Black women’s history month celebrates the fact that Black women are at the forefront of creating work that liberates, entertains, heals, and educates.
Black women have often lent so much of their talent, brilliance, and effort to movements and moments most often historicized as male-dominated—thus leading to the rapid erasure of their works and the erasure of their collective voice in popular culture.
From the Civil Rights Movement to Black (Queer) Feminist Thought; from body liberation movements to LGBTQ+ movements; from the sports world to the music industry, it has been Black women at the forefront of creating and building work intended to liberate, entertain, heal, and educate.
Though month-long celebrations are fleeting, we believe that compiling a list of work that can introduce others to the variety of Black women who have been trailblazers across industries can take this from a transient moment to a lifetime of learning and memorializing their masterful deeds.
Take a moment to learn about some of the world’s greatest authors, athletes, theorists, activists, and about some of the issues, cultural works, and historical moments that carry significance for Black women:
PEOPLE
Alice Ruth Moore: Love, Art, and Black Political Thought
How Niggerati Manor and Black Queer Artistry Live On Today
“As fleet and bright as a lodestar”: Remembering Toni Morrison
Nina Simone On Intent And The Many Lifetimes Of Impact
4 Black Trans Women Breaking Barriers
5 Black Vegan Women You Should Know
10 Black Women Who Shaped The 2010s With Their Gifts
The World Owes Serena Williams An Apology
8 Things You May Not Know About Rosa Parks
Marsha P. Johnson’s Life Isn’t White People’s Story To Tell
CIVIL RIGHTS
Intersectionality Ain’t For White Women
A Reminder For Black Women: You Don’t Owe The World A Damn Thing
The 19th Amendment Did Not Give All Women The Right To Vote
#SayHerName Is Not For Heather Heyer Or Other White Women
Don’t Forget About Black Women During Your Women’s March on Washington
Why We Need To Free Black Mamas for Mother’s Day and Beyond
Surveilled And Harassed For Playing Malcolm X Speeches: Mikisa Thompson’s Resistance
Black Youth Project 100 Launches Campaign Against Gender-based Violence
Black And Brown Sex Workers Keep Getting Pushed To The Margins
From Black Men To White Women: Black Women Ain’t Real To You
Black Women Aren’t Your Political Mules
Decentering Black Male Paragons During Black History Month
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CULTURE
What Would You Wear If You Weren’t Stealing From Black Girls?
7 Women Who Shape Broadway and Background Vocals
Honoring The Fat Black Women Who Shaped Music For Generations
Reading Janet Mock’s ‘Surpassing Certainty’ As A Black Trans Woman
Nakia is the Unsung Hero of ‘Black Panther’
The Black Feminist Argument for ‘Black Panther’
Meet the Women Behind Black Panther’s Phenomenal Designs
A Wrinkle in Time’s Representation is Just as Important as Black Panther
In “Fences,” Viola Davis Captures the Strength of Black Women
‘195 Lewis’ Is Black Lesbian Perfection
Don’t Forget That Black Womxn Worked To Make R. Kelly Face Consequences
Rihanna Proves That Inclusivity In The Beauty Industry Is Needed
I Have No Shame In My Difficult Black Girl Name
Don’t Touch My Hair: Why Magazines Need Black Hair Stylists & Black Editors
BODY LIBERATION AND HEALTH
There Is No Liberation For All Bodies Without The Liberation of Fat Black Women And Femmes
The Body Positivity Movement Both Takes From And Erases Fat Black Women
Fat, Black Femmes: Do Our Black Masculine Queens Love Us?
I Am Teaching My Son To Respect Me As A Black Woman & A Sex Worker
UNRULY: Subverting Body Terrorism By Celebrating Black Hair
Nothing About Being Black Is Easy, Including Our Hair Care.
Nobody Believes That Black Women Are In Pain, And It’s Killing Us
The Racist Roots of Gynecology & What Black Women Birthed
Engaging With Black Pregnancy Outside of High Childbirth Mortality Rates
Unraveling The Fatphobia Behind The Criticisms Of Lizzo
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GENDER AND SEXUALITY
How The Colonial History of Hypersexualization Obscures the Possibility of Black Asexuality
How Do Black Girls Navigate Sexuality When The World Insists That We Shouldn’t At All?
“Putting Ourselves First as Black Women/femmes is Like Returning to Our First Love.”
Queer Black Muslim Women Are Still Kept Out Of The LGBT+ Community
Fat Black Women Deserve Fulfilling, Enjoyable Sex Without Compromise
It Has Nothing To Do With Clothing — Black Women’s Bodies Are Hypersexualized No Matter What We Wear
