February is more than just the shortest month of the year. It is also Black History Month. We have decided to look at some of the women who made significant contributions to American history, literature, politics, etc. These are their “her-stories”.
Sojourner Truth
An escaped slave and abolitionist, Truth was also an early feminist. She is best known for her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in which she outlines the events of her life and how they contend against the supposed weaknesses of women, arguing that women can change the world. Her dual legacy as an abolitionist and suffragette continue to this day.
Harriet Tubman
A “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, a series of trails and homes that helped slaves escape to freedom in Canada, Tubman made 19 trips to the South to help other slaves to freedom. She was never caught.
Madame C.J. Walker
If you’ve ever used relaxer or other straightening products, you should know this name. She invented relaxer and other hair care products for a primarily African-American audience. This niche market made her a millionaire and one of America’s first female entrepreneurs.
Alice Walker
Most people who have taken an English class have likely come across her book The Color Purple, a controversial novel tackled issues such as sexual abuse, religion and orientation. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983 and spawned a film and play.
Maya Angelou
A writer, journalist and activist of great significance, Angelou sprung to international attention after the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She has written several bestselling volumes of poetry and read an original poem at the 1993 inauguration of Bill Clinton.
Oprah Winfrey
After a rough childhood, Winfrey rose through the ranks of media to becoming one of the few women to own a media company. Her talk show was on the air for over 20 seasons and gave rise to a media empire that includes O Magazine, OWN Network and other holdings.
This list is a poor sampling of the innumerable African-American women who have contributed to American History. However, if I had to stop at some point or I’d still be writing this for another two weeks. Remember next month is Women’s History Month, so another installment featuring American women of all backgrounds is in the works for then.
What African-American woman do you feel contributed most to American history? Who do you feel gets overlooked in history?
Sources:
The History Channel
http://www.madamcjwalker.com/black-history-month-resources/
SparkNotes
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/purple/summary.html
http://mayaangelou.com/bio/
http://www.oprah.com/index.html