Geraldine Pittman Woods (1921-1999)

Geraldine Woods is known for her lifelong dedication in using science to contribute to community service, and her establishment of programs that give opportunities to people of color in STEM fields. Woods was born on January 29, 1921 in West Palm Beach, Florida to parents Susie and Oscar Pittman. After graduating from … Read MoreGeraldine Pittman Woods (1921-1999)

Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)

Fannie Lou Hamer was a grass-roots civil rights activist whose life exemplified resistance in rural Mississippi to oppressive conditions. Born on October 6, 1917 in Montgomery County, Mississippi, to a family of sharecroppers, she was the youngest of Lou Ella and Jim Townsend’s twenty children.  Her family moved to … Read MoreFannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)

Velvalea “Vel” Hortense Rodgers Phillips (1924-2018)

“Image Ownership: Public Domain”   Velvalea “Vel” Phillips was a civil rights pioneer in Wisconsin. She was the first African American and the first woman to serve as an elected official and as a judge in the state. Phillips was born one of three girls … Read MoreVelvalea “Vel” Hortense Rodgers Phillips (1924-2018)