Black History Month: Elevating The Voices of Unsung Black Women Activists

February is celebrated worldwide as Black History Month, a time to honor the contributions of African-American leaders throughout history, from the earliest movements for black activism and revolution to the ongoing fight for equality. This month recognises their tireless efforts, from securing a voice in daily life to advancing the civil rights movement.

When we think of Black leadership, names like Martin Luther King Jr. and W.E.B. Du Bois often come to mind, their legacies cemented by their pivotal roles in the Civil Rights Movement. However, countless other leaders, especially women, played crucial roles in shaping history, yet many have received little to no recognition. Spotlighting these unsung leaders is crucial, not only for achieving a greater level of understanding of the fight for racial equality but also for acknowledging the dynamics of intersectionality at its best.

The Hidden Figures

Black History Month started with a scholar named Carter G. Woodson, who founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) in 1915 to research, preserve, and disseminate knowledge about Black life. In February 1926, Woodson started Negro History Week, and after university students and staff pushed to extend the celebration, it evolved into Black History Month as it is currently recognized in the United States, reports USA Today.

Throughout history, Black women have been at the forefront of social movements, from the suffrage and civil rights movements to contemporary fights for racial and gender justice. Activists like Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, and Bell Hooks challenged both the racism within the feminist movement and the sexism within civil rights activism, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive approach. Today, intersectional activism continues to advocate for policies and practices that address the multiple layers of inequality that Black women face, calling for a world where their voices and contributions are fully recognized and valued.

African-American Women played vital roles in the Civil Rights Movement, overcoming obstacles related to gender, race, and class, to support their communities. Their contribution was endless, in varying capacities, including, organizing the agitation, and protests, providing safe havens, raising funds along promoting the movement through their in-build skills.

The prominent names include Myrlie Evers, Gloria Richardson, Leah Chase, Kathleen Cleaver, Judy Richardson, Diane Nash. Aileen Hernandez, Dr. June Jackson Christmas. These women have worked and paved the way towards, consistently achieving and sustaining equality and justice, often balancing multiple roles, in domestic and social landscapes.

Final Thoughts

In today’s time, intersectional activism remains vitally important. Black women's community continues to face distinct yet complementary forms of oppression, and violence, further highlighting the need to acknowledge the interconnected nature of race, gender, and class in the overall fight for social justice. Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the late 1980s, intersectionality recognizes that Black women experience oppression in ways that are distinct from both Black men and white women, shaped by overlapping systems of racism, sexism, classism, and more. 

By honouring the ongoing legacy of Black women activists, we can imagine inspired generations to continue the fight for a more just world.

Views expressed by the author are their own.