Marva Collins

“For thirty years, we have done what other schools declare impossible,” explains Collins, who has trained more than one hundred thousand teachers, principals, and administrators in the methodology developed and practiced at her Westside Preparatory School in Chicago.

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Darlene Clark Hine

“When I decided to become a historian,” recalls Darlene Clark Hine, “the last group I intended to study was black women.” That these words come from arguably the most influential scholar of African-American women’s history reflects the intertwined evolution of a career and field of study shaped by a struggle for recognition and legitimacy.

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Maggie Ingram

Matriach of the Legendary Ingramettes, widely considered Richmond, Va.’s “First Family of Gospel,” uplifting audiences for over six decades while becoming beloved cultural icons in the community.

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Laverne Brackens

A textile artist from Fairfield, Texas, Laverne Brackens represents a long tradition of improvisational quiltmaking among African-American women.

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Linda Goss

Linda Goss has blazed a trail in the Black Storytelling Tradition. She is called “Mama Linda” in honor of her mastery as a tradition bearer and premier contributor to the art of storytelling.

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Lucille Preston

Lucille “Sweets” Preston rose to prominence in the 1930s as a vaudeville dancer at the Cotton Club and member of the Slim & Sweets comedy duo.

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