History

5 Black Women Who Changed The Course Of The World’s History

Though black women are rarely applauded for their heroic acts, history cannot be recounted without remembering the significant achievements of some black women who impacted the world, with brave acts that would lead to global progress and civilization.

HARRIET TUBMAN

Harriet Tubman was born a slave, she worked as a cook, spy, cleaner, nurse, and scout during the American Civil War. It is accounted that as a child, she had a head injury that resulted in hallucinations and vivid dreams, but she, however, became more spiritual and courageous after the trauma.

Harriet Tubman who was originally named Araminta “Minty” Ross, changed her name after she escaped from slavery. Harriet Tubman showed great courage in many ways than one, and sure deserves accolades, and should have a firm place in the global hall of fame.

She didn’t only free herself of slavery, in the early 19^th century, she helped several other African-American slaves to escape slavery by planning and executing a movement that was embraced by many abolitionists and has today been named “The Underground Railroad”. She also made her home and garden available to all who needed it. Her courage and will is one that brought about a shift in history and must be applauded as such.

THE FORTEN WOMEN

These women supported the abolitionist movement materially and intellectually. Their names were Charlotte Forten, mother, Sarah Forten, daughter, Magaretta Forten, daughter, Harriet Forten, daughter and Charlotte Forten, granddaughter, through three generations of women from the Forten family, they were committed to humanity and civil rights.

They organized public lectures, and informational fairs and helped slaves who were escaping in several ways. In their honor, the Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, wrote a poem, titled, “To the daughters of James Forten”.

THE THREE REBEL QUEENS

These three courageous women will never be forgotten by the world and the people of St Croix, especially for their immense participation in the abolition of the slave trade. After the declaration of the Emancipation Act, the Danish slave colony in St Croix still held Africans as slaves.

In 1878, Mary Thomas, Axeline Elizabeth Salomon, and Mathilda Mcbean alongside other slave trade abolition supporters razed down sugar mills, houses, and no less than 50 plantations in protest against the inhumane treatment that black slaves were still being subjected to.

These women put their lives on the line in the battle for liberty and in their demand for justice, it was the only way they knew to draw the attention of the slave masters.

Today, a major road in St Croix has been named after Mary Thomas and their statues have been raised in the West Indies in honor of their courageous deeds.

QUEEN COZIAH

In the late 19^th century, Queen Coziah Harmon and her three siblings worked in the coal mines at St Thomas as coal loaders. Their employers unfortunately subjected the workers to unjust working conditions. This would lead to a non-violent protest against the living and working conditions of the workers in the entire St Thomas, it was led by Queen Coziah.

It is important to note that neither Queen Coziah, her siblings nor any other workers who joined in the protest had been through formal education, they however, came up with a constructive way of protesting and making known their offenses.

It is said that her thoughtful approach influenced the ideologies behind Martin Luther King’s civil rights movement.

MARY ELIZA MAHONEY

Born into a world of discrimination against people of her race and color, the young Mary, grew up with a dream to fight and effectively oppose racial discrimination.

Though she was the first African American nurse in America, she did not follow a career path in public nursing, as she would not be subjected to the ill-treatment that black people were subjected to, rather, in 1908, alongside Martha Minerva Franklin, she co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, (NACGN). The NACGN significantly influenced the elimination of racial discrimination in the nursing profession.

Mary Mahoney has been honored nationally for her deeds. She was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 1976 and into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993.

This Article Was Written By Chuka Nduneseokwu, Editor-In-Chief, of Voice Of The Sun