YOUNG REPORTERS - BLACK HISTORICAL ICONS It’s currently the month of October, which does mean a lot of things, it’s Halloween, which is beneficial for some due to the mass load of sweets some get from trick or treating. It's also Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is also known as ‘Pink October’, which helps to raise awareness and educate those who don’t have the understanding or recognition of such a harmful disease.

While these are major, the month of October is also Black History Month, meaning that it’s important to learn the significance of black excellence and explore the ways that some of these people helped to shape and form history.

For starters, some may not know about the man ‘Matthew Henson’, who was an African American explorer, however, he was one of the first people to ever step foot onto the North Pole. He’s also known as the co-discoverer of the North Pole with Robert Edwin Peary. This took place in the year 1909. In his early childhood – Matthew’s parents both died. Interestingly, he went on to be a cabin boy on a merchant ship!

Another historical icon is Harriet Tubman, who was a black, empowering abolitionist and an activist who fought for rights and stood against racial discrimination. Harriet escaped slavery in 1849 and assisted to free many slaves. It is said that Harriet freed over 70 slaves which took her around 13 trips to Maryland to achieve. Harriet was an unbelievably strong woman, when she was 13 years old – she was severely close to death, she refused to run after a runaway slave by an overseer but was then hit in the head with a two-pound weight, which was meant to be aimed at the runaway slave instead.

Ida Wells was a journalist and activist who carried an anti-lynching campaign. She was born into slavery during the civil war. She worked and fought for equal rights and against segregation during the 1890’s which she had a huge passion for. Ida was on the path to expose people that inflicted violence and hatred that were made towards black people. Many people may know about Rosa Parks since she refused to give up her seat, however people would be interested to know that she was not the first one to give up her seat. Isa Wells and Claudette Colvin were the ones who stood up for their rights prior to this, however they are not praised as much.

I hope whoever has read this now has a deeper insight into just a few people who have shaped our history in many ways!

Link to photo: https://unsplash.com/photos/grayscale-photo-of-man-in-black-jacket-holding-black-smartphone-ZIKnVsJVJpg