She is the author of “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf.”
FIERCEFACTOR: Her choreopoem has a power and relevance that transcend time, race and gender.
02
Vanessa L. Williams, 47
Williams is an actress and a singer.
FIERCEFACTOR: She conquered Broadway, the music charts, and the big and small screens.
03
Faith Ringgold, 79
Ringgold is a visual artist and writer.
FABFACTOR: People soar in her stirring, vibrant masterpieces.
04
Erica Campbell, 38
Erica (left) is one-half of chart-topping gospel duo, Mary Mary.
FABFACTOR: The Campbell sisters spread The Word with conviction and flair.
05
Tina Campbell, 35
Tina (right) is part of the talented gospel duo, Mary Mary.
FABFACTOR: The Campbell sisters spread The Word with conviction and flair.
06
Maya Angelou, 82
Angelou is an author, poet, activist, actress, dancer and singer.
FIERCEFACTOR: The Presidential Medal of Arts winner became the voice of a nation.
07
Judith Jamison, 67
Jamison is the artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
FABFACTOR: She showed Black girls they belonged at center stage — and in the corner office.
08
Michelle Obama, 46
Mrs. Obama is the First Lady of the United States. She wrote a personal letter to ESSENCE readers for this special occasion. Pick up a copy of the September issue to read her special message!
09
Oprah Winfrey, 56
Oprah is a media mogul and philanthropist.
FIERCEFACTOR: She built a billion-dollar media empire, then put her considerable mojo on the line by stepping up to launch her OWN cable network.
10
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, 71
Johnson-Sirleaf is the President of the Republic of Liberia.
FIERCEFACTOR: The first African female to rule an African nation is bringing peace to her country through economic recovery.
11
Serena Williams, 29
Williams is a much celebrated tennis champion.
FIERCEFACTOR: She’s the current No. 1 singles player and No. 1 doubles player (along with big sis Venus) in the world.
12
Candace Parker, 24
Parker is a WNBA forward for the Los Angeles Sparks.
FABFACTOR: She made competitive basketball cool for women.
13
Iman, 55
Iman is a supermodel and founder of Iman Cosmetics.
FABFACTOR: For more than 35 years, she has reflected our beauty.
14
Naomi Campbell, 40
She is a supermodel and founder of the Fashion for Relief.
FIERCEFACTOR: She’s clocked 25 years in fashion, with the meanest catwalk of them all.
15
Liya Kebede, 32
Kebede is a supermodel and a maternal health ambassador.
FABFACTOR: She dreams a world in which giving birth won’t endanger a woman’s life.
16
Chanel Iman, 20
Chanel is one of the youngest supermodels to walk for Victoria’s Secret.
FABFACTOR: She’s taken her beauty global to become fashion’s next big thing.
17
Mary J. Blige, 39
Mary is a singer, actress and philanthropist.
FIERCEFACTOR: For almost two decades, she’s given voice to our vulnerability and our strength.
18
Beyoncé, 29
Beyoncé is singer, actress and designer for the House of Dereon.
FABFACTOR: The top-earning female artist took home a record six Grammy Awards in one night.
19
Queen Latifah, 40
Queen Latifah is an actress, singer, spokesmodel as well as film producer.
FIERCEFACTOR: She infiltrated Hollywood to become a force to be reckoned with.
20
Mo’Nique, 42
Mo’Nique is an actress, comedienne and talk show host.
FIERCEFACTOR: She won an Oscar while refusing to play politics.
21
Viola Davis, 45
Davis is an actress. She has appeared in “Doubt” and most recently won a Tony award for her role in the Broadway play “Fences.”
FABFACTOR: Her riveting portrayals captivate audiences.
22
Wendy Williams, 46
Williams is a talk show host and author.
FABFACTOR: By embracing her outsize persona, this rising star has made daytime TV prime time.
23
Laysha Ward, 42
Ward is the President of Community Relations and Target Foundation for Target Corporation.
FABFACTOR: She leads the team responsible for donating more than $3 million a week to the communities Target serves.
24
Esi Eggleston Bracey, 40
She is the VP and general manager of Global Cosmetics for P&G Beauty & Grooming.
FIERCEFACTOR: She diversified P&G’s top-branded spokesmodels to reflect the range of women’s beauty.
25
Mellody Hobson, 41
Hobson is the President of Ariel Investments.
FABFACTOR: She helped guide the nation’s largest Black-owned mutual fund company through financial crisis and came out on top.
26
Dr. Ruth Simmons, 65
Dr. Simmons is the President of Brown University.
FIERCEFACTOR: She helped to raise more than $1.5 billion to enhance academic programs.
27
Beverly Daniel Tatum, 56
Tatum is the President of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.
FABFACTOR: She’s at the helm of the country’s oldest HBCU for women.
28
Valerie Jarrett, 53
Jarrett is President Obama’s senior advisor and assistant to Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement.
FIERCEFACTOR: She has the ear of the most powerful man on the planet, and is helping to launch a more inclusive era of political engagement.
29
Melody Barnes, 46
Barnes is the domestic policy advisor and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House.
FABFACTOR: She coordinates the President’s domestic policy process.
30
Lisa P. Jackson, 48
Jackson is an Environmental Protection Agency administrator.
FABFACTOR: She links environmentalism to real-life concerns.
31
Susan Rice, 45
Rice is the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
FIERCEFACTOR: As America’s face to the world, she tackles issues from terrorism to Haiti’s recovery.
32
Beverly Bond, 35
Beverly is a DJ and founder of Black Girls Rock!
FABFACTOR: She created a platform for talented young sisters, giving them role models to guide the way.
33
Olufunmilayo Falusi Olopade, 53
Dr. Olopade is a medical oncologist.
FIERCEFACTOR: She identifies and treats forms of cancer that disproportionately affect Black people.
34
Susan L. Taylor, 64
Taylor is an author, motivational speaker and former editor-in-chief of ESSENCE.
FIERCEFACTOR: She empowered millions of Black women by affirming our beauty and worth.
35
Roslyn Brock, 45
Brock is the Chairman of the board of the NAACP.
FABFACTOR: She’s leading the fight for civil rights into the 21st century.
36
Alicia Keys, 30
Keys is a singer and an actress.
FIERCEFACTOR: She has raised $25 million for HIV/AIDS care for African children and families.
37
Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, 60
Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr is an infectious disease specialist.
FIERCEFACTOR: She revolutionized the way we fight HIV.
38
Sheryl Lee Ralph, 55
Ralph is an actress and HIV activist.
FABFACTOR: She increased awareness of HIV through powerful performances.
39
Stephanie D. Wilson, 44
Wilson is a NASA astronaut.
FABFACTOR: She traveled 6.2 million miles on her most recent mission.
40
Cicely Tyson, 77
Tyson is a legendary actress.
FABFACTOR: One of the first Black actresses to secure a prime-time TV role, she’s now inspiring a new generation.