There are many days in which we honor men, but precious few to honor women’s contributions. This Women’s History Month, I’m sharing a bit of Mayor Johnny Ford’s work honoring the history of Black women through his organization, the World Conference of Mayors. I was so pleased with this effort that I decided to share the resolution with our readers. I pray that you will share it with your families — especially your children. I ask this since it seems to be popular to harm my sisters through government layoffs, firings and disrespect in many ways.
I share this because of what some of our sisters have gone through, and some are still going through. Black women go through more hardship than anybody in our nation. Some have been used and abused precisely because we are leaders. We are the highest educated and hardest working, most active in public service in our communities — often neglecting ourselves so that we have more time and resources to help others. We all know about Black women who do without food so there is food for their children. It’s not right, but it’s real. So in case you didn’t know, let’s look at a bit of the history of what Black women are doing and have done for the world. We thank Mayor Ford and his members for honoring us. Please share this article with as many people as you can — show Black women you notice their accomplishments and appreciate their sacrifices.
RESOLUTION HONORING WOMEN DURING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
By Tuskegee Council member Johnny Ford, founder of the World Conference of Mayors:
WHEREAS, March is set aside as Women’s History Month to honor the numerous contributions of women to our nation and the world;
WHEREAS, our nation honors and celebrates the contributions of women to our history, culture and society;
WHEREAS, women’s history is honored throughout the world, we hold special celebrations to acknowledge women here at home;
WHEREAS, women’s history is a special and well-deserved opportunity to say thank you, since Black women have so often not been given credit for all they do — historically and today — to strengthen our nation;
WHEREAS, Fannie Lou Hamer suffered greatly to gain voting rights for Black Americans;
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks risked her life when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the legal fight to desegregate public transit;
WHEREAS, Diane Nash, co-founder of SNCC, organized students to travel to the dangerous South on buses during the Freedom Rides;
WHEREAS, Dr. Patricia Bath, a pioneering ophthalmologist, invented a laser device for cataract treatment;
WHEREAS, Dr. Gladys West, a mathematician, did work in satellite geodesy that was fundamental to the development of GPS technology;
WHEREAS, Mae Jemison, an engineer, physician and former astronaut, was the first African American woman to travel to space;
WHEREAS, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson and Mary Jackson served as human computers at NASA during some of the greatest strides in space exploration;
WHEREAS, Sojourner Truth was the first Black person to sue a white man who had taken her son into slavery — and she won;
WHEREAS, Harriet Tubman was a renowned abolitionist and armed scout for the Union Army, known as the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad;
WHEREAS, Callie House was a leader of the National Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association, one of the first organizations to campaign for reparations;
WHEREAS, Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT we honor all women who continue to work to make America great for all.
We thank Mayor Ford and want him to know: We are together, and we are up to the challenge.
Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society (www.thedickgregorysociety.org).