10 Fascinating Black Woman History Facts, Courtesy of Black Twitter’s #WeHelpOurselves

After the Rachel Dolezal controversy broke out, there was much talk from within and outside of the black community of how she should be thanked for helping black people. North Carolina State University professor Blair Kelley started the hashtag #wehelpourselves to shift conversation away from Rachel Dolezal and towards a deeper understanding of what African American women have done to advance their own cause. Here are 10 fascinating facts we discovered in the process.

1. Sculptor Selma Burke did the bust of Franklin Delano Roosevelt that is on the American dime.

Selma Burke, sculptor born in 1900 in NC. did the bust of FDR that sits on every dime #WeHelpOurselves #originaldimes pic.twitter.com/g9yvpBjNLE

— Charreah Jackson (@Charreah) June 18, 2015

2. Dr Alexa Canaday became the first black neurosurgeon in the US in 1976 at age 26.

https://twitter.com/xoxojasminem/status/611231445202432000

3. Jackie Ormes was the first African American cartoonist

I have mentioned her before: Jackie Ormes the first African American cartoonist #wehelpourselves pic.twitter.com/bhb391I2QK

— Ben Cohen 🌐 (@bencomics) June 17, 2015

4. Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi founded #blacklivesmatter

Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. Founders of Black Lives Matter. #WeHelpOurselves #Always pic.twitter.com/cRXjCVcjWK

— Tituba (@brwngirljoint) June 17, 2015

5. Marilyn Mosby is the country’s youngest state prosecutor

Marilyn Mosby. Lawyer, youngest state prosecutor, reminding us #BlackLivesMatter. #WeHelpOurselves pic.twitter.com/UjMRxBgAGI

— Black Girl Fly Mag (@BlackGirlFlyMag) June 17, 2015

6. Mary McLeod Bethune started Bethune-Cookman University with six students and $1.50

Mary McLeod Bethune started @bethunecookman with six students and a $1.50. Seriously, #WeHelpOurselves pic.twitter.com/8Z84t4SgOb

— C.A. deGregory, PhD (@HBCUstorian) June 17, 2015

7. Marsha P Johnson was a transgender activist and a key player in the Stonewall riots.

#MarshaPJohnson activist, performance artist, liberator. One of the mothers of stonewall. #WeHelpOurselves pic.twitter.com/i5RCSp74z2

— Dane Figueroa Edidi (@THELadyDane) June 17, 2015

8. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first black woman to win a Pullitzer Prize for literature.

Gwendolyn Brooks was a postwar poet and first black women to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature. #WeHelpOurselves pic.twitter.com/v0Kz14d97N

— Love Brenda Denise (@lovebrendadenis) June 18, 2015

9. Dorothy Lee Bolden founded the National Domestic Worker’s Union of America.

https://twitter.com/DeeshaPhilyaw/status/611325968389664768

10. Clara Brown is a former slave who, after winning her freedom at age 56, started a successful laundry business, helped other freed slaves get established and searched for a daughter who was taken from her in slavery.

Clara Brown cared for a whole community while on a mission to find her daughter that was sold from her. #Wehelpourselves

— Catching Clouds (@datgirlcshelle) June 16, 2015

Fascinating! Ladies were you aware of the women mentioned above?