By Demetrius Dillard, Northend Agent’s
As the world celebrates Women’s History Month, it’s worth highlighting the contributions, efforts and meaningful impact that influential female leaders – particularly Black women – have made over the course of history.
Women have played pivotal roles in numerous sectors of society, including politics, entertainment, the military, education and the corporate world. It was the courage, initiative and ingenuity of women like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, the Dahomey Amazons of West Africa and Shirley Chisolm that paved the way for today’s most prominent Black women in leadership roles.
As the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum noted, a good deal of contributions from Black female leaders have gone unnoticed.
“Though Black women played crucial roles organizing and leading efforts in the fight for equal rights, many mainstream histories ignore their contributions,” says a blog published by the museum.
“The reality is that Black women took on important strategic roles at the local level—even as they were denied recognition at the national level. They served as activists, scholars, and organizers who established crucial connections between grassroots and national organizations.”
In recent history, Chisholm is among the most impactful Black female leaders in the U.S. and beyond. Her boldness in the face of opposition and adversity laid a foundation for women that would follow similar paths, serving as a catalyst for generations to come.
After becoming the first Black woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968, Chisholm became a household name, inspiring countless girls and young women to defy the norms and relentlessly pursue their dreams.
The Brooklyn, N.Y., native went on to serve seven terms in Congress, notably helping to expand the food stamp program and introducing legislation to benefit racial and gender inequality Chisholm also became a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
She made history again as the first Black candidate to run for presidential nomination in 1972.
“I want history to remember me… not as the first black woman to have made a bid for the presidency of the United States, but as a black woman who lived in the 20th century and who dared to be herself,” Chisholm once said.
“I want to be remembered as a catalyst for change in America.”
Another admirable Black woman worth highlighting is Carla Hayden, who became the 14th Librarian of Congress in September 2016.
Hayden made history as the first woman and the first Black American to lead the national library after being nominated to the role by former Pres. Barack Obama and subsequent confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
During her tenure in the leadership role, Hayden gained widespread recognition for her concerted efforts in making the Library of Congress — and its unparalleled collections — more accessible to the public.
“Her vision for America’s national library, connecting all Americans to the Library of Congress, has redefined and modernized the Library’s mission: to engage, inspire and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity,” says Hayden’s biography.
“By investing in information technology infrastructure and digitization efforts, she has enabled the American people to explore, discover and engage with more with this treasure trove of America’s stories maintained by the Library of Congress, even if they never visit the Library’s buildings in and around Washington, D.C.”
Brig. Gen. Hazel W. Johnson-Brown is one of those military service members whose efforts will never be forgotten.
In 1979, Johnson-Brown became the first Black female general officer and the first black chief of the Army Nurse Corps. An esteemed nurse, educator and Army leader, Johnson-Brown served in many authoritative roles throughout her accomplished career.
Her passion for medicine and education led to a more diverse Army Nurse Corps and forged a path toward “enduring nursing education practices.”
Africa is home to numerous women leaders who have risen to the most elite political ranks, including several presidents and heads of state.
Between current and former presidents and prime ministers, there are roughly two dozen African women who have emerged to the highest offices in their respective countries, breaking gender barriers in traditionally male-dominated political spaces, according to Dabafinance.
Ethiopia, Namibia, Mauritius, Liberia, Malawi, Burundi and Senegal are some of the African nations who have elected current or former high-ranking female political officials.
Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first female president of the United Republic of Tanzania, assumed the role March 2021. Under her leadership, the Tanzanian government has continued efforts in engaging with multilateral and bilateral partners regionally and globally.
Advancing the climate agenda and promoting the role of the private sector as an engine of growth are just a few of Hassan’s legislative priorities. She has worked vigorously with the Tanzanian government to remove barriers of access to education, including hindrances that prevented pregnant girls and young mothers from attending formal school – thus reflecting a commitment to supporting girls and young women.
“President Samia took office in extraordinary circumstances, in a country and political system dominated by patriarchal attitudes which were promoted by her predecessor,” says a BBC article published in 2022.
“One year later, President Samia has succeeded in reviving hopes of a fresh start. However, the true measure of her intent to make lasting changes lies in the speed and extent of legal and institutional reforms which would not only cement her legacy but also protect Tanzanians’ freedoms, and shield the country from potential authoritarian leaders who reach [the] State House in future.”
