Women in Civil Rights

During Women’s history month, and with the historic confirmation hearing going on for the first African American woman nominated to the U.S; Supreme Court, I wanted to talk about an important subject: Women in Civil Rights. Women have always played a pivotal role in the struggle for Civil Rights in this country throughout its history.

In virtually every area of society, women, including African American women and women of color, have made significant impacts on civil rights. From the period prior to the Civil War, Harriett Tubman, who many dubbed to be the black Moses, helped lead over between 70 and 300 enslaved people to freedom. In addition, Sojourner Truth, used her advocacy both with the President, Abraham Lincoln with whom she communicated, as well as on women’s issues, including when she delivered her iconic, “Ain’t I a Woman?” address to the convention of Ohio Women in Akron, Ohio, in 1851.

Then after the turn of the century, there were countless women leaders who advanced the cause of Civil Rights. For instance, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, as a journalist highlighted the atrocities of lynchings of African Americans across the country. Her important work highlighting these violent actions, helped to bring national attention to the treatment of African Americans in this country. Moreover, Mary McCLoud Bethune, became a powerful and influential political leader for civil and voting rights, eventually leading multiple civil rights and women’s rights organizations, and received Presidential appointments, including being appointed by President Truman, as the only woman of color to the founding conference of the United Nations in 1945. Thereafter, she founded what would become Bethune-Cookman College, a Historically Black College and University, which still stands, educating students to this day.

But the contribution of African American women is not limited to education or politics, or journalism. It also includes the arts, with the work of artists like Billie Holiday, who at great cost to her career financially, chose to perform the song, Strange Fruit, to bring awareness to the lynching of African Americans in the South and throughout the country. A biopic recently aired of Mrs. Holiday’s life on Hulu. Furthermore, Zora Neal Hurston, captured our struggle and voiced our condition in her writings, including, Their Eyes Were Watching God. In addition, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and Nikki Giovanni, all used their writing talent to illuminate the struggle for equality, highlighting the beauty and richness of African American women and people in general.

Moreover, on the Civil Rights frontlines, Pauli Murray’s legal mind, acumen, and scholarship were instrumental and vital in the struggle for racial equality. Additionally, Constance Baker Motley, served as an Attorney with the NAACP LDF and later became the first African American female federal judge in this country, a fact that was reiterated by the first African American female nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Katanji Brown Jackson, with whom she shares a birthday, and who is a trailblazer for civil rights in her own right, having served as a Federal Public Defender and acting as attorney for Guantanamo Bay detainees.

In the modern civil rights movement, Mrs. Mamie Till Mobley, had the courage to have an open casket funeral for her slain son, Emmett to bring light to the horrific violence leveled against African Americans in the South and across the country. This solemn and courageous act encouraged another leader in Civil Rights, Mrs. Rosa Parks, sat down for our future and freedom, igniting the Montgomery Bus Boycott, in December 1955. But not only that, this act by Mrs. Till, encouraged four young men, in Greensboro North Carolina to sit in at a Woolworth’s lunch counter, that sparked civil rights demonstrations throughout the U.S. Today, the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Bill has been passed by the House of Representatives, and is currrenty under consideration by the Senate, with hopes that perhaps finally in 2022, the U.S. can have federal legislation against lynching.

Furthermore, the First Lady of the Civil Rights movement Mrs. Coretta Scott King helped her husband Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.lead a movement that would change the world forever. Even after the brutal assassination of her husband, she continued her charge for Civil Rights, until her transition. Moreover, the modern movement for Civil Rights would not have been possible without the tireless work of Mrs. Ella Baker, who helped organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) served in significant capacities for the NAACP, and helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Mrs. Baker was literally the glue that held together these legacy Civil Rights organizations. And one cannot omit the great contribution of the “God-mother” of the Modern Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, long-time leader of the Council for Negro Women. In addition Mrs. Xernona Clayton, who was a leader during the Civil Rights movement in her own right, working alongside Dr. King and Rev. Jesse Jackson, who later founded and and served as CEO of the Trumpet Awards.

In addition, it was not just black women who led the Civil Rights Movement, but even some white allies helped in the struggle. For instance, Viola Louizza was a a white wife and mother, who got involved in the movement and was tragically murdered in the process. Moreover many students from the North joined SNCC and participated in the freedom rides throughout the South.

Mrs. Myrlie-Evers Williams, the widow of Medgar Evers, continued the fight for civil rights, even after her husband was brutally assassinated outside his home, and later served as board chair of the NAACP.

Dr. Mary Frances Berry, chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and has been a Civil Rights attorney, historian, professor, scholar, and activist for many years. President and Director-Counsel Emeritus, Sherilyn Ifill, served on the front lines of the legal fight for Civil Rights at the helm of the NAACP-LDF until her recent retirement, passing the torch now to President and Director-Counsel, Janai Nelson. Furthermore, Attorney Barbara Arnwine, led the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, for many years also battling Civil Rights in the courts and in the policymaking space.

Also, Attorney Connie Rice fought for Civil RIghts by filing lawsuits against police departments for police brutality, and eventually founded the Advancement Project which continues to fight for civil rights, equality, and justice.

Today, the Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice, Kristen Clarke, continues the fight for civil rights in this role, after having served as the Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. In addition, it would be impossible to discuss women in Civil RIghts without acknowledging two of the highest serving women, particularly African American women, in the U.S. history, with First Lady Michelle Obama, a lawyer in her own right, and the current VIce President, Kamala D. Harris, also a lawyer by training, and former U.S. Senator, and California Attorney General.

Thus, there are countless examples of women leaders throughout the struggle for civil rights. This provides both a lesson in history, as well as a blueprint for our own activism. If you would like to be an activist journalist, follow the example of Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and currently Nikole Hannah-Jones. If you would like to be an attorney activist, follow the countless examples, from Pauli Murray, to Judge Constance Baker Motley, to Dr. Mary Frances Berry, And Attorneys Ifill, Arnwine, and Rice. If you would like to be an activist with a nonprofit organization or legacy organization, follow the example of Ella Baker and Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams. As you can see, there are countless examples to follow on your path to carving your own niche in civil rights activism.

How do you follow an example from the past?

1. Study The Lives Of Civil Rights Pioneers

It begins with studying their lives, which will begin with reading and researching about them. Read the books that they wrote, as well as those books written about them. Look for articles that discuss their careers and their personal lives as well.

2. Identify Milestones In Their Careers And Lives

Once you have researched their lives, summarize that research into milestones and significant achievements and events in their lives. Then drop those milestones into a timeline of their lives and careers so you can really get a snapshot of their successes.

3. Identify Your Own Timeline And Compared It To Theirs

Now, look at your life thus far, where you have been, what you have done. Then dream about where you would like to go from here. Research what you would need to do to get there. Afterwards, make a list of milestones and insert them into your own timeline. Then compare the timeline for the Civil Rights Icon, with your own timeline and notice similarities and differences. Tiger Woods famously did this at 9 years old using the career of Jack Nicklaus, and I think it is fair to say it worked out well. Richard Williams used Virginia Ruzici as an example for his daughters, Venus and Serena. Similarly, I think things worked out for them as well.

4. Identify The Challenges They Faced And Note How They Were Able To Overcome

Those Challenges

Probably the most important lesson to learn from the Civil Rights icon is what challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome those challenges. This is very instructive and can help guide you through working on your own activism.

5. Implement The Strategies Learned Into Your Own Activism

Now, implement those strategies in your own activism. To help you get started, I have included links to resources for and about the leaders identified earlier in this post, usually by clicking on their names and the organizations they worked with.

So let’s celebrate women’s history month, and celebrate women leaders in civil rights.

Until next time, thank you for your commitment to Civil Rights and continue in your Civil Rights activism.

Brian