With thanks to The Open University for allowing us to repost this piece. Originally posted on their website here.
Queen Nzinga managed to call a halt to Portuguese slave raids in her kingdom through clever tactics. Read about her legacy in this article Continue reading Queen Nzinga
Josephine Baker (1906 – 1975) – Resistance fighter, Civil Rights activist, writer…
And yes a dancer too!
I’ve visited the Chateau des Milandes on the Dordogne River in France twice now. It is in a spectacular setting on a cliff side of the meandering Dordogne. It was the home of the cabaret dancer Josephine Baker, and the glamorous dresses and memorabilia from her career during the 20s and 30s in Paris attract many thousands of visitors. They are displayed on the lower floors of the Chateau. The beautiful chateau has numerous lavish bedrooms with splendid bathrooms that were installed after Josephine Baker lived there, and began to adopt orphans of many nationalities. But, like me, many of these tourists are unaware of her other achievements. They overshadow her dancing career and display her courage, bravery and moral integrity. The real story of Josephine Baker can be discovered on the top floor of the chateau. Continue reading Josephine Baker
With thanks to The Open University for allowing us to repost this piece. Originally posted on their website here.
A rights activist against the exploitation what was prevalent in South Africa, Charlotte Maxeke was South Africa’s first black female graduate and one of the first female freedom fighters. Find out more about her extraordinary story. Continue reading Charlotte Maxeke
Lisa Perez Jackson was adopted as an infant and grew up in New Orleans’s Ninth Ward in the 1960s. The area was a vibrant center of African American culture with a high rate of home-ownership. Her father was a postman and Navy veteran who took great pride in serving his community and his dedication to the public good was passed on to his daughter. As a child in Louisiana, Lisa noticed that pollution deregulation helped the wealthy make more money but it was harsh for the poor who lived near waterways and canals fouled by the oil industry. She came to realize that environmentalism and equality were entwined and that people of color were most likely to bear the burden of environmental degradation. In her own words, “environmental challenges have the power to deny equality of opportunity and hold back the progress of communities.” Continue reading Lisa Perez Jackson: A Life in Balance
With thanks to The Open University for allowing us to repost this piece. Originally published on their website here.
As a single woman in the early 20th century making ends meet was no easy feat, so it’s remarkable that Madam CJ Walker became the first female self-made millionaire in America. Continue reading Madam CJ Walker
The Harlem Renaissance was the name given to the artistic, literary and intellectual movement within a tumultuous period of racial change in post-war United States. Also named ‘The New Negro Movement’, this cultural explosion drew black writers, photographers, artists, poets and scholars together to forge a new black cultural identity throughout the 1920s and 30s. Although critic and lecturer, Alan Locke (1926), described the transformation from “social disillusionment to race pride”, the women of the Harlem Renaissance had to face double prejudice of both race and sex.
Henrietta’s tumour cells, most commonly known as HeLa cells in science are responsible for some of the most significant medical discoveries of all time. From chemotherapy and the polio vaccine to cloning and IVF, her immortal cells have changed and saved countless lives. But it is truly unfortunate such profound scientific breakthroughs came at the cost of an inspirational women, mother and a loving wife. Continue reading Henrietta Lacks- The true shero behind modern medicine
Maggie Lena Walker (1867-1934) spent her life dedicated to improving the status of African-Americans and women, particularly through economic empowerment. She was the first woman in America to found and serve as president of a bank. She was also a leader in her community, a great orator, a successful businesswoman and a philanthropist. This is a just a brief summation of Walker’s accomplishments – how she became all of these things, considering where she started in life, is a testament to her drive and determination and an accomplishment in itself. Continue reading Maggie Lena Walker
Sarah was born on 6 June 1826 in Salem, Massachusetts, the second youngest child of the ten offspring of John and Nancy Remond. Salem was 14 miles from Boston and Sarah says that it contained “about 25,000 inhabitants, who are characterised by general intelligence, industry and enterprise and few towns in the States can boats of more wealth and refinement than Salem.” Continue reading Sarah Parker Remond
October is fast approaching and for Black History Month this year I want to do something different.
Despite the many brilliant sheroes who feature on the blog, not enough of them are women of colour. If women’s histories are neglected, then black women’s histories are neglected even more so. I want to correct the imbalance so I’m putting out a call to #TellHerStory during Black History month this year.
I’d like to share the stories of as many black sheroes as possible during Black History Month, but I can only do that with your help!
Here’s how you can join in:
sheroesofhistory.wordpress.com 