Photos: Icons in Politics
We honor the ideas and actions of these politicians whose success opened new room in American public life for diversity.
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Adam Clayton Powell - A U.S. Congressman from Harlem, Powell was a firebrand during the civil rights movement. The Baptist minister was the first African American elected to Congress from New York.
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Malcolm X - With only an eighth grade education, Malcolm X became one of the greatest political thinkers of the 20th century. His fiery rhetoric inspired and activated Blacks all across America. He remains one of the most respected Black historical figures.
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Ralph Bunche - Among Bunche’s achievements as a public servant was his Nobel Prize in the 1950. He also served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
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Colin Powell - A Bronx native, Powell was first believed to be a likely candidate to become the first Black president. He served as secretary of state.
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Barack Obama - In 2008, he became the first Black commander in chief in American history. His intriguing rise to power inspired millions around the world and ushered in a sweeping movement focused on change and fired up by new political possibilities.
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Nelson Mandela - After almost 30 years in prison for his stance against apartheid, Mandela emerged to became South Africa’s acknowledged leader and a world diplomat.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - While not a politician, his mass mobilization of Southern Blacks and his electrifying speeches delivered throughout the country led to both public sentiment and legislation that had far-reaching impact.
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Shirley Chisholm - Chisolm was the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black female presidential candidate from a major political party.
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Angela Davis - A revolutionary political activist whose ‘fro became synonymous with her image, she symbolized Black women’s ability to challenge the system.
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Huey Newton - With Bobby Seale, he co-founded and led the Black Panther Party in its vision of political and social transformation in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Michelle Obama - As First Lady of the United States, her strength, style and easy approach to tackling big national problems have inspired a new generation of women.
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Bayard Rustin - Rustin is widely regarded as a brilliant strategist, without whom the March on Washington in 1963 may never have happened. Openly gay, Rustin has become an icon to gay and lesbian Americans as well.
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Asa Philip Randolph - As a labor leader and organizer, he helped conceive the March on Washington and advanced the causes of Black workers.
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Frederick Douglass - As a reformer, he impressed upon Abraham Lincoln the need to abolish slavery. A prolific writer, Douglass wielded incredible influence (for his time) in Washington social and political circles.
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W.E.B. DuBois - In an era when Black scholars were among the most progressive thinkers, his speeches and writings promoted Black political empowerment.
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