Black History Month 2023: The Legacy of 5 Notable Black Immigrants
This Black History month, join us in celebrating and honoring the legacy of 5 notable Black immigrants who left their mark on the world.
Kwame Ture, Trinidad
Born in 1941 and also known as Stokely Standiford Churchill Carmichael, Kwame was only 11 years old when he immigrated to New York City. He obtained his degree in philosophy with honors in 1964 from Howard University. In 1966, he became the chairman of SNCC and led a group of volunteers in the March Against Fear, where he coined the phrase “Black Power.” Carmichael helped to establish the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, which was dedicated to Pan-Africanism and in 1971 he wrote Stokely Speaks: Black Power Back to Pan-Africanism. He also changed his name to Kwame Ture in honor of two early proponents of Pan-Africanism, Ghanaian Kwame Nkrumah and Guinean Sékou Touré.
Miriam Makeba, South Africa
Known as “ Mama Africa,” Miriam Makeba was born under apartheid in South Africa and advocated heavily for the liberation of Black Africans. After moving to New York City, she recorded multiple records - some in English and some in languages of sub-saharan Africa such as Swahili and Xhosa. Her album An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba led her to become the first grammy winner born in Africa. Eventually, South Africa revoked her passport which motivated her to advocate even more on behalf of Black people in both South Africa, and the United States. She eventually returned to South Africa after the cancellation of her visa, where she created an orphanage and advocated for children.
Claude McKay, Jamaica
Arriving in South Carolina from Jamaica in 1912, Claude McKay became well known for inspiring the Harlem Renaissance.
In 1917, he published his first poems and in 1919, his most famous poem “If We Must Die” was published during a period of intense racial violence against Black people.
His most popular novel “Home to Harlem” became the first commercially successful novel by a Black writer.
Ilhan Omar, Somalia
Ilhan Omar was the first Somali-American elected to the U.S. Congress. She served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019 representing District 60B, and is a member of the U.S. House, representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. At 8 years old, Omar fled Somalia and lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for 4 years before coming to the U.S in the 1990s.
Dikembe Mutombo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Known as one of the best defenders in NBA history and recognized widely for his philanthropic efforts. Dikembe Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He learned to fluently speak 9 languages, and eventually took on basketball at the age of 16. Mutombo established himself as an NBA prospect during his senior season at Georgetown, averaging 15.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks per game, which led him to be selected by the Denver Nuggets. Mutombo was noted as one of the most-charitable players to have ever played the game. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, focused on building hospitals and providing healthcare in Africa, and in 2007, the foundation opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital.
