Happy (Black) Women's History Month!!!

It's amazing. Year after year, the realization that March is (Black) Women's History Month comes about half way through it. Basura. Let's make up for lost time...

The year is 2000-Shine, the year that nothing but dreams will come into fruition, luhvs. So, that being said, there is no better time than now, during this month, in this year, to honor and salute the black women of history who dreamed big, worked hard, broke down barriers &, against all odds, paved the road to that place where dreams do come true for those of us who believe we can achieve, those of us who are fervently following in their footsteps. Because of these women, we too can break through the roof.

Sojourner Truth (1797 - November 26, 1883)

Ms. Truth was born a slave in NY. After NY abolished slavery in 1927, Ms. Truth joined the Northampton Association of Education & Industry in MA, a group founded by abolitionists that also supported women's rights. In 1851, she left Northampton & attended the Ohio Women's Rights Convention where she delivered her famous speech Ain't I a Woman.

Her activism led her to assist the Union Army in recruiting troops during the Civil War, & after the war to secure land grants from the feds for freed slaves. Her efforts afforded her meetings w/ President Lincoln & Gen. Grant. She even attempted to vote in the presidential election of 1872.

Throughout her life, Ms. Truth spoke about abolition, women's rights, prison reform & religious freedom. Ms. Sojourner Truth, u are through.the.roof.

Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897 – April 8, 1993)

Ms. Anderson was one of the most heralded contraltos of the 20th century who ultimately became an integral figure in black artists' struggle to break racial barriers.

In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution refused permission for Ms. Anderson to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall, D.C's premier venue. But ironically, as a result of their race-incited refusal, she rose to international fame. President Franklin D. Roosevelt & his wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, even invited Anderson to perform for them & the King & Queen of England in the White House - she was that good. As if that statement wasn't significant enough, shortly thereafter she performed at what came to be a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, 1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 75,000 + people and a radio audience of millions, easily.

Continuing to break barriers for black artists in the US, on January 7, 1955, Ms. Anderson became the 1st black person ever to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. Ms. Marian Anderson, u are through the roof.

Shirley Chisholm (November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005)

Mrs. Chisholm was the 1st Black woman to be voted to Congress. In 1972 she made history again by becoming the 1st woman to be considered for a major-party presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

Mrs. Chisholm dedicated her life to education & politics, & wrote several books. Her greatest legacy, however, can be seen today. Our President is BLACK! Mrs. Shirley Chisholm, U...r through the roof.

Maya Angelou (Born April 4, 1928)

Ms. Angelou is a POET. Her works - truly amazing, ringing w/ inspiration. So much so that her poems, in their boundless relevance, can be heard at just about any significant engagement. She is best known for her 6 autobiographies that have been used, quite notably, in many teacher education programs to train educators how to talk about race. Her savvy ability to deliver insight into identity, romance, kinship & racism in packages of eloquent wordplay has won her nominations for both the National Book Award & the Pulitzer Prize. She has served on two Presidential Committees, & has been awarded 30+ honorary degrees from American Universities.

When Ms. Angelou speaks, people listen. A phenomenal woman she is & she's still rising. Ms. Angelou, ur words touch our souls, u are through the roof.

Oprah Winfrey (Born January 29, 1954)

Ms. Winfrey! Or Oprah...or "Mogul" - any of those names alone, in any language, pretty much addresses the same person. But in giving our much due respect, we'll address her as Ms. Winfrey! The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest rated talk-show in TV-land history, is internationally syndicated, & has earned her too many Emmys to count.

Errrrrrbody knows & respects this woman; her influence will be timeless. As a dedicated philanthropist, Ms. Winfrey uses that influence & wealth to improve the circumstances of as many disadvantaged people, from all over the world, as she can.

Don't know about u all, but LeiLeiRachelle wants to be just like Oprah when we grow up - she is SO through the roof.

Florence Griffith-Joyner (Dec. 21, 1959 – Sept. 21, 1998)
& Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Born March 3, 1962)

To this day, Ms. Flo-Jo remains the World Record holder in both the 100m & 200m races. She posted her 10.49s 100m time in the quarter finals of the 1988 Olympic trials, and her 21.34s 200m time in the 200m finals at the real thing in Seoul, South Korea.

Ms. Jackie-Joyner Kersee, "the world's greatest female athlete," won consecutive heptathlon championships at the 1988 (World Record) & 1992 Olympic Games. She set an Olympic record in the long jump in the 1998 Olympics in Seoul as well.

For those of us who were young'ns during their reign, their successes burned in our psyches a grand expectiation for our Olympic Track & Field teams - we break records, we win golds! Not only did these ladies make running & jumping look easy, inspiring the athletes of our generation, but they set a precedent for all US athletes of any sport. Ms. Flo-Jo, Ms. Kersee... u both r truly through the roof.

Mae Jemison (Born October 17, 1956)

Ms. Mae Jemison is a woman of many interests & aspirations. Git it! On September 12, 1992, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor, Ms. Mae Jemison, M.D. became the first African American woman to travel into space. Before becoming an astronaut, Ms. Jemison served as a Peace Corp doc from 1983-1985.

Since retiring from NASA, Ms. Jemison has founded numerous foundations & companies. Most notably, she formed the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence in honor of her mother to engage youth in solving current global problems - she is a sincere advocate for getting minority youth interested in science, & she also founded BioSentient Corp to specialize in developing portable devices allowing mobile monitoring of the involuntary nervous system.

If these accomplishments weren't enough, Ms. Jemison has also become a Professor-at-Large at Cornell University & was a professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College from 1995 to 2002.

Ms. Jemison carved out a place for young black women in hard science, proving that we can do it all. For that, Ms. Jemison, u are THROUGH.THE.ROOF.

~

Our history is rich. Our history is fabulous. Our foresisters made it so we don't have to dream no more. But we'll keep dreaming anyway, & these incredible women prove that we do not do so in vain. So dream, luhvs, for dreaming will take us through each & every one of our rooves ;-) Happy (Black) Women's History Month!