by Mary Manning, Heidelberg IWC
As we move from February to March, we are close to the end of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month. I thought it would be an excellent time to recognize a few of the extraordinary Black women who have fought to protect and strengthen both our communities and our future.
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Dr. Beverly Wright has spent over three decades championing environmental justice, exposing how pollution and climate change disproportionately affect communities of color, particularly in “Cancer Alley” — the industrial corridor along the Mississippi River. After Hurricane Katrina, she played a crucial role in documenting environmental hazards and fighting for equitable rebuilding policies. She is the founder of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
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Dr. Jane Cooke Wright revolutionized cancer research in the 1950s and 60s. She developed innovative techniques for testing cancer drugs on human tissue rather than just laboratory mice, which led to more effective chemotherapy treatments. She became the highest-ranking African American woman at a major medical institution in 1967 and her research protocols for treating specific cancers are still used today.
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Fannie Lou Hamer
Fannie Lou Hamer 1964 was a powerhouse in the civil rights movement and voting rights activism in the 1960s. Despite facing brutal persecution, she co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and helped establish the National Women’s Political Caucus. Her famous testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention about being beaten in jail for trying to register to vote brought national attention to voter suppression. Her signature phrase “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired” became a rally cry for the movement. -
Mary McLeod Bethune transformed African American education by founding the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls in 1904 (which later became Bethune-Cookman University). Starting with just $1.50 and five students, she built it into a fully accredited college. She also served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, founded the National Council of Negro Women, and was appointed by President Truman as a delegate to the founding conference of the United Nations (she was the only Black woman in attendance).
Happy Black History Month and Women’s History Month!
Image: Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal Deed