20 More Black People that Have Changed the World

Folorunsho Alakija is one of the world's most powerful women, and Nigeria's first females billionaire. She started working as an executive secretary for multiple banks all the while creating her now infamous fashion company, Supreme Stitches. She eventually renamed her company as Rose of Sharon House of Fashion, and used her fashion line and house as a way to promote Nigerian culture in fashion around the world.

Alakija branched out of the fashion industry to the oil industry, and completely changed the game. Her business prowess and intelligence made her the billionaire you see today. She has taken her wealth and established several organizations to improve and promote education and health conditions for all Nigerians.

Michaëlle Jean is an extraordinary example of overcoming adversity to rise to the top. She currently serves as the Governor General of Canada, the state role that links the British Monarch with the Canadian government. Jean was born in Haiti but fled the country during the dictatorship of François Duvalier, the man responsible for separating her father from his family for close to 30 years. She worked as a journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation before being recommended to the role of Governor General and confirmed by Queen Elizabeth II.

Former Governor Jean didn't stop there. She lobbied hard to become the secretary general of la Francophonie -- the first woman to be appointed to the position. The position includes running and guiding discussions for all French-speaking nations.

Kofi Annan is well known as the United Nations' former Secretary General from Ghana who served two terms. Annan was the first Secretary-General to be a former UN staff member, starting as an administrative and budget officer in 1962. Over the course of his career, Kofi Annan displayed his skills of patience and diplomacy that he has earned him global admiration. He made great strides in creating better connections between the public and the United Nations through building relationships with people from different sectors. The former Secretary-General established several projects and groups, like the first counter-terrorism plan. Kofi Annan has actively made the world a better place through his ability to make world leaders accountable for their countries and actions. His two terms has set a precedence for all future Secretary-Generals and UN staff workers.

Eugenia Charles was the Prime Minister of Dominica for 15 years until 1995. Her work includes a lot of firsts. Dame Charles was the first female lawyer of Dominica, first head of state in the Americas, and is currently the longest serving female prime minister recorded in world history. The "Iron Lady of the Caribbean" cared deeply about the individual freedom and quality of life of her people. She didn't have time for anyone swaying her opinions or ideas, and continued to speak about human rights well after her retirement.

Emperor Haile Selassie was the regent and leader of Ethiopia, along with his equally amazing wife, Queen Menen Asfaw. and symbol of African independence against colonialism. He successfully campaigned against the Italians, and used the war to show the ills of Italy's attacks to the League of Nations. His beliefs regarding global security and multilateralism is still a main staple of the United Nations. Despite his criticisms, Haile Selassie set multiple precedents for Ethiopia and the world. In fact, Rastafarians regard him as a messiah.

As Liberia's President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made leaps and bounds in improving the role of women in aspects of Liberian society. She was elected in 2006 but had no family connection in politics to allow for an easy rise to power. Her qualifications go above and beyond what is typically seen in presidential candidates. Sirleaf traveled and worked in prolific organizations, like the World Bank, around the world in prestigious roles for decades. Despite losing her first election, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf still went on to be the first Black woman to win a presidential election in Africa. Her presidential success has been recognized on an international scale, as she has been recognized as Liberia's greatest president ever.

Abebe Bikila was the first East African to win an Olympic medal, and the first runner to win two consecutive gold medals in the Olympics. In 1960, he won his first gold medals while running barefoot!

The English poet and writer, born to West Indian parents. writes poetry influenced by Jamaican Rastafarian tradition. He is also a social activist in fields of civil rights, animal rights and vegetarianism. As one of Britain's most influential writers, he has used his work to help provide a voice for Britain's marginalized groups, and express Britain's diversity.

Chinua Achebe was known as "the father of modern African writing," as he set a new standard for following writers. He discussed the plight of post-colonial Nigeria, and the blending of values and principles seamlessly. His book, "Things Fall Apart," is still considered the most important book in modern African literature.

Pele is considered the greatest player of all time, and breaking barriers in his native Brazil. He used his popularity and power to advocate and help socioeconomically and socially poor Brazilians. Since his retirement, Pele became a global ambassador for sports, and a well known advocate against poverty.

Wangari Muta Maathai was a well-known Kenyan environmentalist and political activist that created several organizations that advocated for women's rights and environmental conservation through her organizations like the Green Belt Movement. Maathai worked her butt off to fight against oppressive regimes in both Kenya and abroad. She was so successful in her efforts, she was recognized and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, becoming the first African woman to win the award.

Queen Nzinga, a.k.a Ana de Souza Nzinga Mbanda, was an Angolan woman who became ruler of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms after the death of her brother in 1624. Queen Nzinga was known as a successful and intelligent leader, successfully preventing further European over Angola. She created several alliances and earned the respect of her fellow people and Europeans. She also refused to see her gender as a disadvantage, and even gave many positions of leadership in her government to other women. She maintained a powerful resistance against a Portuguese conquest of her country, it being only after her death that the Portuguese slave trade expanded. Her legacy is still very well remembered in Angola today.

Granada was home to Renaissance Europe's only black Latinist, scholar, and writer Juan Latino. He had a gift for classical languages and music. He published three volumes of poems in the mid sixteenth century where he wrote and reflected on the condition of blacks and negated the validity of any religious justification for slavery of Africans. Latino is known as one of the first writers to have used a form of wordplay known as signifying; and in one of his most famous poems, Austrias Carmen, he wrote of establishing the dignity of all black Africans, relating them to biblical Ethiopia and refusing the idea of natural slavery.

Anwar Sadat was Egypt's first Nubian to become president, and responsible for Egypt's current multi-party elections. He also led Egypt in the Yom Kippur war, and after winning the war, became Egyptian hero. He was known for his great skill in diplomacy, putting Egypt in a great international political position. His efforts even earned him a Nobel Peace prize in 1978 for his role in peace talks with Israel. Former president Sadat faced a lot in his time, including a great amount of racism from his fellow Egyptians. But based on his time in office, it's clear he didn't let that hold him back.

Taís Araújo is the first Black actress to star in one of Rede Globo's primetime telenovela, "Shades of Sin," as the protagonist. She has used her career to promote positive representations of Black women in a notoriously Eurocentric industry. She was even quoted as saying, "When I was little, I did not have anything that looked like me! Now a Black girl can have references on TV, including as a standard of beauty."

Ariana Miyamoto is Japan's first biracial winner of Miss Japan. Her winnings caused an uproar in Japan over whether or not she was "Japanese" enough, despite being born and raised in Japan. She has used her position to advocate for fellow "hafus" or biracial Japanese citizens, and change race relations in the former homogenous country.

South African anti-apartheid and LGBTQ activist who was extremely influential in advocating for black gay rights around the world. He started several groups, like the first black gay group in Africa, to connect black gays across South Africa. His work helped change the way gay right were viewed by the African National Congress. On top of all that, he founded the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand (GLOW) that established the first South African pride parade in 1990, and helped overturn laws like S.A.'s sodomy law. In 1998, Simon died of AIDS, but his memory lives on across the world.

Linda Bellos has been a trailblazer in the feminist and LGBTQIA communities. In 1981, she became the first woman/lesbian of color to join the Spare Rib feminist collective, and in 1985 she became leader of Lambeth Council. She has fought heavily for a more inclusive Britain, and has been known for many firsts, like establishing Black History Month in the U.K.

Hadraawi is a famous Somali poet and songwriter, so well-known he is considered to be the greatest Somali poet In fact, he Hadraawi has even been compared to Shakespeare by many scholars. He has fought for Somalis in both Somalia and abroad. His work has given the world and understanding of what Somalis face in today's climate.

Noon Meem Danish is a well known Pakistani poet that has written extensively about being a Black Southeast Asian. His work has shown and revealed experiences about what it's like to be Black in a country that never recognized his blackness.