Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories
“Well behaved women rarely make history” is a famous quote from human rights activist and former First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt. These words are often used for women who do not live under the weight of respectability politics and the stale status quo of society. March is known as Women’s "Herstory" Month and this year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” It is important that we tell the stories of Black women who have overwhelming contributed to the building of this nation. I would like to celebrate my North Star Araminta Ross who the world came to know as Harriet Tubman. She was born in March of 1822 and died on the tenth of March in 1913.
Harriet was a woman who was led by God and the Ancestors to escape slavery and forge a path to freedom that ultimately freed more than 700 enslaved persons. Harriet told the stories of her people. I am sure that Harriet did not grow up wanting to become the Moses of her people. However, she was not given a choice as she knew that she would have to fight to be free or die trying. Harriet was like many poor and marginalized girls around the world today who are not given the chance to be children. Instead, they are given the command to be seen and not heard, and to allow patriarchal structures to govern their bodies.
In a post Roe vs. Wade culture, it is imperative that we no longer allow for business to be as usual. We are living in an era of demon-acracy and it crucial for us as people of faith and moral conviction to stop commemorating what has happened and get committed to being people who will not remain silent and stagnant in the face of injustice. I believe that Harriet is challenging all of us to not stand by and watch this nation fall into the hands of fascism, but for us to stand up and work together to make this nation one of justice and liberty for ALL people. Will you join us on our journey for justice?
Rev. Erica N. Williams
Yvonne V. Delk Theologian in Residence
March is Women’s Herstory Month. Take a look at our profiles below of figures in women’s history.
Andrée de Jongh (1916 - 2007)
Andrée de Jongh, aka Dédée, was the woman who formed the Comet line that helped Allied airmen get safely through occupied Belgium and France, over the Pyrenees, and into Spain and Gibraltar. At just 24 years old, Dédée saved 118 of the nearly 700 men throughout her 24 missions. When she was eventually captured, she came clean to the Nazis about her work with the resistance, but because of her young age, they didn't believe her and sent her to a concentration camp. Click here to learn more.
Originally Published by INSIDER
Frances Perkins (1880 - 1965)
Hillary Clinton made waves as the first women to earn a presidential nomination from a major party, but before her time, Frances Perkins had paved the way by becoming the first woman appointed to serve on the US Cabinet. During several years in Washington DC, she worked to end child labor, start the federal minimum wage, and implement social security. She changed the work force as America knew it and made leaps for women in politics. Click here to learn more.
Originally Published by INSIDER
Lisa Fittko (1909 - 2005)
All her life, on two continents, Lisa Fittko advocated and worked for social justice and political rights. From her teenage years until she fled Europe in 1941, Lisa worked to oppose fascism. She and her husband helped to lead people out of Nazi-occupied France into Spain.
When she settled in Chicago, Lisa continued her activism. She helped organize Hiroshima Day in Hyde Park, was active as a precinct captain, tirelessly demonstrated against the Vietnam War, picketed for Farm Workers, helped to organize clerical workers at the University of Chicago, and served as board president of Harper Square, a housing co-op designed to integrate residents both racially and economically. She continued to be a beloved and respected member of movements for peace throughout the remainder of her life. Click here to learn more.
Originally Published by CROSSROADS FUND
Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)
Known as the “Moses of her people,” Harriet Tubman was enslaved, escaped, and helped others gain their freedom as a “conductor" of the Underground Railroad, ultimately freeing more than 700 enslaved persons. Tubman also served as a scout, spy, guerrilla soldier, and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War. She is considered the first African American woman to serve in the military. Click here to learn more.
Originally Published by the National Women’s History Museum
Bernice Johnson Reagon (1942-)
Bernice Johnson Reagon, a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee's Freedom Singers and founder of the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, is a celebrated musician, historian, and civil rights activist whose work has had a profound impact on American culture and history. Her powerful voice and commitment to the cause of racial equality inspired and galvanized a generation of activists. Reagon's contributions to preserving African American culture and history have been significant, and she was a key player in the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Her legacy continues to inspire and empower people around the world.
Throughout her career, Reagon was a passionate advocate for social justice and equality, using her music and her voice to speak out against racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression. Her work helps to preserve and celebrate African American culture and history while advancing the cause of social justice and equality. Bernice Johnson Reagon serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of using our voices and talents to make a positive impact in the world.
Click here to learn more.
Patsy Mink (1927-2002)
Patsy Mink was an American politician and lawyer who made significant contributions to women's rights in the United States. Born in Hawaii in 1927, Mink faced discrimination and racism as a Japanese American growing up. Despite these challenges, she excelled in school and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Chicago.
In 1964, Mink was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress. During her tenure, she co-authored the landmark Title IX legislation, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. This law has had a profound impact on women's access to education and athletic opportunities, and has been credited with increasing the number of women in higher education and sports.
Click here to learn more.
Ophelia Settle Egypt (1903-1984)
Ophelia Settle Egypt was a medical social worker and women’s rights advocate. She is remembered for many things, including her work to make women’s and reproductive healthcare accessible to the Black communities in Southeast Washington, DC. However, she was also critical in preserving the histories of formerly enslaved African Americans in the early twentieth century, fighting against preventable ailments in Black communities across the country, and for authoring a children’s book. Click here to learn more.
Originally Published by the National Women’s History Museum
