February is not only for Valentine’s Day but is also for Black History Month. The month of February is to commemorate and remember the importance of not only black movements but the many African Americans who have made a change. Not only does it celebrate the civil rights movement, but it also refers to different things like Madame C.J. Walker, who created black hair products, musicians, athletes and much more. Here is a list of musicians who are known and some who aren’t in the African American community:

– Aretha Franklin (1942-2018) was a singer-songwriter and pianist. She was also known as the “Queen of Soul.”
– Duke Ellington (1889-1974) was a pianist and composer.
– Stevie Wonder (1950-present) was a singer-songwriter.
– Marvin Gaye(1939-1984) was known as the “Prince of Soul.”
– Alicia Keys (1981-present) is a singer and actress.
– Snoop Dogg(1971-present) is an American rapper.
– H.E.R (1997-present) is an American R&B artist.

Not only have black musicians impacted the community, but they have also played vital roles in the government and societal change. African Americans would not be where they are without lawmakers and activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Here are some black lawmakers and activists that are remembered for their past accomplishments:

– John B. Lewis was a civil rights activist in the 1960s and became a congressman in 1986. While he was an activist, he passed a discontinuance in segregation on buses.
– W.E.B Du Bois was a member of the NAACP. He was an important black protest leader.
– Medgar Evers was a civil rights leader and pushed for desegregation in schools.
– Ruby Bridges, as a young child, was the African American that desegregated her elementary school, William Frantz Elementary School.

There have also been plenty of impactful court cases in favor of the African American community. Here a just a few:

– In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education integrated schools.
– In 1960, Boynton v. Virginia integrated transportation.
– In 1963 NAACP v. Button, the Supreme Court protected the first amendment for civil rights groups.
– In 1967, Loving v. Virginia gave the privilege to have interracial dating/marriage.

If it wasn’t for some of these African Americans, there would not be integrated schools or the ability to work for the government. Thankfully, Juneteenth became a federal holiday last year, so there is more celebration of how far African Americans and America, in general, have come.