her grandmother.

While she was there Wells-Barnett was informed that a yellow fever epidemic had hit her hometown. The disease took both of Wells-Barnett’s parents and her infant brother. Left to raise her brothers and sister, she took a job as a teacher so that she could keep the family together. Eventually, Wells-Barnett moved her siblings to Memphis, Tennessee. There she continued to work as an educator. She was a leader of the civil rights movement. She bought a portion of a Memphis newspaper and used it as her platform to champion African-American civil rights. Also, she co-founded the National Association for the advancement of colored people. Ida documented lynching in the United States in the 1890s.

Carter G. Woodson 

First off, as a historian, author, and journalist, Carter G. Woodson earned a B.L degree from Berea College in 1903. In 1912, he earned his doctorate in History from Harvard University. Most Importantly, he co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History(later know as the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History) in 1915. Carter was the author of the “Mis-Education of the Negro” in 1933. Also, he launched the celebration of “Negro History Week” in 1926, eventually expanded and renamed it to “Black History Month”.

Nat turner

Most importantly, Nat Turner was an enslaved who led a rebellion of slaves and free blacks. People would call Nat “the Prophet”. Also, he was a christan preacher that traveled from plantination to plantination ministering to the so called slaves about the world of God. Although,  he said God spoke to him and told him to lead a revolt and to kill his oppressors. For instance, Nat used his preacher network to build his rebellion for freedom. His fight for freedom killed 55 white supermacisits.

Bessie Coleman

Firstly, Bessie was known as “Queen Bess”. She was the first African-American woman and Native american descent to hold a pilots licence and first American to earn an international pilot’s licence. In 1921, she received her international pilot’s licence in France because no flight school in america would train a colored woman. Her goals were to expose her people to the world of aviation. In 1926, She fell to her death while practicing for one of her famous stunt shows. Evidence later indicated her plane was tampered with.

Claudette Colvin

First off, Claudette Colvin was a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement. Nine months before Rosa Parks,in March 2, 1955 at only 15 years old,Claudette refused to move from her seat on a Montgomery bound segregated bus. She had paid the fare and felt like it was her constitutional right to board the bus. On february 1, 1956, Claudette Colvin served as the star witness alongside other four plaintiffs in the Browder v Gayle case. This landmark federal chase, chaired by a three judge panel, ended the history of segregation on public transportation in Alabama and other states in America.

Conclusion

Without these people you wouldn’t have what you have now. If you do something great you may even be respected and remembered by everyone someday! If you want Rob the Watergod to build your portfolio that email us at info@Thompsonempire.com

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