James Weldon Johnson “Young man, young woman, rise. You are heir to a glorious heritage.” Author of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” civil rights leader, and poet. Johnson calls young Black people to recognize themselves as heirs to a powerful cultural and historical legacy.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown “Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.” Educator and founder of Palmer Memorial Institute. Brown teaches that character is developed through ordinary decisions long before it is revealed during a major test.
Robert Smalls “My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be equal of any people.” Formerly enslaved Civil War hero who commandeered a Confederate ship and later became a U.S. Congressman. Smalls rejects claims of Black inferiority and points to Black history as evidence of […]
Alain Locke “Art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid.” Philosopher known as the “Father of the Harlem Renaissance.” Locke presents Black art as a way to uncover beauty and humanity buried beneath racist stereotypes.
Clara Brown “I am the mother of all the people.” Former enslaved woman who helped build communities in Colorado and reunited families post-slavery. Brown’s words reflect her role as a community mother who offered care, shelter, assistance, and belonging to people in need.
Franz Fanon “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission.” Martinique-born psychiatrist and revolutionary thinker on decolonization. Fanon argues that every generation must understand its historical moment and decide what liberating work it is called to perform.
Florence Price “To begin with, I have two handicaps — those of sex and race.” First Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra. Price identifies the connected barriers of racism and sexism that Black women faced within American classical music.
James Forten “Let us not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters.” Wealthy Black abolitionist and businessman who funded antislavery efforts. This message places justice above gradual compromise and calls for an unrelenting struggle against oppression.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler “I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to, relieve the suffering of others.” First Black woman in the U.S. to earn a medical degree. Crumpler describes compassion as the motivation behind her medical career and service to underserved communities.
Henry Box Brown “I got out so I could speak — and show others the way to freedom.” Escaped slavery by shipping himself in a wooden box from Virginia to Philadelphia. Brown’s escape from slavery became testimony: gaining his own freedom allowed him to expose slavery and encourage resistance.