Volume 6, the concluding installment of this series, explores the roles of Black women in theater, aviation and aerospace, law enforcement, and fashion. The roots of Black theater in America date back to the era of the slave trade. Trailblazers such as Angelina Weld Grimké, one of the first Black women to have a play publicly staged; Vinnette Carroll, the first Black woman to direct a Broadway show; and Lorraine Hansberry, the first Black female playwright to have a Broadway production, are often regarded as the “Black godmothers of theater.” It is only in recent times that Black women have begun to receive the recognition they deserve, with figures like Suzan Lori-Parks, the first Black woman to win both a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize; Tony-nominated Dominique Morisseau and Danai Gurira; and Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. This new generation of Black women playwrights, producers, directors, and costume designers is reshaping the art form and literally transforming American theater.

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Although the Wright brothers’ landmark flight in 1903 generated excitement, African Americans were largely excluded from aviation. Nevertheless, a few Black women broke barriers in flying and later in space exploration. Readers will learn that Bessie Coleman was not the only early Black female aviator. Pioneers like Willa Beatrice Brown Chappell, Dorothy Layne McIntyre, and Mildred Hemmons Carter paved the way for Black women pilots in the military, such as Vivian Bailey, Marcella Hayes Ng, and Vernice Armour, as well as for the first Black woman astronaut, Mae Jemison, and Melissa “M’Lis” Ward, the first Black female captain in commercial passenger aviation.

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Black women continue to be underrepresented in the fields of law and law enforcement, partly due to cultural and institutional barriers. In the early 1900s, Charlotte E. Ray became the first Black woman lawyer in the United States. A few others followed, including Constance Baker Motley, whose achievements as an NAACP attorney led to her becoming the first Black woman appointed as a federal judge. Initially, like their White counterparts, Black women in police forces were employed in roles such as social workers, matrons, and school crossing guards. Grace Wilson in Chicago and Georgia Ann Robinson in Los Angeles became the first Black female police officers. Black women managed to progress into positions such as officers, middle managers, and chief executives. By the twenty-first century, over twelve Black women have led police departments in the 100 largest cities in the U.S., marking a significant accomplishment that still leaves many challenges unaddressed.

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For centuries, Black women have been sewing and designing clothing out of necessity, with the earliest recorded designer being Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a former enslaved woman whose primary client was Mary Todd Lincoln. Despite Black culture being a rich source of creativity and inspiration, the fashion industry—which has long benefited from it—has a history marked by systemic exclusion, racism, and underrepresentation. Black individuals face significant obstacles to equal opportunity, recognition, and career advancement. Nevertheless, the determination of women such as Eunice Johnson, Ophelia DeVore, Audrey Smaltz, Naomi Sims, Beverly Johnson, Bethann Hardison, and Robin Givhan helped break down these barriers. Their efforts paved the way for others like designer Tracey Reese, photographer Dana Scruggs, and many more to enter an industry where beauty is subjective and lies in the eye of the beholder.

In this volume, David wraps up the TRAILBLAZERS series and shares thoughts on the importance of Black women's contributions and how their stories are pertinent to American history and its greatness.