Anna Julia Cooper: Champion of Black Women’s Voices
Born into slavery in Raleigh, North Carolina, Anna Julia Cooper transformed the limitations imposed upon Black women into fuel for her relentless pursuit of education and justice.
Article Category: Pathfinders
Dorothy Cotton: An Architect of the Civil Rights Movement
When we think of the Civil Rights Movement, names like Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis dominate the narrative. Dorothy Cotton, an unsung architect of racial justice, embodied the period of protest and change.
Tradition of Giving- Celebrating Our Philanthropy
The tradition of Black philanthropy predates the Civil War. Black men and women joined with White abolitionists in the spirit of giving time, money and activism.
“Small d” Democrats Demand Full Citizenship
It is in the spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer and countless Black women small “d” democrats who sacrificed blood and determination, that we hail the nomination of Kamala Harris.
Celebrating Three Blues Queens
Musical royalty, they were all late 19th Century contemporaries who staked out their legendary portraits: the First Lady of Blues Mammie Smith, the Mother of Blues Ma Rainey, the Empress of Blues Bessie Smith.
Showing Up With the Stars in Paris Noir
Bricktop, the fiery red headed saloon keeper, held court in Paris' "it" scene. Captivating artists and expats helped her build bridges that traversed class, nationalism and cultures.
Shirley Chisholm Legacy Claimed A Seat at the Table for Black Women
The life of the great Shirley Chisholm was punctuated with pivotal firsts.
Marsha P. Johnson – Queen of the Village
The 1960's whirlwind of change brought a new form of LGBTQ activism, led by Marsha P. Johnson and other transwomen who made a lasting imprint on the movement.
Septima Clark’s School for Troublemakers
More than a witness to history, Clark helped shape it, responding to voter suppression with the indomitable reframe to teach, giving meaning and momentum to the 20th Century suffragists.
Suffragist, Citizen, Everywoman Extraordinaire
Fannie Lou Hamer's worldview birthed a vision for a future trained on equity, freedom, and reconciling history with policy.