Black History Celebration

Being that it is February and that Februrary is Black History Month, I am posting a few of my inspirational/notable/most admired African American women. These are the women I admire and look up to for various reasons. In today's society, it's difficult to look in the black community and see a positive role model for women in the media. With magazines as KING and videos showing these "video hoes" young African American girls often get the wrong idea/ image. So here is my tribute:

Josephine Baker:























Known as the "girl who danced her way through the 20's and 30's only dressed in bananas". She was a dancer, singer, actress and a comedian all wrapped in one. She was the first black female entertainer to break through racial prejudice in Europe (she moved to France because she felt uncomfortable in the US since the US was so racially divided) and the United States. She was a star and quite sexy. Not only was she an entertainer, she was a civil rights activist. She adopted 12 children of different races, whom she called the "Rainbow Tribe" proving that "children of different ethnicities and religions could be brothers". She even befriended Grace Kelly (THE Grace Kelly) who walked out a restaurant arm in arm with Josephine because they refused to seat her due to her skin complexion. She wowed crowds for 50 years.

"Her magnificent dark body, a new model to the French, proved for the first time that black was beautiful." - Janet Flanner, New Yorker correspondent.

Diana Ross:





Ross became the most successful female artist of the rock era and managed to cross over into film, television program and Broadway theatre (and succeed in that too). Throughout her career, Ross has been awarded a Tony Award for the music special An Evening with Diana Ross, seven American Music Awards, and the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress for her leading role as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues". Ross has been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Actress. Last year she was given the Lifetime Achievement award from BET and is the mother of Girlfriends star Tracey Ellis Ross. I don't think I have to say much more because...it's Diana Ross.

Naomi Campbell:






I love this girl no matter what people have to say- temper and all! Starting at the age of 15 Naomi was and still is one of the most dominant forces in the modeling industry. Sure she's had legal troubles but....whatever (lol). She has been in over 500 covers and magazines and is currently on the cover of Vogue France alongside Kate Moss. She was also part of the "Trinity" (Linda Evangelista, Naomi, and Christy Turlington) as well as the Big Six, alongside Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Kate Moss. They graced hundreds of magazine covers and walked for hundreds of fashion shows. She still has a rockin' body and still remains friends to those she started with (the girls and designer Marc Jacobs). I love her...


Ok its late...I'm tired...so as the month goes on, this list will go on...