Histories; oral or written, are time capsules from our ancestors. The oral stories passed down through generations and information we learn in classrooms signal what those before us thought was worth remembering, worth telling. Thus, the absence of Black history in classrooms—prior to slavery and civil rights—implies that Black people have not made contributions to society worth documenting. This sentiment is untrue. Yet, only 9% of class time—about one or two lessons— is devoted to Black history in U.S history classrooms, according to a 2015 study by the National Council for the Social Studies. Whenever Black history is taught, the Ella Bakers and Jo Ann Robinsons are overshadowed by the Martins and Malcolms. Black women, despite their accomplishments, are left out.
Below, I recount the stories of three Black women I think are worth telling!
1. Phillis Wheatley
This 18th-century woman was the Maya Angelou of her time. Born in present-day Senegal/Gambia (West Africa), Phillis Wheatley was the third woman and first Black person to publish a book of poems in America. Wheatley was about seven years old when slave traders kidnapped her and brought her to America in 1761. Her first name, Phillis, comes from the slave ship that brought her to America, “The Phillis.” After she arrived in America, the Wheatley family bought her in Boston, Massachusetts, and later educated her after noticing her intellect and aptitude for learning. She learned English within 16 months of her arrival in America and could read the Bible, Greek and Latin classics, as well as British literature. Meanwhile, it has been 19 years, and I still can’t pronounce “hyperbole”!
Wheatley began to write poetry at the age of 14; publishing her first poem in 1767, six years after she arrived in the U.S. She became well-known after her publication of “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Celebrated Divine George Whitefield” in 1770. She was allegedly summoned before an eminent group of white Bostonians in 1772 to prove that she had written her poems. Most white Bostonians couldn’t fathom that an enslaved Black woman was capable of writing such esteemed poetry. Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral; her first collection of poems, was published in 1773 and included a foreword that was signed by John Hancock and other prominent Bostonians. Wheatley was emancipated soon after. She is a controversial figure among some African-American writers, as they argue her poems paint a glorified image of slavery. Her significance to American history, however, is undebatable.
2. Cathay Williams
You’ve probably seen Mulan, the classic 1998 Disney film, at some point during your childhood. But have you heard of Cathay Williams? Like Mulan, Williams was a fearless woman who disguised herself as a man to serve in the army. Williams was the first African American woman to enlist and the only documented woman to serve in the United States Army while disguised as a man during the Indian Wars. She is also the only known female Buffalo Soldier.
William was born enslaved in Jackson County, Missouri around 1850. She enlisted in the U.S. Regular Army under the pseudonym “William Cathay” on November 15, 1866. She was assigned to the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment after passing the cursory medical examination. She was able to pass because the army did not require full medical exams at the time. Cathay allegedly reported that she joined the army because she “wanted to make [her] own living and not be dependent on relations or friends.” Hi Hollywood, we need a Cathay Williams movie, ASAP!
3. Claudette Colvin
Ever heard of Rosa Parks? Most people in the U.S have. Although Claudette Colvin refused to give out her seat on a Montgomery bus nine months before Parks did, most don’t know her story. In March 1955, the 15-year-old was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. And she didn’t stop there! She was also one of four women plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle; the court case that ended racial segregation on public transportation in Alabama. The other three women were Aurelia Browder, Mary Louise Smith, and Susie McDonald. We owe it to Claudette to remember her courage and tell her story.
Wheatley, Williams, and Colvin are three out of a plethora of Black women whose achievements go unrecognized and stories go untold. American history is incomplete without Black history, and we can’t tell Black history without Black women. Black women, standing at the intersection of race and gender, face immeasurable challenges, including their erasure in history, which I believe is rooted in racism and sexism. Despite their struggles and the discrimination they encounter, Black women have made considerable contributions to society. As a society, we should no longer tolerate the absence of the nuanced experiences and achievements of Black women on our pages and screens. This Black History Month and the months thereafter, I challenge you to unmute the silenced voices of Black women and listen to what they have to say.
Listen to Her Story and tell it!