Let’s be transparent : Black women have served as a backbone for progress in the United States since its birth. From its cutting edge NASA space program and labor to Civil Rights contributions. Providing bright intelligence for a very system designed to exclude Black women from spaces. Contributions have been shrunk into footnotes or worse, completely erased. Despite our rich contributions and achievements, black women are still overlooked. That is why April is more than just a month among 11 others. It is international black woman history month, a time to stop, look, admire, and give credit where it is long overdue and deserved.
The Origins : Why April?
In April 2016, entrepreneur Sha Battle put her foot down deciding enough was enough. She realized although Black History Month and Women’s History Month were important, they often failed to proportionately represent the specific experiences of Black women. She didn’t want to just be a footnote in someone else’s month; she wanted to become the focus point. By creating International Black Women’s History Month, Battle gave a dedicated space to highlight the role Black women have played globally.
Why We Need This Space :
When not seeing things or people that we feel represent ourselves or reflect where we’ve been and what we’ve been through. It’s easy to feel as though you don’t belong. Not for the month of April, a vital month of highlighting stories and the achievements of Black women globally. Thanking those from the past who have paved the way while using it to brighten our futures. We, too, can bring wonderful stories and positively impact the world.
Five Black Women Who Have Stood As Architects of Change :
A Look Back History is often taught through a repetitive narrow lens, but when we widen the frame, we see the additional figures who designed and fought for the blueprint of modern equality.
1: Ida B. Wells-Barnett:
Before “investigative journalism” was a pursed career , Wells risked her life to document the atrocity of lynching. She wasn’t just a reporter, she presented the nation with a dreadful mirror that forced the nation to gaze upon and reflect on its blood thirsty history. Her courage is the gold standard for bringing truth to the forefront .
2 : Shirley Chisholm:
In 1968, Chisholm shattered barriers by becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress. As a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, she proved that “unbossed and unbought” wasn’t just a slogan, it was a political strategy.
3 : Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson:
On April 7, 2022, history was made as Justice Jackson was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her presence is not just a milestone for black women everywhere; it is a fundamental shift in the intellectual landscape of our judiciary.
4. Fannie Lou Hamer:
A sharecropper and activist, this bold figure was a powerhouse. She co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and fought for voting rights, even though advocating for such change could and often did cost her her life. She taught Black women around the world that true political power starts with the people on the ground, and that not all important decisions fall to those in high positions. She reminds us that the fight for equality does not always have to take place in a courtroom; it happens in the streets and within your own community as well.
5. Dr. Gladys West:
A representation of brilliance often left unseen, she highlights how Black women have been “hidden figures” who deserve far more recognition than they receive. We know of many exemplary, brilliant Black women in the field of mathematics, often within the scope of NASA, but let’s also take a moment to acknowledge this brilliant mind for being the essential foundation of the Global Positioning System (GPS). She is a testament to the fact that Black women have been the silent architects of our technological world.
The problem has never been a lack of talent; it’s a lack of visibility and receiving earned credit. When we fail to highlight Black women, we encourage a cycle of expunging beautiful black accomplishments. We tell the next generation that their contributions are secondary, when in reality, they are foundational.
Moving Beyond the Month: From Awareness to Action
If we want to honor this legacy, we have to demand better in our daily lives. This includes demand representation Whether it be an academic or professional setting, ask who is missing from the conversation. If Black women aren’t at the table, the perspective is missing a viewpoint .
Support Black Women Owned, from beginners just getting their startup or from more seasoned professionals who have earned their stripes in their respective endeavor. Put your money where your values are and with brands that value you not only as a customer, but a person as well.
Create a Community utilize this month to not only uplift and learn about other black women, but connect with them as well. With strong unwavering and undeniable unity collectivity is our strongest asset.
The Bottom Line
Black women are deserving of recognition in the workplaces, respect the history, and support for the future. It’s time the table was built to accommodate us rather than exclude. Stay informed, stay loud, and keep pushing for the recognition we’ve earned. Because we’re worth it.
Works Cited
Chisholm, Shirley. Unbought and Unbossed. Houghton Mifflin, 1970.
Giddings, Paula J. Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching. Amistad, 2008.
McKinsey & Company. Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters. 2020, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters.
National Black Women’s History Month. Black Women’s History Month, 2024, blackwomenshistorymonth.com. Accessed 22 May 2024.
Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. Margot Lee Shetterly, 2024, margotleeshetterly.com/hidden-figures-nasas-african-american-computers.
Supreme Court of the United States. “Biographies of Current Justices: Ketanji Brown Jackson.” Supreme Court of the United States, 2022, www.supremecourt.gov/about/biographies.aspx.