Top 5 African Americans of the Present Time
African Americans have been playing a vital role in the advancement of America’s business, cultural landscape, and politics into what it is today. Since 1976, the month of February is designated as Black History Month by every U.S. president to honor the achievements and the resilience of the African community.
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These African Americans who have made history in their respective fields stand on the shoulders of pioneers who came before them. Following the trailblazers’ lead throughout American history, the black history-makers are shaping a great history for tomorrow.
Here are the top 5 African Americans who are shattering glass ceilings in America at the present time.
Kamala Harris – Vice President of the United States
Kamala Harris is a 58-years old first South Asian American and the first woman Vice President of the United States. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the oldest historically Black sorority in the country.
The approval numbers of Kamala Harris have been declining steadily since her inauguration. Compared to the last four vice presidents, she has the lowest net favorability rating. Numerous top staff members have left in recent weeks and the reports have painted her office as dysfunctional.
“Kamala Harris assumed office in historic fashion, becoming the first woman to serve a heartbeat away from the presidency. But her first year as vice president has been far from a smooth ride.” Said a BBC article. You can read the full article: Kamala Harris one year: Where did it go wrong for her? available at bbc.com.
Kamala Harris is the first Vice President of the United States who graduated from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). She was the first member of the minority to serve as California Attorney General during 2011-16. Kamala was also elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2016 for the state of California.
Harris helped others make history when she hired the first all-woman senior staff for the office of the U.S. Vice president in December.
Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett – American immunologist
Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett was born on January 26, 1986, in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, United States. She is an American viral immunologist, an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Shutzer Assistant Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute since June 2021.
Dr. Kizzmekia lead scientist on the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine team. She made her 6 years of experience studying the spike proteins of SARS and MERS to design the vaccine for Covid-19.
As a lead scientist in developing a vaccine for Covid-19, Corbett had, and still has, a significant amount of pressure. This is because a lot of people depend upon the team as a life savior.
On her appointment to the VRC in 2014, Corbett’s work focuses on developing novel vaccines for coronavirus including mRNA-1273 which became a leading vaccine against Covid-19. This vaccine was later deployed to the industry partner, Moderna, Inc. for the Phase 1 clinical trial approved by U.S. FDA.
She designed the vaccine for the Covid-19 Coronavirus within two days of it being discovered. She studied the spike proteins of other coronavirus variants like SARS and MERS in her 6 years of experience as a viral immunologist.
Victor J. Glover, Jr – NASA Astronaut
A 44-years old astronaut Victor J. Glover, Jr. is the first black astronaut who lives and works at the International Space Station for an extended period. After serving as a Legislative Fellow in the United States Senate, he was selected for the NASA astronaut corps in 2013. Most recently, Victor served as pilot and second-in-command on the SpaceX Crew Dragon, which landed on May 2, 2021.
Becoming an astronaut requires facing a lot of challenges including academics, experience, and physical requirements.
Victor Glover, before becoming the NASA astronaut faced all the challenges and still trains how to walk underwater and to make repairs to the ISS. He also uses virtual-reality tools to experience how things work in microgravity.
All these are critical challenges, but for a determined mind like Victor Glover, nothing could stand in his way and he finally made it.
Glover completed 168 days in orbit and took part in four spacewalks. He won the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievements Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, NASA Space Exploration Medal, and NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
These are big achievements for one person and Victor Glover truly deserves it all.
Among more than 300 NASA astronauts sent to space, only 14 have been African Americans. When Victor arrived at the International Space Station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, he became the first African American astronaut to live and work on International Space Station for an extended stay.
Amanda Gorman – an inaugural poet
Born on March 7, 1998, in Los Angeles, California, Amanda Gorman is an inaugural poet and activist known for her pieces of work that address black identity, climate change, feminism, and marginalization.
The young poet Amanda is not just an author and activist, but a survivor as well. She grew up in Los Angeles and started writing as a way to get through her speech impediment. And today, she is phenominusoly recognized for her works.
At the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20th, the storied careers were on full display. From entertainers to politicians with decades of experience who were present, another big start was been introduced. Amanda Gorman remained the breakout star at the age of 22 and became the youngest inaugural poet in the history of the United States.
Gorman writes about gender and race. She was invited by First Lady Jill Biden to the swearing-in ceremony. She also follows in the footsteps of the inaugural poets Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
Rashida Jones – American actress
At the age of 39, Rashida Jones is the president of MSNBC. She is the first black executive to run a major television news network. In her 8 years of experience at MSNBC and 21 years of experience in business, Rashida colored the history of the world through journalism.
She is responsible to oversee all the programming, business development, technical operations, editorial units, and MSNBC Films
Rashida is the premiere destination for breaking news, in-depth analysis and informed perspectives, and award-winning journalism. She also oversaw the launching of the MSNBC hub on Peacock which marked the expansion of MSNBC’s streaming footprint.
At the tail end of the 2020 presidential election, Rashida Jones was the news executive of NBC who was overseeing two of the most scrutinized events in the chaotic news cycle.
Conclusion on the top African Americans of the present time
African-Americans have been a major part of the United States that elevated its recognition all over the world.
From the onset, enslaved people of Africa (African Americans) were always a key part of the American economy. They helped to build the country’s early infrastructure and produce commodities, such as cotton and tobacco, that were valuable in their own right. After emancipation, African American labor was still strategically important to sustain the country’s economy.
Not only the history, but we have some incredible individuals in the present time who are currently busy achieving major milestones to remember in the upcoming American history. They all need to be remembered for their achievements.
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