During Women’s History Month, we have to acknowledge the Black women who are fabulously blazing unmarked trials to inspire and achieve. There aren’t as many Black firsts still available that these talented women can conquer, but there are a few areas left where they can still make a historic mark.
Some are already well on the way, others are just beginning, but have already accomplished some impressive achievements. We take a look at the Black women we think are poised to make even more history.
MICHELLE OBAMA
Age: 52
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
History Made: First Black First Lady Of The United States
History To Be Made: First First Lady To Found A School
Michelle Obama recently said that she’s going to continue her crusade to get women educated. As over 60 million girls worldwide, don’t attend school it’s a worthy cause. Michelle could be a college president, but we believe she will, like Oprah Winfrey, found her own school instead of just putting her name on one. However, Mrs. Obama will likely found a school right in her hometown.
HALLE BERRY
Age: 49
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
History Made: First Black women to win Best Actress Oscar
History To Be Made: First Academy Award winning producer of a film named Best Picture
Halle Berry has already made Oscar history but we think she can do it again. No Black female or male has ever won an Oscar for producing a Best Picture winner. Berry’s history in Hollywood and her clout as a former Oscar winner as well as her contacts (and her earnings) could help her get involved in the kind of high-caliber film project that wins awards. And with Black female directors like Ava DuVernay, Gina Prince Bythewood and Amma Asante making films, Berry seems like the type that would help other Black women in making a film that would also allow them to make history.
SERENA WILLIAMS
Age: 34
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
History Made: Highest earning female athlete in the world, Most successful Black tennis player of all time
History To Be Made: Female Tennis Player With Most Grand Slam Titles
Australian player Margaret Court, whose heyday was the 60’s and 70’s, holds the current#1 spot as the leader in Grand Slam titles with 24, but Serena Williams is right on her heels (or sneakers). Serena has 21 Grand Slam titles, right behind retired German player Steffi Graf, who has 22. If Serena can win the remaining Grand Slams this year – French, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, she will be poised to break Court’s record at the Australian Open, the first tournament of the Grand Slam season in 2017.
AVA DUVERNAY
Age: 43
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
History Made: One of the few Black female film directors in film history, First Black female film director to have a film nominated for Best Picture with Selma
History To Be Made: The first Black women to win a Best Director Oscar
It’s crazy to think about it, but only one female director overall – Kathleen Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010 – has ever won a Best Director Oscar. So Ava DuVernay has a lot to overcome. But if anyone can do it, she can. The former publicist made two indie films before hitting it big with Selma in 2014 which was nominated for Best Picture. But we think greater things are ahead for this pioneering filmmaker. Up next: She’s directing the childhood classic, Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time.
SIMONE BILES
Age: 19
Hometown: Springs, Texas
History Made: Most decorated U.S. female gymnast in history
History To Be Made: Olympic gold in every event in gymnastics at this year’s Olympics in Rio and an all-around title
Simone Biles is already the most successful U.S. female gymnast of all time and she’s at her peak just as the Olympics rolls around this summer. She’s a three-time World All-around champion and a two-time world champion on the balance beam and a three-time world champion on the floor exercise. While it’s a stretch that she could go gold in all of the gymnastic events, it’s certainly possible that she could medal in all of them, which would make her the most successful female gymnast in history.
ZOE KRAVITZ
Age: 27
Hometown: Los Angeles
History Made: With her great DNA courtesy of parents Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, you just believe great things are ahead for her. While she hasn’t made any history quite yet, she’s putting together a block of solid acting roles.
History To Be Made: Something about Kravitz is watchable now all she needs is the role. We picture a Best Actress Oscar in her future, which would make her only the second Black woman to ever win in that category.
RIHANNA
Age: 28
Hometown: St. Michael, Barbados
History Made: Who do you think is the top-selling female artist of all time? Mariah Carey? Janet Jackson? Whitney Houston? Beyonce? Katy Perry? Taylor Swift? Adele? The answer is Madonna. But in second place is the Bad Girl herself as Rihanna currently is #2 on the list of top-selling female singers.
History To Be Made: Rihanna will ultimately surpass Madonna as the top-selling female artist of all time. She’s still under 30 and keeps cranking out hits. There’s little that can stop her at this stage of her career. Everyone has a peak, but we don’t think Rihanna has seen hers yet.
MALIA AND SASHA OBAMA
Malia Obama – 17
Natasha “Sasha” Obama – 14
History Made: The first Black children to live in The White House
History To Be Made: Malia has expressed an interest in the arts and we think she’ll eventually run a film studio. As for Sasha, with her fashion aesthetic already firmly set, we believe she’ll become a fashion designer who owns her own design company. Whatever these two do, you know it will be amazing – and certainly historic.
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Black Women We Expect To Make History was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
