The theme of 'Saluting our Sisters' highlights the crucial role that black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change and building communities. This article will be appreciating the work of black females across history.
Ida B Wells:
Born in 1862 in Mississipi Wells was an American journalist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the United States in 1890s. She was active in promoting justice and success for African Americans. Despite being born into slavery she had became a teacher and an advocate for educational learning. She begun an editorial campaign against lynching which led to her being sacked from her job role. However, she had continued her efforts advocating for change and become a public speaker amongst American citizens. In 1910 she founded and was the president of the 'Negro Fellowship League', and in 1913 founded the first Black women suffrage group 'Chicago Alpha Suffrage Club'.
Ketanji Brown Jackson:
Born in 1970 Jackson grew up in Washington DC. She is the first black woman to serve the Supreme Court as an associate justice. After completing a juris, law, degree she had completed three years of federal clerkships for Judge Patti Saris of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Judge Bruce Selya of US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Justice Stephen Breyer. She had worked in both private law firms and public service positions with the federal government. In 2012 President Obama had nominated Jackson to the federal district court of Washington DC. After the Senate failed to act on the nomination, Obama renominated her in January 2013. In April 2021 Democratic President Joe Biden nominated Jackson to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit where she was confirmed by the Senate 53:44. In the case Trump v Thompson, she had considered a claim by former president Trump that executive privilege entitled him to refuse to turn over documents to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol: denied Trump motion to block the Committees request.
Maya Angelou:
Angelou was born in 1928 in Missouri, she had experienced firsthand racial prejudices and discrimination in Arkansas. She was raped by her months boyfriend, and as a result of the sexual assault her uncle had killed the boyfriend. "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude". Upon travelling to Ghana she was friends with well known Malcolm X, she had helped him set up the Organisation of Afro-American Unity. A civil rights activist, poet and award winning author. She is most known for her 1969 memoir "I Know Why the Caged Birds Sings". In her time she had wrote around 36 books, published cookbooks, and recited poems at Clinton inauguration. She had passed away in 2014 in North Carolina.
Wangari Maathai:
Maathai was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. She was born in Kenya and received education certificates in America, Germany and Africa. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. A famous quote of hers is as follows: "We cannot tire or give up. We owe it to the present and future generations of all species to rise up and walk!" She was active in the National Council of Women of Kenya. As chairman she had introduced the idea of community based tree planting, creating grass-root organisations and the Green Belt Movement. She had addressed the United Nations on a number of occasions and spoke on behalf of women. She had also been a representative in sessions held at Kenya's parliament. She had a deep commitment to the environment, as a result United Nations Secretary-General had named her as the 'UN Messenger of Peace' in December 2009. She had passed away in September 2011 due to a battle of ovarian cancer.
Michelle Obama:
A lawyer, writer and wife of the 44th President Barack Obama. She is the first African-American First Lady of the United States. She grew up in Chicago where she had a commitment to family, hardwork and being educated. She received a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School and worked for a firm called Sidley Austin. This is where she had met Obama and the two married in 1992. She became a director of Public Allies working upon a program to prepare young people for public service. Four main initiatives she became a role model for women and an advocate for families, service members, higher education and international adolescent girls education. In particular as the First Lady she had initiated the program 'Lets Move!' that aimed to end childhood obesity. The purpose of this was to provide more nutritious foods to schools, bring healthy and affordable food into underserved communities, plant vegetable gardens and provide new opportunities for activities. During Obama's second term she had spearheaded Reach Higher Initiative to help students understand education, job opportunities and skills. She has continuously championed the education of girls and women. She has continued her efforts in politics, writing and publishing books, and offering insights in reflection of her own personal experiences.
Marsha P Johnson:
Johnson was born in 1945 in New Jersey. Assigned a male at birth, she had enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses from the age of five years old. She was a prominent figure in the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. She was in particular an advocate for homeless LGBTQ youth, those affected by HIV and AIDS, gay and transgender rights. Upon moving to New York, there was still a persecution against gay people and many criminalised for their open presence. The rights of the LGBTQ community were limited and many times ignored. She had turned to sex work where she had been abused by clients and arrested by the police. The first gay pride parade took place in 1970 and a series of gay rights groups emerged. She founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) to shelter young transgender individuals shunned by their families. In 1990 she was diagnosed with HIV, but used her platform to publicly speak about her diagnosis. In 1992 her body was found in the Hudson River, a time where anti-LGBTQ violence was high.
Oprah Winfrey:
American television personality, actress and entrepreneur. Born in 1954 Mississippi Winfrey has became an international influential woman. Since a young age she pursued a career in broadcasting and television work. In particular she excelled in casual and personal talk show formats and held many hosting positions. Her acting and awards in 1985 The Color Purple had enabled her to grow upon her acting career and working with production teams. In 1998 her media entertainment empire significantly grew when she cofounded Oxygen Media launching a cable television network for women. In 2007 she opened a $40 million school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa, building a platform to speak out against child abuse and civil movements. In 2008 she begun her own Oprah Winfrey Network that ran until 2011. She has been known for high profile scenarios occurring and voicing her opinions on these events. These include, but not limited to, video of George Floyd murder, candid interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and addressing widespread anti-racism.
Kamala Harris:
Harris was born in California to parents emigrated from India and Jamaica. She was inspired by justice and attended law school. Her parents were activists which had shaped and instilled Harris with a strong sense of justice. She was introduced to key legal figures such as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood and from a young age attended civil rights demonstrations. She currently holds the position as Vice President of the United States of America. She was originally working as the District Attorney of San Francisco where she prosecuted child sexual assault cases. As District Attorney she also created a program to provide first time drug offenders with opportunity to earn a high school degree and gain employment. However, in 2010 she was elected as California's Attorney General and oversaw the largest state justice department. She had established Children Justice institutes and implemented reforms in the Criminal Justice System. She has been known as "Kamala Harris, For the People". In 2017 she was sworn as Senate. She first spoke out about immigrants and refugees, and fought better protections and conditions for immigrant detention facilities. Her bipartisan anti-lynching bill passed the Senate in 2018. In 2020 she accepted President Biden's invitation to become his running mate and help reunite the nation. Some of the issues she has been working on include reducing child poverty, pass infrastructure laws and rebuilding the economy post COVID. She is the first woman, first Black American and first South-Asian American to be elected as Vice President.
Tarana Burke:
Asserts the foundational charity of 'me too'. A growing movement highlighting and addressing the issues faced by black women. The commitment of the group highlights the importance of challenging sexual violence and systemic issues disproportionately impacting the black female community. She has create and led campaigns looking at the perpetration of harm and sexism. More than that, the organisation has increased access to resources and support for survivors creating an inclusive movement. Growing up in the Bronx she had recognised disproportionality from a young age, it had enabled her to develop initiatives including racial discrimination, housing equality and economic justice. Her advocacy work is shown through the supporting of sexual violence survivors and abuse. Theory of "empowerment through empathy" is exploring the important conversations being held of consent and body autonomy. As a result of her continued efforts Burke has received a 2017 TIME person of the Year and 2019 Sydney Peace Prize.
Definitions:
Anti-Lynching: organised political movement aimed to eradicate the practice of lynching (oppression of African Americans)
Cable television network: Television channels delivered to viewers through cable television systems.
Until the next Legal Thought,
Elicia Maxwell
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