Phillis Wheatley

First Black woman to publish a book (1770)

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

First Black female newspaper publisher in Canada (1853)

Mary Jane Patterson

First Black woman to get a college degree (1862)

Dr. Rebecca Crumpler

First Black women to get a medical degree in the US (1864)

Charlotte E. Ray

First Black woman to get a law degree in the US (1872)

Mary Mahoney

First Black female nurse (1879)

Madam C.J. Walker

First Black female millionaire (1910)

Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander

First Black woman to earn a Ph.D in economics (1921)

Bessie Coleman

First Black woman to fly a plane (1922)

Hattie McDaniel

First Black woman to win an Oscar (1940)

Alice Coachman

First Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal (1948)

Charlotta Spears Bass

First Black woman to run for VP of the US (1952)

Violet King Henry

First Black female lawyer in Canadian history (1954)

Shirley Chisholm

First Black woman to be elected to U.S. Congress (1968)

Vinnette Carrol

First Black woman to direct on Broadway (1972)

Mae Jemison

First Black female astronaut (1992)

Toni Morrison

First Black woman to win a Nobel Prize (1993)

Oprah Winfrey

First Black female billionaire (2003)

Wangari Maathai

First African woman to win Nobel Prize (2004)

Michaëlle Jean

First Black woman to be Governor General in Canada (2005)