Blazing a Trail, Leaving a Legacy

According to Dictionary.com, the term “trailblazer” literally means “a person who blazes a trail for others to follow through unsettled country or wilderness; pathfinder.” Can you think of anyone who has made it easier for you to live your dream? Anyone who faced haters and nonbelievers, knowing that they had what it took to succeed? Let me share with you an example of three African American women who did just that.

Althea Gibson: The first African American to play tennis at Wimbledon.


“I knew that I was an unusual, talented girl through the grace of God. I didn't need to prove that to myself. I only wanted to prove it to my opponents.”

Raised in Harlem, New York in the 1930’s and 40’s, Althea Gibson knew all about hardship and overcoming obstacles. Growing up on welfare from time to time, and not having a real interest in school, Althea struggled to find something she excelled at. Once someone put a tennis racket in her hand however, the rest as they say, “is history.” The combination of her talent and love of the game did not go unnoticed. She went on to not only compete in, but win several tournaments that were previously closed to African Americans, including the French Open in 1956 and Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958. Althea was not only the first African American woman to play in these tournaments; she was the first African American person period given the opportunity to play in them. She faced her haters head on and let her racket do the talking.


Mae Jemison: The first African American female astronaut.


"Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live."

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Mae Jemison graduated from Stanford University in 1977 where she completed dual degrees in Chemical Engineering and Afro American Studies. Dr. Jemison went on to attend medical school at Cornell University and served with the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia before applying to NASA’s astronaut training program in 1986. Dr. Jemison was 1 of 15 people selected for the program out of nearly 2,000 applicants and on September 12, 1992, she became the first African American woman to enter outer space when she took part in an 8-day mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. Dr. Jemison once said, “One of the things that I'm very concerned about is that as African-Americans, as women, many times we do not feel that we have the power to change the world and society as a whole." Dr. Jemison is proof of course, that we can accomplish both.


Toni Morrison: The first African American author to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.


"If there is a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it."

For some people, it is easier to critique than it is to create. There is less to lose when you borrow from the thoughts and words of others. It takes an almost fearless individual to stand up and be heard. For author Toni Morrison, she believed she had stories worth telling and tell them, she did. Many of you may be familiar with her work, ranging from her first novel, The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, where the main character believes life would be easier if only she had blue eyes, to more haunting works like Beloved, later made into a movie starring Oprah. It was her desire to tell varied stories on topics both taboo (race, gender) and troubling (slavery, murder) that brought Toni Morrison recognition and eventually critical acclaim in the form of both a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize. Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993, making her the first African American to do so. A graduate of Howard University and later Cornell, Morrison always loved English. It would be her way to touch the world.

So Now What?
Perhaps tennis great Althea Gibson said it best. When asked about her accomplishments later in life, Althea said, "I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it's half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me." These women were successful because they believed in themselves, and someone else did too. They not only had the talent, they had the dedication it took to reach their goals and the courage to deal with anyone or anything that got in their way. They had to deal with racism and sexism, but they kept pushing. They may have had some days where they felt like giving up, but they kept trying.

Have you ever wanted to give up? Have you ever thought that what you were doing wasn’t worthwhile? What if these women had stopped believing in themselves? Who would Venus and Serena Williams have to look up to if Althea Gibson had let racism stand between her and the tennis court? How many more years would we have had to wait to see an African American woman in space if Mae Jemison had not literally decided to go where no black woman had gone before? What if Toni Morrison had been happy simply being an editor of other people’s books? The world would have missed out on one of its greatest writers. These women took a chance and in doing so provided not only the world, but young African American women like you with real life role models. Dr. Jemison is still doing her thing, and Toni Morrison will most likely write until the day she dies. Whatever they decide to do now, they have already influenced so many, and contributed so much to the world. They blazed new trails and never looked back. Their legacy will live on long after they have left this world.

Do you have a goal you want to accomplish one day? Do you believe you have what it takes to get there? Are you surrounding yourself with people who support you and your dreams? If your answer is yes, then keep doing what you’re doing. If you answered no to even one of those questions, think about what you need to do differently to achieve your dreams. Trailblazers are not people who stand by waiting for an opportunity; they are people who go out and create one. Look at these three examples and be encouraged. Dr. Jemison once said, “The thing that I have done throughout my life is to do the best job that I can and to be me.” If you do that, the rest will come naturally. Create your own opportunities. Blaze your own trail. What will your legacy be?

-- Brandi Nichols
Brownstone Team

Meet our newest writer, Brandi Nichols! Brandi is a native of California who recently relocated to Texas. Brandi graduated from USC with a degree in Public Relations and went back later to receive her master’s degree in School Counseling. Brandi enjoys writing, reading and making people laugh. Her favorite book is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.