Angela Davis

Angela Davis (1944 - ) is a prominent activist, author, and educator. She was born in Birmingham, AL and graduated from Brandeis University and spent time on graduate studies at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Frankfurt in Germany. She was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party. She was dismissed as a professor at University of California, Los Angeles because of her membership in the Communist Party in 1969.  Ms. Davis spent two years in prison because a gun registered in her name was used in a shooting that she wasn't present for.  Since her release in 1972, Angela Davis has advocated for prison reform and abolition.  She has been influential in the black feminist movement, as well.  She currently is a professor at University of California, Santa Cruz.

Angela Davis continues to speak out on issues of race, gender, and inequality in society. She recently spoke on CNN about the Trayvon Martin tragedy.  In 1970, in a speech titled "I Am a Revolutionary Black Woman", Ms. Davis stated:

"Further, if it is true the outcome of a revolution will reflect the manner in which it is waged, we must unremittingly challenge anachronistic bourgeois family structures and also the oppressive character of women's role in American society in general.  Of course, this struggle is part and parcel of a total revolution.  Led by women, the fight for the liberation of women must be embraced by men as well.  The battle for women's liberation is especially critical with respect to the effort to build an effective black liberation movement.  For there is no question about the fact that as a group, black women constitute the most oppressed sector of society" (Marable & Mullings 461).

As issues of gender and racial inequality continue to plague society, Angela Davis will continue to speak out.  She is a voice of resistance in a culture that is often quiet in times of struggle.

Faye Wattleton

Faye Wattleton (1943 - ) was born in St. Louis, MO.  She is a trained nurse who studied midwifery in 1964 at Columbia University Medical School.  She was the first female president of Planned Parenthood, as well as the first African-American.  She held this position from 1978 - 1992.  During this time she championed reproductive rights for all women, including the right to a safe and legal abortion.  

Ms. Wattleton first noticed the differences in care given to those who were low income during her nursing years.  

"The women who came to my hospitals under less than dignified circumstances were not affluent.  That girl in Harlem who died was not affluent...That's when I became aware of the political significance of these people.  If they really cared about equity and fairness in life they would say that as long as abortion is legal in this country, poor people should have the same access as the rich" (Smith 577).

Faye Wattleton was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993 for her tremendous contributions to the health of women and the Planned Parenthood organization.

Recently, Ms. Wattleton joined a panel of distinguished women in Tavis Smiley's program "Made Visible:  Women, Children, & Poverty in America" to discuss the status of women and children in the US today.

Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005) was born in New York. She became the first black woman elected to U.S. Congress in 1968, as a U.S. Representative for New York's 12th Congressional District.  She was elected for seven terms, holding her seat in Congress until 1983.  Mrs. Chisholm graduated from Brooklyn College with a B.A. in sociology in 1946 and received an M.A. in early childhood education in 1952 from Columbia University.  Her political career began with her election to the New York State Assembly in 1964, where she championed for affordable child care, issues on poverty, and civil rights.  Mrs. Chisholm was also one of the founding members of the women's movement group NOW (National Organization for Women) as well as the Black Congressional Caucus.  (Marble 6)

In 1972, Shirley Chisholm began her bid for the Presidency of the United States.  She was up against incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon.  Although she had the support of many women's groups, as well as black groups, such as the Black Panthers, she eventually lost the primary to George McGovern.  She was the first woman to run for the Democratic presidential nomination as well as the first black individual to run for presidency on a major-party ticket.

Shirley Chisholm responded to questions about her failed nomination:

"All the odds had been against it, right up to the end.  I never blamed anyone for doubting.  The Presidency is for white males.  No one was ready to take a black woman seriously as a candidate.  It was not time for a black to run, let alone a woman, and certainly nor for someone who was both...I ran because someone has to do it first.  In this country everybody is supposed to be able to run for President, but that's never really been true.  I ran because most people think that the country is not ready for a black candidate, not ready for a woman candidate.  Someday..." (Marble 6)

          

          

          

        

Shirley Chisholm was a brave, intelligent, independent woman.  She worked her entire adult life against the injustices of racism, poverty, and sexism.  She championed for more education and less military.  She worked for the people of her district in New York while she was in Congress, listening to their needs and fighting for their rights as citizens.  How would she feel today if she knew the United States finally elected the first black citizen as President?  Would she be surprised?  Would she wonder why a woman hadn't been elected first?  Would it have mattered to her which became President first at all, as long as either one did?

Introduction

Welcome to Hear Our Voice.  This is a project born from my desire to learn more about the contributions of black women in the United States since the Civil Rights movement.  Although all women in the US have experienced some form of sexism, women of color encounter racism, as well.  Their voices have been largely unheard by mainstream society.  Why?  I hope to start a conversation with this blog -- let's talk about this -- let's talk about black women and their struggles with gender and race in the United States.

I am a white woman.  I am 43-years-old.  I'm sure many of you wonder why I am concerned with this subject.  Racism and sexism concern me, regardless of the color of my skin.  Black women are important to our society.  They make great contributions daily, but how often do we hear about them in the news?   I want to understand why I just recently discovered that Shirley Chisholm was the first woman and the first black citizen to run for President of the United States.  Not Hillary Clinton.  Not Barack Obama.  Why had I never heard about Shirley Chisholm?  My own ignorance, missing information in the history books, or lack of publicity in the media?

Let's have a discussion about why black women have been silenced in the United States.  How does this affect us all, regardless of our gender or race?  How many stories have we missed because the powers that be decided they weren't important enough to share?  Please join me -- we need to have this conversation.