African American women are exceptional human beings. Like other women, they are burdened with the problems of being a female in a male-dominated society that does not fully value the feminine perspective. 0Unlike other women, they are also faced with issues resulting from long-standing negative, stereotypical images. For countless years these women have endured the systematic oppression due to elements in cultural, political and, historical events. Long before British-colonial occupation and the slave trade, the male-dominated African tribal culture adhered to many oppressive yet accepted and structured forms of role categorization of women in African society.
             Their true contribution to the building of modern day society, despite the achievements of African American women in of this country, continues to be ignored and, therefore, devalued- in the past and recent years. Black women have been the backbone of their homes, communities, and the development of this country. Born of a desire to succeed, African American women have excelled in virtually every arena of the world's spectrum, regardless of ignorance. This paper argues for five astonishing women, who have contributed an unbelievable amount to society, reaching for the stars, excelling themselves in life every step of the way. They have had an impact on generations of women, black and white and whom I found to be inspirations for the feminine race.
             In 1773, a young woman burst onto the literary scene. What made this particular author a sensation? The young woman I first want to discuss is Phillis Wheatley, an African slave writing poetry in English. "If Wheatley stood for anything, it was the creed that culture was, and could be, the equal possession of all humanity. It was a lesson she was swift to teach, and that we have been slow to learn" Born in Senegal, Africa in 1753, Wheatley was a slave child of seven or eight and sold to John and Susanna Wheatley in Bosto...