In lieu of Black History month, I was inspired to highlight a few women in Black history that used their words and their writings to make a difference for women’s rights.
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”
Alice Walker
Alice Walker, a Georgia native, was born in 1944 and was the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. She also won the National Book Award and 11 Academy Award nominations for her famous novel “The Color Purple”, in 1982, which was later produced as a movie. Walker was an activist for both civil rights in America, and advocated international women’s rights.
“It is not our differences that divide us, it is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
Audre Lorde
Audre Lorde, born February 18, 1934, was an American writer, poet, and a radical feminist. A lot of her writings were based around the struggles in civil rights and her feelings towards the black woman’s identity. As a lesbian, and a mother, she used her frustrations with social prejudice to fuel her work and it gave her much success.
“Show me someone not full of herself and I’ll show you a hungry person.”
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni was born on June 7, 1943. Her beloved poems represent the roles of women in the household and workplace. Nikki Giovanni won the NAACP Image Award, numerous awards, and was nominated for a Grammy. She received a Life Membership from the National Council of Negro Women, and is an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Outside of her accolades, she’s made a continuous stride for equality, peace, and civility.