Every year on International Women’s Day, we pause to give an extra special recognition to the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women around the world, across every sector. Celebrated annually on March 8, the day is not just an opportunity to honor progress but is also a call to action for the work that still lies ahead.
Although International Women’s Day has passed, the Official Black Wall Street is spotlighting some of the extraordinary women who have not just challenged the status quo but transformed it in the process. From corporate boardrooms to billion-dollar ventures, from sports franchises to global brands, women like Sheila Johnson and Rihanna have redefined what leadership and representation can and should look like. Their achievements are reminders that no table is complete without women at it. Or, as Beyoncé puts it, “Who run the world? Girls.”
Sheila Johnson
A pioneering entrepreneur and co-founder of BET, Sheila Johnson became the first Black woman billionaire in the United States following the sale of BET to Viacom in a deal worth nearly $3 billion. She also made history as the first Black woman to hold ownership stakes in three professional sports franchises - the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards and Washington Mystics. Today she is the CEO of Salamander Collection, a luxury hospitality brand overseeing properties across the U.S., Anguilla and Jamaica.
Sandra Douglass Morgan
In 2022, Sandra Douglass Morgan made history as the first Black woman to be the president of an NFL team, leading the Las Vegas Raiders. No stranger to breaking barriers, she was also the first Black person to serve as the City Attorney for North Las Vegas and the first person of color to chair the Nevada Gaming Control Board. During her time as chair of the Gaming Control Board, she implemented policies addressing harassment and discrimination on the basis of employees’ identities.
Thasunda Brown Duckett
As the CEO of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), Thasunda Brown Duckett is one of the few Black women leading a Fortune 500 company. A former Chase Consumer Banking CEO, she is well known for her commitment to financial inclusion and financial literacy. In 2025, she became the only Black investor among the new ownership group backing the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Rosalind Brewer
Rosalind Brewer made history with her appointment as CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance (2021-2023), becoming the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company at that time. Ranked among the Most Powerful Women in Business on the Forbes 50 Over 50 list, she has been a strong advocate for gender and racial diversity, championing DEI in the workplace.
Iman Abuzeid
In 2017, Dr. Iman Abuzeid founded Incredible Health, now the largest AI company powering healthcare hiring. Through its marketplace, it connects healthcare professionals with top employers, while providing hospitals with hiring solutions to streamline staffing and deliver quality care. In 2022, Abuzeid led the company to unicorn status at a $1.65 billion valuation, becoming only the 4th Black woman to achieve this accomplishment.
Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall
As CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, Cynthia Marshall was the first Black woman to lead an NBA team (2018 - 2024). She was tasked with transforming the team’s culture following allegations of harassment and a toxic workplace culture. Within her first 100 days, her transparent and values-driven leadership style set a new standard for inclusivity and accountability in the workplace, positively influencing the culture at the organization.
Melody Hobson
Melody Hobson is a powerhouse in finance and corporate governance. In 2015, she was named to TIME Magazine’s annual list of 100 most influential people in the world. Today, she is the co-CEO of Chicago-based Ariel Investments, which is one of the largest Black-owned money managers in the U.S., managing $14.5 billion.
Angela Benton
A tech innovator and venture capitalist, Angela Benton is well-known for championing diversity and inclusion in Silicon Valley. Her company, NewMe, was one of the first accelerators dedicated to supporting minority entrepreneurs and underrepresented founders globally. Since its founding, she has raised over $47 million in funding for minority-owned companies. She is currently the Managing Director at Fruit Ventures, where she advises and invests in companies across technology, media, and consumer products.
Rihanna
Global superstar and business mogul Rihanna has built an empire through brands like Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, Fenty Hair and Savage X Fenty. By prioritizing inclusivity across skin tones and body types, she entered the beauty and fashion industries as a force to be reckoned with, not just challenging traditional standards but setting new ones. Recognized as one of the most impactful entrepreneurs of her generation, in 2025 she became the first Black woman to build two billion dollar companies, with Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty both exceeding $1 billion individually.
Lisa Wardell
When she joined Chicago's Adtalem Global Education in 2016, her mission was to make a difference. As CEO of the $1.2 billion for-profit higher education company, she led the strategic positioning of its portfolio and also boosted the racial diversity of her leadership team by 50%. During her tenure as CEO, she was the only Black woman at the helm of one of the nation’s 1,000 largest publicly traded companies.
