If ya don’t know, now ya know. Black Feminists that you need to know.

Angela Davis

First, we have to acknowledge the self-identified “communist, abolitionist, internationalist, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, feminist, black, queer, activist, pro-working class, revolutionary, intellectual commununity builder,” Angela Davis. Known for her radical and monumental involvement in the Black Panther Party, Angela Davis dedicated her entire life to the liberation of Black people, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. Davis also contributed to the conversation of pushing the feminist movement to include individuals of various identities who face systemic oppression. In her 2019 lecture titled, “Frameworks for Radical Feminism in the 21st Century,” Davis said that “Any feminism that will help us transform the world today must be capable of including perspectives that challenge white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, capitalism, the prison industrial complex, attacks on the environment, militarism and war.”

Alice Walker is known for coining the term “womanist” and creating the concept of womanism. The term has many definitions such as a  “Black feminist or feminist of color” or  “a woman who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually.” Womanism emerged as a way to identify and highlight the unique experiences of black womxn who are doubled down with racism and sexism in our society. Walker also contributed to the feminist movement through her various depictions of women in literature. One of her most notable novels is The Color Purple. This phenomenal coming of age tale is what led Walker to become the first black woman to win a Pullizter Prize for fiction. Alice Walker’s literature shows the varying layers and complexities of black womanhood. 

Alice Walker

Madam c.j. walker

Madam C.J. Walker or as I like to call her “Money Bags” Madam CJ, respectfully, is the true definition of a self-made millionaire. In 1913, Madam C.J. Walker became the first woman millionaire in America from the success of her cosmetics and hair care line for black women, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Her grit and work-ethic set a precedent for self-made millionaires, entrepreneurs, and cosmetologists around the world.

SHirley Chisholm

In 1972, Shirley Chisholm took the courageous step to seek the presidential nomination for the Democratic Party. Chisholm became the first woman to seek the presidential nomination and the first black woman in Congress in 1968. Shirley Chisholm’s courage paved the way for various women to hold public office in America. Vice-President Kamala Harris cites Shirley Chishlom as an inspiration and paid homage to her at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration by wearing purple.

Tarana Burke

You may have thought that the #MeToo Movement was created by a white woman due to the overwhelming representation of upper-class white women in the media. However, in 2006, the “me too.” movement was founded by Tarana Burke, a black woman, sexual abuse survivor and activist from The Bronx, New York. The purpose of this organization was to unite survivors of sexual violence across various communities, namely, Black, queer, trans, disabled, and all communities of color. In 2017, the phrase “me too” emerged in society as a phrase of bravery when millions of survivors took to social media to tell their stories. Tarana Burke’s activism created a space and national platform for sexual abuse survivors to tell their stories and connect with a community of other survivors.