When Daisy Bates was three years old her mother was killed by three white men. Although Bates, was just a child, her biological mother’s death made an emotional and mental imprint on her. The unfortunate death forced Bates to confront racism at an early age and pushed her to dedicate her life to ending racial injustice.

Daisy Bates was born in Huttig, Arkansas in 1914 and raised in a foster home. When she was fifteen, she met her future husband and began travelling with him throughout the South. The couple settled in Little Rock, Arkansas and started their own newspaper. The Arkansas Weekly was one of the only African American newspapers solely dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement. The paper was circulated state wide. Bates not only worked as an editor, but also regularly contributed articles.

Naturally, Bates also worked with local Civil Rights organizations. For many years, she served as the President of the Arkansas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her work with the NAACP not only transformed the Civil Rights Movement but it also made Bates a household name.

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled segregated schools unconstitutional. After the ruling Bates began gathering African American students to enroll at all white schools. Often the white schools refused to let black students attend. Bates used her newspaper to publicize the schools who did follow the federal mandate. Despite the continuous rejection from many Arkansas public schools, she pushed forward.

When the national NAACP office started to focus on Arkansas’ schools, they looked to Bates to plan the strategy. She took the reins and organized the Little Rock Nine. Bates selected nine students to integrate Central High School in Little Rock in 1957. She regularly drove the students to school and worked tirelessly to ensure they were protected from violent crowds. She also advised the group and even joined the school’s parent organization.

Due to Bates’ role in the integration, she was often a target for intimidation. Rocks were thrown into her home several times and she received bullet shells in the mail. The threats forced the Bates family to shut down their newspaper.

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After the success of the Little Rock Nine, Bates continued to work on improving the status of African Americans in the South. Her influential work with school integration brought her national recognition. In 1962, she published her memoirs, The Long Shadow of Little Rock. Eventually, the book would win an American Book Award. Bates was invited to sit on the stage during the program at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Due to a last-minute change, Bates was invited to speak at the march.

In 1968, Bates moved to Mitchellville, Arkansas. The majority black town was impoverished and lacked economic resources. When Bates arrived, she used her organizational skills to pull together residents and improve the community.

Bates died on November 4th, 1999. For her work, the state of Arkansas proclaimed the third Monday in February, Daisy Gatson Bates Day. She was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1999.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Often called “The Godmother of Rock and Roll,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe is hailed as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Shortly after the electric guitar was created, her passion for gospel music combined with her skill and showmanship on the instrument helped to develop the genre of rock and roll as we know it today. She is said to have inspired other up-and-coming stars including Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and Little Richard.

Claudette Colvin: Did you know Rosa Parks wasn’t the only African American woman to famously resist bus segregation? Claudette Colvin was actually arrested several months before Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on the bus – at just 15 years old. She also served as one of the plaintiffs in the case that ruled Montgomery, Alabama’s segregated bus system, to be in violation of the constitution. She later said “Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president… So many others gave their lives and didn’t get to see it, and I thank God for letting me see it.”

Gwendolyn Brooks: The author of more than 20 poetry books, Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for her work “Annie Allen.” She was also the first black woman appointed as consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress, which is now known as Poet Laureate.

Bessie Coleman: Recognized as a pioneer for women in aviation, Bessie Coleman was the first black woman to earn a pilot’s license and stage a public flight in the United States, but her training actually happened in France. Since all flying schools in the U.S. had denied her entry, she taught herself French and earned her license from France’s famous Caudron Brother’s School of Aviation in just seven months! She specialized in stunt flying, aerial tricks, and parachuting.

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Wilma Rudolph: Even though she was stricken with polio as a child and was never expected to walk without a brace, Wilma Rudolph became a track star and was dubbed “the fastest woman in the world.” In 1960, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. She was also a champion for civil rights and was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: According to the Huffington Post online, “Kennedy was a founding member of the National Organization of Women and one of the first black female lawyers to graduate from Columbia Law School. She helped found the Feminist Party in 1971, which later nominated Representative Shirley Chisholm for president.” She’s been called the “Black Feminist Fighter,” and asserted that she could “understand feminism [and sexism] better because of the discrimination against Black people.”

Mary Eliza Mahoney, born in 1845, had been a cook, a janitor and a washerwoman before she began working at the New England Hospital for Women and Children, according to Jacksonville University.

When she was 33, she entered the hospital’s 16-month nursing program and earned her certification.

In a 40-year career, Mahoney directed the Howard Orphan Asylum in Long Island, New York, and was a founding member of the group that became the American Nurses Association.

After retirement, Mahoney continued to fight for minority rights and in 1920 became one of the first women to register to vote in Boston.