Every March for Women’s History Month, I think of the dynamic women who have shaped who I am. Since Women’s History Month comes on the heels of Black History Month in February, I always feel like I have two months to celebrate the Black women in my life and throughout history who have made this country and this world a better place.
It is easy to think of trailblazing women in the science and medical fields. As an academic, I am well aware of the calcified and systemic misogyny and racism that still permeate far too many professional occupations. One need only think of the ways former Harvard president Claudine Gay was treated, or the ways the former president disrespects New York Attorney General Letitia James. The idea of brilliant, bold, unapologetic Black women truly frightens some and enrages others. Yet, we persist.
This March, I want to be sure to be more attuned to the women in my daily life who are making everyone’s lives move forward, without much fanfare—or gratitude. I am thinking about the security guards and cafeteria ladies who work late hours to make sure everyone in the building has what they need. I am thinking about some of my students who have young children at home, but are taking night classes to earn a degree to give their families a different trajectory in the future. I am thinking about the various women who do my hair, standing on their feet for hours, to make sure every woman who comes in their shop leaves feeling beautiful and seen.
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Women’s History Month is about celebrating women from all walks of life. The courage of women like Mary McLeod Bethune, Zora Neale Hurston, or Barbara Jordan. It’s also about celebrating women like Elinor Tatum, who has kept this historic newspaper afloat during turbulent shifts in the publishing industry. It is also about seeing and thinking more deeply about the contributions of women in service professions who may not ever have their names in the annals of history.
So, what do you plan to do to celebrate Women’s History Month this March? Maybe you can interview a woman in your life, find out their story, and chronicle it. I am always amazed when I ask older women questions about themselves. Often they tell me no one has ever asked them about themselves and the lives they’ve lived. The women among us have tales, some tragic and some titillating—all we must do is ask. As we move forward in March, let’s keep the spirit of Black History Month going and think about the dynamic Black women who have laid a foundation for us, and also, the Black women in our lives who continue to carve a path.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio. She is a 2023-24 Moynihan Public Scholars Fellow at CCNY.