Dr. John Warren: Concerning Women’s History Month

by Dr. John E. Warren While the month of March was set aside as Women’s History Month, we should be saluting and remembering Black women in particular who bore the burden of racism and humiliation that went with being seen as chattel when other women were still seen as women, even without the recognition of citizenship. The real cause for the celebration of Black women in particular is that they still rose to raise children and much of the time as single parents because of racism so often removing the father from the home by design. So often these Black mothers spent their best hours each day taking care of other people’s children and families, at the expense of their own. Their lives were often a reflection of Langston Hughes statement: “life ain’t been no crystal stairs” for most. But like Maya Angelo wrote, these Black women could say “but still I rise.” The women that we acknowledged last month are but a small sample of so many who& have done so much. We were among the Daughters of the American Revolution before they decided that they didn’t want Marian Anderson to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. because...