It takes people to bring about change and that is exactly what it took to abolish the slavery of the African American people. Throughout the history of the African Americans a long list of prominent people can be named. Both those who played a role in obtaining freedom for slaves and those who after their freedom fought and stood up for their rights will long be remembered.
William Lloyd Garrison
Mr. Garrison was truly a voice for the American slaves and was able to make his stance for them through the newspaper The Liberator which he co-founded with Issac Knapp in 1831. William became active in the anti-slavery movement at the young age of 25.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet being a slave herself managed to escape from this bondage. Instead of going into hiding and keeping a low profile Harriet played a major role in the formation and carrying out of the famous underground railroad. It has been estimated that about 75,000 slaves found their escape from the North as a result of this railroad.
Abraham Lincoln
The voice for freedom of the African Americans. The one man who had the power to set the slaves free in the rebellious states.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Although slavery was abolished and the African Americans were supposed to be considered equal with whites this was certainly not evident or being practiced in many of the individual states. Martin Luther King Jr. became a strong voice for the civil rights movement.
Rosa Parks
Rosa is an example of just how one person speaking out and standing up for their rights can make a difference. Between the 1950’s and the 1960’s racism was faced head on by people like Rosa that made a difference for the future.
Thurgood Marshall
Yet again another voice for the African Americans who used is expertise in the law to gain traction for civil rights. His involvement played an important role in segregation matters especially in segregation in the Schools. While slavery was no longer an issue civil rights were.
This is just a short list of some of the many that hold recognition in the African American black history. There are many more equally as important both black and white in color that can be added to this.