Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald

1917–1996 Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer and band leader. She was also a civil rights activist, using her shows to break racial barriers across the nation. In 1949, she joined the Jazz at the Philharmonic tour which targeted segregated venues. The...
Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

1928–2014 “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson. At age eight she was raped and because of the trauma, was mute for the...
Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson

1897-1993 A Contralto, Marian Anderson performed with renowned orchestras and on the opera scene between 1925 and 1965. She started in the U.S. but performed in Europe because of segregated audiences. Anderson was an important figure in the struggle to overcome racial...
Marnesba Tackett

Marnesba Tackett

1908–2007 For over 90 years Marnesba Tackett was active in the Civil Rights Movement. She was a master organizer, coordinating the major rallies of the day. She was best known for helping desegregate the Los Angeles school system in several ways. When she was 44, she...
Pauli Murray

Pauli Murray

1910-1985 Pauli Murray was a civil rights lawyer and later an Episcopalian priest. In 1940, 15 years before Rosa Parks, Murray was jailed for refusing to move to the back of a bus in the Jim Crow south. In 1943, she campaigned successfully to desegregate her local...