Listen Live
97.9 The Box Featured Video
CLOSE

Twitter has been educating people regarding all the fabulous things that women of color have achieved, been the “first” to do and more! From famous individuals to the woman that is quietly making strides in your local neighborhood, we picked a few of our favorites. Check out these historical facts about the accomplishments of our Black women.

#BlackWomenDidThat: 19 Women That Have Helped Crack The Glass Ceiling  was originally published on globalgrind.com

1. MICHELLE OBAMA

The ONLY first lady to have graduated an Ivy League university for undergrad. She went to Princeton University.

2. TERA POOLE

The first Black Valedictorian at the world’s first school of dentistry. Go, girl!

3. RUBY BRIDGES

1st African-American child to attend an all-white public elementary school.

4. DAHOMEY WARRIORS

The only female soldiers in the world who served as combat troops. (Dahomey was renamed to Benin in 1975 and is located in West Africa).

5. MATTIWILDA DOBBS

First Black woman to perform at the Teatro alla Scala Opera House, have a contract with the MET Opera and lead the San Francisco Opera.

6. ANNA HEDGEMAN

First black woman to hold a mayoral cabinet position.

7. ALYCE DIXON

One of the first black women to serve in the Army and was the oldest woman veteran at age 108.

8. JANET JACKSON

The first Black woman to win MTV’s Video Vanguard Award in 1990.

9. SARAH GOODE

The first African-American woman to receive a patent. It was for the cabinet bed.

10. JACKIE ORMES

The first and only black woman cartoonist until the 1990’s.

11. MAE JEMISON

The first African-American woman in space (1992).

12. PATRICIA ROBERTS

The first African-American woman to hold a Cabinet position (United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare). It was under the Jimmy Carter administration.

13. SIMONE BILES

First woman ever to win three straight all-around World Championships in gymnastics.