Historically, the faces associated with the abortion debate have been white, liberal women. But there’s a forgotten part of the fight for reproductive health that changed the way we talk about civil rights – and put Black women at the forefront of healthcare history.
It was 1989, and Black women were fed up with decisions being made about their health without them in the room. When the Supreme Court was limiting access to health care for women, criminalizing reproductive choices, and ignoring the needs of sick women, a group of Black women used two simple words to make history.
“WE REMEMBER.” These were more than just words. Powerful Black women got organized nationwide to demand access to quality healthcare, age-appropriate sexual education, power to choose whether or not to have children, and resources to make informed medical decisions about their reproductive health. And it had a huge impact.
Shirley Chisolm. Maxine Waters. Angela Davis. It happened again in 1991 when Black women defended Anita Hill as she testified about the sexual harassment she faced at the hands of Clarence Thomas. This all means one thing.
When Black women work together to care for one another, not even white supremacy stands a chance. Regardless of what the Supreme Court actually decides, we know one thing – Black women will find a way to keep fighting for us all!