Influential Black Women in Travel

In honor of black history month I’d like to focus on educating myself on not just the struggles of black history but on the good as well. Don’t you agree we all need a little positivity in all this chaos lately? This post is a dedication to the black women who were and are influential in the travel industry. Women who have paved the way for anyone who dreams to follow.

Jessica Nabongo

She is the first black woman to travel to every country! What an accomplishment, one that I admire and envy. She takes gorgeous photos all over the world and you can read her blog post about when, why and how she traveled to every country. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @thecatchmeifyoucan

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Kelee Edwards

She was the first black woman to have a show on the Travel Channel. What an impressive feat considering how many of their shows and many other travel shows are hosted by white men. She’s also now a pilot, a scuba instructor and has her own podcast at Travel+Leisure. You can follow her on Instagram @kelleesetgo

Ruth Carol Taylor

Back in the 1950s she became the first black flight attendant in the U.S. She was rejected at first by TWA, but then got a job offer from Mohawk Airlines. However, she got married shortly after which at the time meant she was let go from her job as a flight attendant. She spent most of her life fighting for women’s rights and she even became a journalist and wrote a book.

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Bessie Coleman

In 1921 she became the first black woman to get a pilots license in the U.S. She was born and raised in Texas and devoted her life and career to showing other women and people of color to chase their dreams. She wasn’t accepted into any flight schools in the U.S. due to being both a woman and an African American so she had to teach herself French and was then accepted into Caudron Brothers’ School of Aviation in Le Crotoy, France. Even after she got her pilots license she stuck to her beliefs and would only perform air shows where they would not keep the crowd segregated.

Mae Jemison

The first black woman to travel into space back in 1992 after also being the first black woman accepted into NASA’s astronaut training program. Mae was born in Alabama but spent most of her childhood in Chicago. After getting a scholarship to Stanford she got a degree in chemical engineering and then went on to get a medical degree at Cornell. She eventually decided to go after her dream of being an astronaut in 1985.

Celeste Beatty

Okay now for my craft beer lovers! This lady became the first black woman to own a brewery in the U.S., Harlem Brewing Company. She has truly opened up the world for both females and people of color to get involved in this industry that is flooded with white men. You can find information on her brewery and where to find her beer on their website!

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Well that’s just the beginning of influential black women, even when it comes to just the travel industry. Black women have been underrated and overlooked. Educate yourself. Share this post. Expand your knowledge. Follow black women on Instagram and other forms of social media. Looking for more ways to help? I urge you to look into blogs written by black women, support black owned businesses and read books written by people of color. I also wrote this blog post to give you some more ideas: Black Lives Matter – What YOU can do to help.

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Blogs to follow – written and run by influential black women in the travel industry:

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Kay – The Awkward Traveller

A travel blogger who is focused on making travel more relatable, inclusive, and accessible to those wanting to travel. She uplifts voices from marginalized communities within the travel industry as well as local perspectives to the destinations she visits. www.theawkwardtraveller.com

Feature on Barbara Hillary

Barbara was the first African American woman to go to both the north and South Pole. You can learn more about her life and accomplishments in this feature from LoveLifeAbroad.

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Tiffany – Pennies, Places and Paws

Tiffany is dedicated to assisting pet owners that love to travel and save money. She provides information about pet care and travel tips for the times you want to bring your pet along on vacation or when you decide to leave them at home. She also suggests various approaches to save money so you will have more funds to spend on spoiling your animals and traveling the world. penniesplacesandpaws.com

Marquita – The Traveling Twin Mama

She’s traveling the world with her 2 year old twin boys. She provides tips and inspiration to help women and families travel smarter marquitastravels.com

Lerato Bambo – Life from a Bag

Lerato is a South African Expat, Podcaster, Writer, and Digital Marketing Specializing in Search Engine Marketing. On her blog she shares tips for finding work and living abroad for Africans.www.lifefromabag.com

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