Black History Month: 10 African-American Influencers That Define Black Excellence!

 

Happy Black
History Month! 

 

We’re
celebrating African-Americans and their incredibly powerful
influence on the past, present, and future all throughout
February.

 

In honor of
the life-long impact black people have had on our society in
politics, music, social justice, sports, film, technology,
journalism, and so much more, we want to recognize some of the most
prominent black game-changers today.

 

Of course,
there are countless movers and shakers that stretch far beyond this
very short list, but here are ten who have had a major impact over
the last 5 years!

 

 

1. Michelle Obama

 

( © Scott Olson/Getty
Images)

 

It’s
absolutely no surprise that our beloved former First Lady Michelle Obama tops our list.

 

Michelle
Obama made history (along with her husband and former President Barack Obama) when she became the first
African-American First Lady in the history of the United
States.

 

Michelle
Obama is not only one of the most influential women in the world
today but has been so for the last decade since her husband entered
office in 2009. She is a motivational speaker, New York
Times best-selling author, and a life-long advocate for
equality, social justice, health, and education.

 

Her NYT Best-selling book Becoming was the
best-selling hardcover book of 2018.

 

 

2. Beyoncé

 

( © Kevin Mazur/Getty Images For Parkwood
Entertainment)

 

Beyoncé is arguably one of the best entertainers
of our time.

 

The
highly-respected singer, actress, and mother-of-three is known for
sharing and celebrating black culture through her music.

 

Her
commitment to black inclusion in entertainment and in brand
partnerships had led to a much larger conversation of intentional
diversity to broaden representation in front of the camera and
behind.

 

 

3. LeBron James

 

( © Jonathan Daniel/Getty
Images)

 

Often
considered the greatest basketball player of all time, LeBron James is a current Los Angeles Laker and
one of the most famous athletes today.

 

Although the
35-year-old father is most widely known on the basketball court, he
wears many hats in his communities both near and far. He is the
founder of the LeBron James Family Foundation, which funds a public
elementary school, iPromise School, for at-risk kids in his
hometown of Akron, Ohio.

 

He is also
the creator and executive producer of production company Springhill
and a part owner in Blaze Pizza.

 

 

4. Colin Kaepernick

 

( © Carmen Mandato/Getty
Images)

 

Colin
Kaepernick is a former professional quarterback for the
San Francisco 49ers and a current free agent.

 

He gained
much fame and respect for his athletic talent, but he is best known
for kneeling during the National Anthem in protest of police
brutality and and racial inequality in the United States. His
actions sparked a huge protest movement across the country about
the controversial topic.

 

Although the
32-year-old has faced an overwhelming amount of backlash and
consequences for his protests and remains unsigned by any NFL
teams, he continues to serve as a political activist and remains an
unwavering advocate for social justice.

 

 

5. Ava Duvernay

 

( © Rich Fury/VF20/Getty Images for Vanity
Fair)

 

Ava
Duvernay is a writer, producer, director, and film
distributor committed to telling stories that share the deep and
complex history of the black people and the adversities they
face.

 

She was the
first African-American woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe
Award for Best Director for Selma, a film based on the
1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches.

 

She is also
known for Netflix’s miniseries “When They See Us” and documentary 13th.

 

 

6. Tyler Perry

 

( © Michael
Loccisano/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

 

Tyler
Perry is an actor, writer, comedian, and director. The
production giant rose to fame playing his near and dear alter-ego
Madea, a tough, elderly black woman who frequently appears in his
films.

 

In 2019, he
opened Tyler Perry Studios, which is currently one of the largest
film studios in the nation. This achievement made Tyler Perry the
first African-American to outright own a major film studio.

 

 

7. Tarana Burke

 

( © Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via
Getty Images)

 

By using the
phrase “Me Too” on social media to bring awareness to sexual abuse
and assault in our society, Tarana Burke sparked
one of the most powerful social movements of the last decade.

 

This movement
led to the uncovering of sexual harassment and assault stories in
the workplace, specifically in the entertainment
business. 

 

 

8. Meghan Markle, Duchess of
Sussex

 

( © DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS – WPA Pool/Getty
Images)

 

After her
marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan
Markle became the Duchess of Sussex.

 

Although the
addition of the biracial Duchess to the British royal family
sparked debate and controversy on social media, it was incredible
to see a person of color as a part of the royal family.

 

Prince Harry
and Meghan Markle have since decided to take a step back as senior
members of the royal family, but their beautiful impact will
forever be felt.

 

 

9. Virgil Abloh

 

( © Edward Berthelot/Getty
Images)

 

Virgil Abloh is the CEO of fashion house Off
White.

 

He was also
named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection in
2018, making him the first person of African descent to lead the
brand’s menswear line.

 

His
appointment to the position led to major excitement and support
from the black community.

 

 

10. Elaine Welteroth

 

( © Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for
Glamour)

 

Elaine Welteroth is a journalist, editor, and a NYT best-seller author.

 

This
33-year-old is the queen of firsts. She gained notoriety when she
became first black beauty director of Teen Vogue and the
youngest editor in Conde Nast history when she was appointed as
editor-in-chief in 2016 (she is now second behind current Teen
Vogue editor-in-chief). She is credited for the increase of
political social coverage in the magazine during her time
there.

 

Her memoir, More Than Enough, debuted on the NYT Best Sellers
List in the same month as its release in June of 2019. In January
2020, we found out the book will be developed into a television
series. 

 

 

Sending many
thanks to these 10 and SO many more for continuing to lead and
represent in beautiful ways. Keep striving and reaching for many
Black History Months to come!