28 People from the Black Rights Movement You Might Have Never Heard Of (But Should)

Claudette Colvin, pictured here in 1998. Photo by Dudley M. Brooks / The Washington Post via Getty Images

Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout history. While many well-known figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X are celebrated for their contributions to the Black rights movement, there are many other individuals who also made significant contributions and deserve recognition. Here are 28 lesser-known individuals from the Black rights movement who deserve recognition this Black History Month.

1. Claudette Colvin: A teenage civil rights activist who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus nine months before Rosa Parks.
2. Bayard Rustin: A civil rights leader and advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., who played a crucial role in the planning of the March on Washington.
3. James Baldwin: A writer, poet, and civil rights activist who spoke out against racial discrimination and inequality.
4. Fannie Lou Hamer: A voting rights activist and leader in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party who fought for the right of African Americans to vote.
5. Ella Baker: A civil rights activist and organizer who worked behind the scenes to support the efforts of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
6. A. Philip Randolph: A labor leader and civil rights activist who organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
7. Robert F. Williams: A civil rights leader and author who advocated for armed self-defense in the face of racist violence.
8. Mary McLeod Bethune: An educator, civil rights leader, and advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt who worked to improve the lives of African Americans.
9. John Lewis: A civil rights leader and U.S. Congressman who was a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement and the March on Washington.
10. Diane Nash: A civil rights activist and leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who played a key role in the desegregation of lunch counters in the South.
11. C.T. Vivian: A Baptist minister and civil rights leader who was one of the original Freedom Riders.
12. Jesse Jackson: A civil rights leader and Baptist minister who ran for president in 1984 and 1988 and continues to advocate for social justice.
13. Fred Hampton: A civil rights leader and chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party who was assassinated by police in 1969.
14. Gloria Richardson: A civil rights leader who led the Cambridge Movement, a nonviolent protest in Cambridge, Maryland, in the early 1960s.
15. Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael): A civil rights leader and Black Power activist who popularized the phrase "Black Power."
16. Andrew Young: A civil rights leader and U.S. Congressman who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
17. Benjamin Hooks: A civil rights leader and executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
18. Wyatt Tee Walker: A Baptist minister and civil rights leader who served as the chief of staff for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
19. Ruby Bridges: A civil rights activist and the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South.
20. Medgar Evers: A civil rights activist and field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who was assassinated in 1963.
21. James Meredith: A civil rights activist who was the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi.
22. Joseph Lowery: A Baptist minister and civil rights leader who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
23. Chokwe Lumumba: A civil rights activist, attorney, and mayor of Jackson, Mississippi who worked to promote economic and social justice for African Americans.
24. Julius Lester: A writer, musician, and civil rights activist who used his platform to speak out against racial inequality and promote social justice.
25. Bob Moses: A civil rights leader and educator who played a key role in the voter registration efforts in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement.
26. Mamie Till-Mobley: A civil rights activist who fought for justice after her son, Emmett Till, was murdered in Mississippi in 1955.
27. Angela Davis: A scholar, activist, and author who has been a prominent voice in the fight for civil rights, women's rights, and LGBTQ rights.
28. James Forman: A civil rights leader and executive director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who helped organize the Freedom Rides and played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement.

These are just a few of the many lesser-known individuals who made important contributions to the Black rights movement. By recognizing their achievements, we can honor their legacy and continue to work towards a more just and equitable society for all. Who would you add to this list?