These women all played a part in major movements. Even when they were behind the scenes, they made sure their voices were heard.
#1: Sojourner Truth – One of the first abolitionists, she successfully sued a white man for her son’s freedom, and her “Ain’t I A Woman?” speech shook white feminism to its core.
#2: Fannie Lou Hamer – Sick and tired of having her political voice quieted by racists, she organized our people to become registered voters. When white political parties refused to honor our votes, she made sure our people formed OUR OWN political party. Her work led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
#3: Septima Clark – When racist states refused to address the substandard conditions of Black public schools, Clark founded Citizenship Schools, which taught our community leaders how to take charge of their own communities’ education.
#4: Ida B. Wells – Mortified by lynchings, this fearless journalist led the fight against white terrorism. She also fought for the right of Black women to vote, founding one of the first women’s suffragist groups in the nation.
As these women demonstrated, all of us, no matter who we are, can work for our freedom. We must realize that Black women have never been silent when it comes to challenging any system that seeks to discount the rights of our people. Keep fighting!