Biography
Laverne Cox
A prominent actress and the first openly transgender person nominated for an Emmy, Laverne Cox has promoted visibility and awareness on behalf of the transgender community.
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Biography
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald, known as “The First Lady of Song,” was a revolutionary American jazz singer who performed all over the world.
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Biography
Mary Lou Williams
One of the greatest jazz pianists, composers, and arrangers of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a swing and bebop icon.
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Biography
Nina Simone
“The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist.
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Biography
Shirley Horn
Jazz singer and pianist Shirley Horn was one of the leading jazz musicians of her generation.
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Biography
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music.
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Biography
Lois Curtis
Lois Curtis was one of the plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. (1999) that established the right of individuals with disabilities to live in the least restrictive settings possible.
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Biography
Alma Woodsey Thomas
As an artist and world traveler who never married or had children, Alma Woodsey Thomas circumvented society’s expectations for Black women born in the 19th century.
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Lesson Plan
How do we remember and honor the contributions of women in public space?
The objective of this lesson is to help students thinking critically about public history and the decision-making that goes into designing and advocating for public memorials to commemorate women in American history.
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Exhibit
Feminismo: La Segunda Ola
Al igual que la primera ola, que se desarrolló durante un período de reformas sociales, la segunda ola también tuvo lugar en medio de otros movimientos sociales y políticos.
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Biography
Agnes de Mille
Agnes de Mille was one of the preeminent American choreographers of the twentieth century.
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Biography
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary created some of the most beloved children’s book characters of the 20th century.
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Biography
Cicely Tyson
Cecily Tyson dedicated her career to portraying resilient African American women on the stage and the screen.
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Biography
Edmonia Lewis
Edmonia “Wildfire” Lewis is considered the first professional BIPOC sculptor in the United States and the first to achieve international acclaim.
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Biography
Octavia Estelle Butler
Octavia Butler was a pioneering writer of science fiction. As one of the first African American and female science fiction writers, Butler wrote novels that concerned themes of injustice towards African Americans, global warming, and women's rights.
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Exhibit
Feminismo: La Primera Ola
Durante generaciones, el movimiento feminista ha avanzado notablemente en la defensa de los derechos de las mujeres.
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Lesson Plan
The Legacy of Zora Neale Hurston
Examine Zora Neale Hurston’s lifelong commitment to African American literature and cultural preservation.
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Biography
Selma Burke
Selma Burke discovered her love for sculpture as a young child and followed her passion to Harlem Renaissance New York, Parisian art studios, and even the White House.
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Biography
Suzan-Lori Parks
Though a high school teacher discouraged her from writing because of her poor spelling, Suzan-Lori Parks went on to become one of the most successful playwrights in the United States.
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Biography
Anne Spencer
Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer lived her entire life in Virginia, where she tended her garden, worked as a librarian and teacher, hosted luminaries of Black intellectual and cultural life, and fought for equal rights for African Americans.
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