Prince Hall was a black abolitionist, known as the founder of Prince Hall Freemasonry, lobbying for education rights for black children, and activity in the back-to-Africa movement, 1700’s.

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Matawilda Dobbs was the first black woman hired by the San Francisco Opera in 1955.

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Ella Hill Hutch, first black woman member of the Board of Supervisors, 1960.

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Captain Tara Wright and first officer Mallory Cave were part of Alaska Airlines first Black women flight crew, 2018.

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John Johnson was the 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion from 1908 to 1915.

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Barrington Irving Jr. was the 1st black pilot to fly solo around the world, 2017.

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Shirley Ann Jackson is the 1st black woman to have earned a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 1973

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Ava DuVernay was the first black woman to win best director at Sundance, 2012.

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Laverne Cox was the 1st black transgender person to play a transgender series regular on broadcast TV as Cameron Wirth on CBS‘s Doubt, 2017.

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William Grant Still was the 1st black composer to have an opera produced by the New York City Opera; the “Afro-American,” 1931.

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