17 Black History Moths Who Are So Glad It's February

Did you know that the moth is the official mascot of Black History Month? Well, it isn't, but it should be.

1.

Steven CC BY-NC-ND / Via Flickr: steven-young

Smith and Carlos were pallbearers at the funeral of Australian sprinter Peter Norman, the third medalist on the podium, who supported their demonstration.

2.

Bernard DUPONT CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: berniedup

Born in Kentucky, she was 6 feet tall and once worked as a madam.

3.

Graham Canny CC BY-NC-ND / Via Flickr: gcanny

The group often met at the home of member Mary McLeod Bethune and advised Roosevelt on matters like employment and housing.

4.

Dean Morley CC BY-ND / Via Flickr: 33465428@N02

The judge sided with her, ruling that "colored persons if sober, well behaved, and free from disease" could not be kept from utilizing public transportation.

5.

Marie Coleman CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: colemama

"I think she needs help," King said of his attacker. "I'm not angry at her."

6.

Patrick Emerson CC BY-ND / Via Flickr: kansasphoto

Her murderer, M. W. Chenault, said that he hated Christianity and that his god told him to carry out the crime.

7.

a being CC BY-NC / Via Flickr: 92982284@N00

Williams designed around 2,500 buildings in his lifetime.

8.

Natasha D. CC BY-NC-ND / Via Flickr: natasha__d

Social worker Eunice Hunton Carter helped make the connection between organized crime and prostitution, which eventually led the feds to the infamous "Lucky" Luciano.

9.

Andreas Kay CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: andreaskay

The Tulane Register noted that "the town, which is to be called Allensworth, is to enable colored people to live on an equity with whites and to encourage industry and thrift in the race."

10.

Dragan Gucunski CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: galeguca

The company's owner, Chris Rutt, got the name "Aunt Jemima" from a song a blackface performer sang at a vaudeville show.

11.

Marvin Smith CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: 60053822@N00

She instead sent flowers to King's widow, Coretta.

12.

Andreas Kay CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: andreaskay

Holly played a mixed race woman passing for white on One Life To Live; when she kissed her black co-star, audiences were enraged thinking that a white woman had kissed a black man on television.

13.

eugene beckes CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: 61210501@N04

The neighborhood was also home to singer Ella Fitzgerald, musician Count Basie, and boxer Joe Louis.

14.

Andreas Kay CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: andreaskay

Though it could also be about an actual rose, popular lore suggests that the song is indeed about Emily, a mulatto from Bermuda.

15.

Jason Henry CC BY-NC-SA / Via Flickr: jjwhenry

Her story was immortalized in the children's book Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of America's First Female Firefighter by Diane Ochiltree.

16.

nutmeg66 CC BY-NC-ND / Via Flickr: rachel_s

He was 31 years old when he went out for the Detroit Lions in 1970.

17.

Bill Higham CC BY-NC-ND / Via Flickr: 22691568@N04

The Toronto Blade reported that the audience apologized by giving him a 10 minute ovation.

Happy Black History Moth!

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