Dameon S. Williams

#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

Z is for Zina Garrison (Tennis Champion and Activist)

Through her foundation, Garrison provides opportunities for youth to engage in sports and education, emphasizing the importance of discipline, teamwork, and personal development.
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#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

Y is for Yaa Asantewaa

Yaa Asantewaa’s courage and determination made her a symbol of resistance and empowerment, inspiring future generations of leaders advocating for freedom and justice across Africa and the African diaspora.

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#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

X is for Xernona Clayton (Media Executive)

On her show, she interviewed Calvin Craig, a KKK grand dragon. Following the show, his daughter remarked that Clayton had brought change to their home, due to her understanding and dialogue.

TheABCsOFFeburary: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

W - Willa B. Player (Educator)

She was also appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as the first female Director of the Division of College Support in the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, serving until 1986.
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: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

V - Victoria Earle Matthews (Activist and Educator)

Matthews, born into enslavement, had a birth mother who escaped & came back to buy both freedom for her and the children- becoming the first Black woman recognized by Georgia's court system to do so.

#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

U is for Unita Blackwell (Civil Rights Activist and Politician)

Her grassroots organizing efforts played a significant role in empowering her community and advancing civil rights.
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#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

T - Tananarive Due (Author and Educator)

Due won the American Book Award for her novel The Living Blood (2001), and multiple awards for her novel The Reformatory (2023). She is also a film historian with expertise in Black horror.
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#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

S - Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Musician/Influencer)

She influenced early rock & roll musicians, including Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and also later guitarists, like Eric Clapton.

#abcsoffebruary : The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

R - Richelle G. B. Johnson (Pioneering Internet Technologist)

Given that Johnson addresses a politically charged subject and considering today’s person is relatively private, no photo is available.
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#ABCsofFebruary: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

Q is for Queen Mother Moore (Civil Rights Activist)

Queen Mother Moore was a pivotal yet lesser-known advocate for Pan-Africanism and civil rights, dedicated to championing the rights of Black people on a global scale.
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#ABCsofFebruary :The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

P - Paul L. Dunbar (Poet/Novelist)

His work, including the lyric poem "We Wear the Mask," used both standard English and dialect to convey the struggles and joys of Black life, helping pave the way for future generations of writers.
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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

O is for Owen Brown (Activist and Abolitionist)

Owen, son of John Brown, was involved in the abolitionist movement and fought for the cause alongside his father.

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#ABCsofFebruary :The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

N is for Nina Simone (Musician and Activist)

An outspoken activist, Nina Simone used her platform to advocate for change and participated in protests, leaving a lasting impact on both the music world and the fight for equality.
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#ABCsofFebruary :The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

M is for Marva Collins (Educator)

Collins emphasized critical thinking, self-esteem, and personal responsibility, transforming lives and advocating for educational reform.
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#ABCsofFebruary: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

L - Louise Little (Activist and mom of Malcolm X)

The K.K.K. targeted the Little home because Louise and husband, Earl, were unapologetic activists who pushed a message of revolution in the new Black communities of the unwelcoming Midwest.

#ABCsofFebruary: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

‪K is for Kelly Miller (Mathematician and Sociologist) ‬

Miller became the first African-American student to attend the study at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied mathematics, physics, and astronomy.
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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

J is for Jessie Fauset (Writer and Activist)

Fauset’s novels, including There is Confusion and Plum Bun, explored themes of race, identity, and the complexities of African American life.

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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

I - Isaac Murphy (Jockey)

Not only was Murphy known for his skill on horseback but also for his honesty and loyalty. He once refused to let champion Falsetto lose the 1879 Kenner Stakes, even though gamblers tried to bribe him.
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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

H - Harry T. Burleigh (Composer and Arranger)

Burleigh became the soloist at St. George's Episcopal Church in New York City in 1894. Although he faced opposition due to his race, he was hired after J. P. Morgan's crucial vote.
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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

G - Gordon Parks (Photographer and Filmmaker)

Parks’ work in film and literature further showcased the African American experience, making him a significant cultural figure and advocate for change through visual storytelling.
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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

F - Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (Poet and Abolitionist)

In 1858, Harper refused to sit in the "colored" section of a segregated trolley car in Philadelphia. Same year, published well-known poem "Bury Me in a Free Land".

#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

‪Ernie Barnes (Artist and Activist)‬

Barnes, a former pro-football player, was also an activist who used his platform to advocate for social change and equality.

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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

Dorothy Height (Civil Rights Leader)

In a 1937 meeting, Height met Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt at a National Council of Negro Women meeting. Their discussions strengthened her dedication to advocating civil rights.
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Love this!

C is for Charles Hamilton Houston (Lawyer)‬

Of the eight cases that he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, he won seven. “Without education,” Houston wrote, “there is no hope for our people, and without hope, our future is lost.”

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Of course, Brian! 😉

Thanks Josh!

And you know I’M SHARING IT ALL!

#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders Who Uplift The Masses

B is for Bayard Rustin (Civil Rights Organizer)

Rustin was a gay man who often worked behind the scenes to advise civil rights leaders due to criticism of his sexuality.

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#ABC’s of February: The Lead - Leaders who uplift the masses
A is for Anna Julia Cooper

"The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class — it is the cause of human kind, the very birthright of humanity.”
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