This month we are recognizing 10 wonderful Black, Disabled pioneers and present-day influencers who have paved the way for not only the Black community but, Black, disabled people everywhere! Take some time this month to celebrate them and honor their work done for the Black and disability community.
- Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
You may not have known this but the award-winning poet, playwright and author Maya Angelou was disabled. At the young age of 8 years old, Angelou suffered an assault which had resulted in her becoming mute for five years. For the rest of her life, Angelou dealt with Selective Mutism. The famed author’s writing career lasted nearly 50 years.
Image Description: Image is of a headshot of Maya Angelou. Angelou in the image is seen to be looking at the distance with a smile on her face, as the image seems to be focused on her left profile. Angelou is wearing a black suit with pink lipstick.
2. Tobi Green Adenowo
@toughcookietee on Instagram is the perfect example of modern-day dancing queen and disabled influencer. The best part about her is not just the cute UK accent but, the fact that she is determined to use her passion to tell her story about what it’s like living with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. She is so real and graceful!
Image Description: An illustration of Adenowo is seen. Adenowo is sitting on a pink wheelchair against a pastel purple background. Additionally, Adenowo is seen wearing a black top with a heart neckline and purple lipstick.
- “Blind Tom” Wiggins (1849–1908)
As a baby, Wiggins was born blind and sold into slavery. However, because of Wiggins’ disability, he was mostly left alone on the plantation. Soon after, Wiggins found a piano and become a very gifted pianist, traveling all over Europe and America to perform. Wiggins’ music has traveled worldwide and the famous Elton John wrote the song, the Ballad of Blind Tom, to honor him.
Image Description: An antique black and white photo of Tom Wiggins is seen. Wiggins has his eyes closed, and is seen looking to his left. He is wearing wearing a black suit.
- Wesley Hamilton
Hamilton is a survivor of multiple gun shots wounds which resulted in his spinal cord injury. His organization Disabled but Not Really has been monumental within his community of Kansas City, Missouri. This organization has helped to rehabilitate the community and give everyone hope. It brings them back to what’s important about checking in on the mental and physical health of disabled people when they are going through hardships. This organization also creates care packages for the homeless community! You can find Hamilton on Social Media at @iamweshamilton or look for him on Season 4, Episode 2 of Queer Eye!
Image Description: An image of Hamilton outside an establishment, riding his wheelchair down the sidewalk. He is seen in his wheelchair smiling and looking directly at the camera. Hamilton wears a red and brown shirt with black pants and dress shoes.
- Harriet Tubman (March 1822 – March 10, 1913)
To Quote directly from Respect Ability: “Harriet Tubman is known as one of the most influential leaders of our nation. She was a former slave turned abolitionist who bravely risked her life to free both slaves and her own family members through the underground railroad.” Her mission was to get as many people to freedom, as possible. When Tubman was a teenager, she got a brain injury from being hit in the head by one of the slave owners. Through this, she also had severe epilepsy. Tubman freed many slaves and is the definition of a hero!
Image Description: A black and white photo of Harriet Tubman. She is wearing a long black dress, and is seen looking into the camera. Tubman looks at the camera while her hands are clasped together.
- Lauren (Lolo) Spencer
Lolo Spencer, @itslololove on Instagram, is a Los Angeles based disabled influencer, actress, public speaker, creative, model, and advocate! Spencer is the host of the amazing podcast called: Sitting Pretty Productions, which she created in hopes of dismantling ableist perspectives of disability in society. Spencer achieves all of these things while sitting and being pretty. We love to see it!
Image Description: An image of Spencer in her motorized wheelchair, looking directly into the camera. Spencer is set against a clear white backdrop, wearing a holographic glitter tank top with black leather pants.
- Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was known for being a famous boxer and for speaking up against racial injustices. Ali was Dyslexic and got Parkinson’s disease at the age of 42. In school, teachers frequently discriminated against him because of his struggles with his disability. Due to the ableism faced and no one willing to work with him, Ali barley graduated high school. Due to the ableism Ali faced in his education, he created a series of books for dyslexic kids learning to read.
Image Description: An image of Ali with his boxing gloves and in his fighting stance. Ali is seen looking into the camera, with a dimly lit background. Ali is wearing black boxing gloves and white shorts.
- Matt Maxey
Maxey was born deaf but didn’t learn American Sign Language until college. Maxey is from Kansas City and has always had a passion for rap music. He is the CEO and creator of the organization DEAFinitely Dope. Through this organization, Maxey has the ability to go on tour with famous rappers across America, such as Chance the Rapper, and interpret their songs for deaf fans in the audience. That is pretty dope! You can follow @DeafinitelyDope on all social media outlets!
Image Description: An image of Maxey smiling into the camera. He is seen sitting on the ground with one leg up and the other leg under it, in a relaxed position. Maxey is against a bright yellow background and floor, wearing a white t-shirt and an opened blue button up over it. He wears skinny khaki cuffed pants with black dress shoes.
- Frannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)
Hamer was a Civil Rights Activist whose main mission was to give black people the opportunity to vote! She dealt with damaged kidneys due to a physical assault. Hamer’s famous phrase was: “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!”
Image Description: A black and white image of Hamer’s right profile. She is seen in the middle of speaking, with her eyebrows furrowed a bit and her mouth agape. Hamer is wearing a shape-filled button up blouse.
- Stephanie Thomas
Thomas is an amputee from Santa Monica, California and the founder of Cur8ble, an amazing fashion and styling service that caters to the disabled community. She also presented a TedTalk in Canada in 2016 and she has also written a book called: Fitting in: The Social Implications of Fashion and Dressing with Disabilities. See ya’ll on the runway! You can follow Thomas on Instagram @disabilityfashionstylist.
Image Description: A graphic image made of Thomas in which a headshot of her is seen in the middle of the image, set against a fluorescent yellow circle that is against a grey background. Below the cut out headshot of Thomas, are black letters that say, “Adaptive Clothing” in all capitals.
