Their Words Built the Path: Black Trailblazers Who Still Guide Us
History is not just something that happened “back then.” It is something we are still living, still shaping, still building together.
Throughout Black history, trailblazers have used their voices to name injustice, imagine a better world, and push real change into motion. Their words were not just inspiring. They were tools. Tools for survival. Tools for hope. Tools for liberation.
Some of these stories touch on themes of injustice and discrimination. We share them with care, honoring both the pain and the power in our community’s history. Here are a few Black trailblazers whose words continue to guide movements, spark hope, and remind us what is possible when we speak with purpose.
From: James Baldwin (Writer, Activist)
Why These Words Still Matter: James Baldwin reminds us that real change begins with honesty. His words speak directly to young people navigating systems that were not built for them. Facing injustice, naming harm, and refusing to look away is the first step toward transformation. Baldwin’s message teaches us that discomfort isn’t something to avoid; it’s often the doorway to growth. Whether it’s standing up to bullying, calling out unfair rules, sharing your story, or speaking your truth about who you are, facing reality is how progress starts.
From: Audre Lorde (Poet, Feminist, Activist)
Why These Words Still Matter: Audre Lorde’s words remind us that liberation is collective. You do not get free alone. Her message speaks powerfully to movements for racial justice, gender equity, disability justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. It challenges us to care about struggles that do not look exactly like our own. For young people, this quote is a call to solidarity. When we show up for each other, we build a stronger, safer world for everyone.
From: Bayard Rustin (Civil Rights Leader, Organizer, Advocate)
Why These Words Still Matter: Bayard Rustin knew that change does not come from staying quiet. His words celebrate the people who challenge unfair rules, organize their communities, and refuse to accept injustice as “normal.” As a Black gay man who helped organize the March on Washington, Rustin’s life and words show how powerful it is to live at the intersection of multiple identities. Today, “angelic troublemakers” look like youth speaking up in their schools, organizing community projects, supporting one another, and building chosen family when the world will not make room.
From: Angela Davis (Scholar, Activist)
Why These Words Still Matter: Angela Davis flips the idea of “just dealing with it” on its head. Her words give permission to dream bigger and demand better, from schools, families, and systems. For young people who are told to wait their turn or keep their heads down, this quote is a reminder that your voice matters right now. Progress does not happen by waiting quietly. It happens when people decide that injustice is unacceptable and work together to make change.
From: Marsha P. Johnson (Activist, Trans Liberation Leader)
Why These Words Still Matter: Marsha P. Johnson’s words are a powerful reminder that Pride is not just about celebration, it is about justice. As a Black trans woman and a leader in the early LGBTQ+ rights movement, Marsha fought for unhoused queer youth, trans women, and people pushed to the margins. Her quote challenges us to look at who is still being left behind today. True progress means building a world where everyone is safe, housed, respected, and free, not just the people with the most privilege.
From: Martin Luther King Jr. (Civil Rights Leader)
Why These Words Still Matter: Dr. King’s words remind us that what happens to one group of people affects us all. When any community is targeted or harmed, the whole world becomes less safe. This quote is especially powerful in times when people are encouraged to stay silent or look away from other people’s struggles. It teaches young people that caring about others is not a weakness, it is leadership. Justice grows when we protect one another and refuse to let harm go unnoticed.
From: bell hooks. (Author, Social Critic)
Why These Words Still Matter: bell hooks teaches us that love is not passive, it is powerful. Choosing to love ourselves, our communities, and our futures is a meaningful act in a world that often thrives on fear and division. Her words remind us that activism is not only about protests and policies. It is also about how we care for each other, how we build joy, and how we create spaces where people can be fully themselves. Love is not soft. Love is strategic. Love is transformative.
The words of these Black trailblazers did not just shape history. They continue to shape us.
They remind us that speaking up matters. That community matters. That joy matters. That justice matters. And that young people have always been at the center of change.
At Brave Trails, we believe in honoring the voices that built the path and in empowering the next generation of trailblazers to carry it forward.
Your words matter, too.
Your story matters, too.
And the world is better when you use your voice.