20 Unsung Heroes in Black History

Source: The Washington Post / Getty Black history includes countless figures whose impact runs deep, even if their names remain less familiar. While some leaders dominate textbooks, many others worked quietly behind the scenes, changed systems from within, or laid foundations for future progress. Their stories span centuries, disciplines, and movements. Today’s list highlights 20 [...]

Feb 19, 2026 0

Civil Rights Trailblazer — Source: The Washington Post / Getty

Black history includes countless figures whose impact runs deep, even if their names remain less familiar.

While some leaders dominate textbooks, many others worked quietly behind the scenes, changed systems from within, or laid foundations for future progress.

Their stories span centuries, disciplines, and movements.

Today’s list highlights 20 unsung heroes in Black history whose contributions deserve wider recognition, especially during Black History Month.

Claudette Colvin
At just 15 years old, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery. Her arrest happened months before Rosa Parks, yet her story rarely gets told. Colvin later became a key plaintiff in the court case that officially ended bus segregation.