Black history is a major part of American history; however, some of the most influential people can go unrecognized.
Brandi Adams, an assistant professor in the Department of English, said it is important to recognize and teach about micro-histories, which is defined as a focused study on a specific group in time.
"It would be really nice to do some of these micro-histories, whether it's American history or British history or history of other places, where we look at and learn about the history of people that we don't always get to learn about," Adams said.
Boston King - 18th century
Boston King was an 18th-century Methodist preacher, writer and one of the first Black Loyalists.
Born into slavery, King fought with the Loyalists against the American Revolution because the British promised freedom.
King was later captured and re-enslaved. When the U.S. and Britain negotiated peace, King was once again freed and left New York for Nova Scotia.
Throughout his life, King wrote his autobiography "Memoirs of the Life of Boston King," where he shares details of his life and brings a first-person insight into slavery and conflict during his time. According to Black Past, King was one of three Black Nova Scotians to write an autobiography between 1600 and 1900.
Joe Lockard, an associate professor of English, did research on King's life. He realized out how important it is for people to recognize King's "visionary language" in King's storytelling and the importance to understanding African American history and literature.
"Storytelling has been with us for about as long as human culture," Lockard said. "Literature is no more than storytelling and it is one of the characteristics that makes us human."
Frances Joseph-Gaudet - 19th century
Frances Joseph-Gaudet spent a life dedicated to prison reform, social activism and advocating for marginalized communities.
According to The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Joseph-Gaudet founded the Gaudet Normal and Industrial School for Black Youth. It was an orphanage and school dedicated to the education of Black children, especially those who came from disadvantaged backgrounds and incarceration.
Joseph-Gaudet was also an advocate for the formation of a juvenile court to prevent children from being tried as adults.
Lockard said Joseph-Gaudet's prison reform work is important because she advocated for people who were often overlooked.
"We think of prisons only in terms of who goes in; We often fail to recognize that entire families suffer incarceration and children are left bereft of parental support," Lockard said. "Here's somebody who did recognize what was happening and undertook private initiatives since there was no public support for this and created a home."
According to the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Joseph-Gaudet is recognized as a saint in the Episcopal Church.
Fannie Lou Hamer - 20th century
Fannie Lou Hamer was a strong voice during the civil and voting rights movement. She spent her life advocating and fighting for African Americans' right to vote, especially in areas like the South with strong systemic racism and oppression.
In 1964, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which challenged the idea of segregation. That same year, Hamer helped organize Freedom Summer to educate college students on voter registration, according to The National Women's History Museum.
Hamer was also an advocate for women's rights and in 1971, she helped establish the National Women's Political Caucus.
Bria Lee, a freshman studying criminology and criminal justice, and a spring intern for the Black Student Union, said Hamer inspires women to continue the fight for equality.
"We still have barriers that we have to get through, not voting specifically, but there is things like pay disparities and equal treatment, things that we fight each day in the workforce or in our everyday life," Lee said. "I think people like her really are inspirations to always fight for equal treatment."
Former President Joe Biden awarded Hamer the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.
Benjamin Crump - Today
Attorney Benjamin Crump gained recognition following his high-profile cases involving George Floyd and Trayvon Martin, whose deaths shed light on the systemic racism and police brutality that primarily targets the Black community.
Crump's cases have primarily focused on civil rights, police brutality and social justice. His work has led to legislation that reduces excessive force and establishes implicit bias training and policies, according to Crump's website.
Lee said Crump is a modern-day civil rights activist who deserves more recognition for representing high-profile cases.
"We know about Martin Luther King and Malcolm X," Lee said. "He's on the forefront for civil rights every day fighting against police brutality and racial discrimination."
Crump was born in Louisiana and earned his law degree from Florida State University College of Law. He is the president and founder of Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute and serves as the president of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association.
"Seeing diverse perspectives or even just knowing about these important people that are behind the scenes of these things gives you more perspective as to, not only the workings of some of these complex processes but also gives people recognition where it's due," Lee said.
ASU events and ways to be educated
On Friday, the Programming and Activities Board is hosting a PAB Pop-Up: Black History Month in the Memorial Union. The event will feature free posters and t-shirts of influential figures, hair care products and a slideshow of moments in African American history.
On Feb. 26, Arizona State University's Multicultural Communities of Excellence will be holding Know History Know Self on the Tempe campus. The event will celebrate Black excellence and teach members about Black history through Kenja Hassan, the assistant vice president of government and community engagement on the Downtown Phoenix campus.
ASU also offers multiple courses on Black history as well as an African and African American Studies program.
Offered in Tempe, African American History to 1865 teaches students about African American roles in America from slavery to 1865.
Introduction to Africana Studies introduces students to theories, themes and perspectives of African or African-descended peoples.
Topic: Banned Books & Black Studies explores the censorship regarding major figures, history and culture stemming from African Americans.
Topic: Staging Black Queer Lives teaches about the history, stories and experiences of Queer Black people in the United States.
This story was updated on March 5 at 8:15 p.m. to correct information about King's life.
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez, Tiya Talwar, Alexis Heichman and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporter at alillest@asu.edu and follow @allylillestol on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Allison is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is her first semester at The State Press. She has also worked at Arizona PBS and Blaze Radio.
