Black women are setting the standard for excellence. Whether it be in music, sports, or politics, Black women have been setting that standard for decades.

Black Women In Music

We would be remiss not to mention Beyoncé Knowles as a Black woman in music who has pushed the bar repeatedly and is a prime example to the current generation of what encompasses a star and generational talent. Beyoncé is also one to thank the Black female icons who have come before her and influenced her career. Diana Ross and Patti LaBelle are two of the living legends the singer has been influenced by, as well as the late singers Tina Turner and Whitney Houston. However, when it comes to being an entertainer, Beyoncé is in a league of her own.

Black Women In Sports

Whether it’s tennis, gymnastics, basketball, or track and field, Black women have dominated whatever arena you put them in.  Serena Williams has been an exemplary example of what it means to be a champion and persevere through harsh and often racist media attacks for acting simply like an athlete.

“We’re strongest when we cheer each other on. A champion isn’t about how much they win, it’s about how they recover from their downs,” Williams said in her 2009 autobiography On the Line. “A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they recover when they fall. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.”

Black Women In Politics

While we are still waiting for a Black woman to hold the title of President of the United States, there are still humongous strides that Black women are making in politics. Black women’s push for change was highlighted in the Civil Rights Movement by pioneers such as Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Dorothy Height, and countless other Black women who have put their lives on the line for better opportunities for us.

“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul,” Coretta Scott King said in one of her famous quotes.

Take a look at seven Black women in music, sports, and politics that are setting the bar for the new generation:

• Beyoncé

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  In 2023, Beyoncé became the winningest GRAMMY holder with 32 GRAMMYs earned in her career. The singer received her 32nd GRAMMY at the 65th Annual Grammys Awards with her acceptance of Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for Renaissance. Prior to her win for Renaissance, conductor Georg Solti had the most GRAMMY wins with 31.That was her fourth win of the night following her acceptance of Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Plastic Off The Sofa," Best R&B Song for "Cuff It," and Best Dance/Electronic Recording for "Break My Soul." Her Renaissance World Tour which accompanied the album, became one of the highest-grossing tours ever-- grossing more than $461 million according to Forbes.

• Serena Williams

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  Tennis and Serena Williams are a match made in heaven, which has been proven over the course of her successful career. Williams has earned 23 Grand Slam titles, the second most of any female athlete in the sport. She is also the first Black woman to win a singles championship in the 31-year history of the U.S. Open era. She also joined Althea Gibson as only the second African-American woman to win a Grand Slam. In 2022, Williams said that she would retire from the sport after telling Vogue in her cover story that she is "evolving away from tennis." She later walked back her statement in 2023 to CBS, saying that the word "retirement" doesn't really fit her; however, she has not announced any plans to return to tennis.

• Michelle Obama

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  Michelle Obama made history as the first Black woman to become a First Lady of the United States when her husband, Barack Obama, was elected President of the United States in 2008.  Similarly, Barack also made history with the election, becoming the first Black President of the United States. However, Michelle's successes don't stop with a title as she was a Grammy nominee for her memoir The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times. The former First Lady campaigned for health through Let's Move! -- an initiative for children's nutrition and physical activity nationwide. During her second term, she fronted the Reach Higher Initiative aimed at young adults to pursue a higher education. She herself has an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School. She married Barrack in 1992, and the two share two daughters: Malia and Sasha Obama.
• Kamala Harris

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  Kamala Harris made history as the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian-American vice president when she was elected into office in 2021. Prior to her vice presidency, she was the Attorney General of California and District Attorney of San Francisco. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and is the daughter of immigrants. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a breast cancer scientist, and her father, Donald Harris, is an economist and professor at Stanford University. Kamala is a Howard University and University of California Hastings College of Law graduate. She married Douglas Emhoff in 2014 and shares his two children, Ella and Cole, from a previous relationship.

• Rihanna

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  Rihanna's latest achievement was that she currently has the most-watched Super Bowl performance with 121 million viewers. Prior to her performance being the most-watched in history was Katy Perry's 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Rihanna actually made another Super Bowl performance achievement as the first pregnant person to perform at the Super Bowl. She announced (and later confirmed) that she was pregnant with her and A$AP Rocky's second child, whom they welcomed in May. In fashion, the model was also the first Black brand ambassador for Dior in 2015 and has made her home country of Barbados proud as the first Bajan billionaire in 2022.

• Simone Biles

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  It's impossible to think of gymnastics and not think of Simone Biles. The Olympian was the first African-American all-around world champion. She also has the most all-around titles in the women's competition, with six. With a total of 30 medals -23 of which are gold- Biles is the most-decorated gymnast in World Championship history. In 2023, she got the Yurchenko double pike move renamed after her after landing it at the World Championship. The year prior, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden.
• Ketanji Brown Jackson

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  Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2022 and sworn in later that year. Brown Jackson, previously a public defender and federal appeals court judge, was sworn in shortly after Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement became official. She previously clerked for Breyer from 1999-2000. She graduated from Harvard University as an undergrad, and she received her legal education at its law school. She married Patrick Graves Jackson in 1996, and the couple share two daughters.

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