Be honest. How much has the media discussed Black Women’s lives? There have been countless marches, rallies, you name it about #blacklivesmatter. Indeed, all black lives DO matter, but so often ?much too often, black women are excluded from the dialogue. There are feminist, transnational and socialist groups present at these marches, lending their voices to these rallies with the thousands in attendance.
A little known or rarely discussed fact is: not only were campaigns in defense of black womanhood at the core of many of the civil rights struggles of the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, but also black women and girls represented a disproportionate number of the plaintiffs in the desegregation cases that helped to dismantle Jim Crow apartheid in the nation. Across the world today, black women and girls remain on the front lines of protests against systemic racism and police violence, not only for black men and boys, but also for themselves. They are passionately chanting ?Black Lives Matter? and ?I Can’t Breathe.? They are also screaming ?No More Business As Usual.? The plight of Marissa Alexander, remains in obscurity as far as the mainstream media is concerned. Black transgendered women’s murders, even more obscure, receive little, if any media attention except in blogs like these. Black transgendered organizers have long been asking: If #BlackLivesMatter, why haven’t Black trans women’s murders been causing national outcries?
Veronica Agard, in her article for The Grio, pointed out that both the hashtag and grassroots groups associated with ?Black Lives Matter? were led or dominated by three black women named Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometipal. The Millions March NYC was called for and primarily led by two black women named Synead Nichols and Umaara Iynaas Elliott. The National March Against Police Violence that took place on Saturdaythat was sponsored by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, was organized in part by his daughter, Dominique Sharpton.
Shannen Dee Williams, Ph.d called out a group of U.S. Catholic Theologians from from St. Louis University, Loyola University New Orleans, the University of Dayton, and Marquette University about a statement they released calling for police reform and racial justice in American in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Dr. Williams pointed out in her article: Dear U.S. Catholic Theologians: Lives of Black Women & Girls Always Matter that “? the initial statement released to the press made no mention of black women and girls as victims, survivors, or opponents of police violence whatsoever.?
Dr. Williams further stated:
?As a practicing Catholic and citizen of the world, I reminded the theologians that all black lives matter. I also warned the group that if the Church failed to acknowledge black women and girls as both victims and the loved ones of victims of police and vigilante violence in their statement, they failed the black community as a whole.?
Organizations like Black Trans Women’s Lives Matter, Free Marissa Now, and Af3irm?have long called out the names of black women, black trans women, and black girls who have been killed by the police: Yvette Smith, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7. Pearlie Golden, 92. Rekia Boyd, 22. Nizah Morris, 47. Kayla Moore, 42. Alejandra Leos, Cemia Dove, Tiffany Edwards, Kandy Hall, Zoraida Reyes, Yaz’min Sancez, Betty Skinner, and Nicole Kidd-Stergis, Miriam Carey, the beating of Marlene Pinnock and the ongoing case against Oklahoma City Police officer Daniel Hotzclaw, charged with raping 13 black women and girls while on duty.
As you can see, the list of names are just as long as the list for black men and boys that you will often hear about. Let remember to include them as we lift our voices for justice for all. Read about Daniel Hotzclaw for more information about his crimes.
Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page. Sign up for our free daily newsletter to receive more great stories like this one.
