There have been many different events that changed the course of the history of the United States, among which is the Black Revolution. Moreover, it had important consequences traceable from the past to modern times. During the Black Revolution, the rights of African Americans and their attitude towards them were revised. It was the starting point for the birth of a new era of anti-racism, and it has its influence today. Moreover, African American women played an important role in the revolutionary process, and they had their vision for the future ahead. Thereby, the aim of this paper is to analyze the principal concerns and reasons for Black women to protest, the role of Black women in the revolution, and the significance of their contributions. Black women were and still are the most disadvantaged groups, and thus, their role was manifested in them becoming catalyzers, leaders, activists, caregivers, and voicers of the discriminatory practices endured by them and their fellow Black men.
One of the most notable aspects of the Black Revolution or the Black Power movement was Black women’s articulations of their several roles on behalf of the Black revolution during the 1960s-70s. During this historical period, a series of events took place, which brought the discontent of the African American women population to its peak form. Moreover, the cultural and political aspects also influenced the course of events, under which, Black women rose to take on roles of female leaders and civil rights advocates. This is the period when the African American women felt the energy rush, and against the backdrop of the political agenda, it grew into a large-scale revolution (Wolfenstein, 17). The main reason was the problem of racial discrimination and patriarchy, which impacted twice as severely black women as any other group in America. Thus, the revolution was supported by many, including white activists and males. At that time, manifestations of racial discrimination and racist sentiment were at their peak, which led to a transformative engagement of Black women in the positive social shift toward liberty and equity.
An important role in those events was played by African American women, who, along with men, participated in the protests. In some clashes, young girls and pregnant black women were injured or killed, which attracted a lot of attention. In addition, the very manifestation of cruelty to the female sex became an event that had a public outcry. In the context of prehistory, the bad treatment of African American women also had an impact on the emergence of anti-racist sentiment. In some cases, it could include sexual violence and cruelty, which was a powerful trigger for the beginning of the revolution.
It is worth noting that one of the main reasons for the revolution was the very notion of manifestation of racism. It included both a male and a female position, namely understanding the concept of racism. This implied the principle of paradox in racism, namely that a person cannot be condemned for something that does not depend on one (Wolfenstein 27). Many of the doctrines of African American women during the revolution were based on this principle. In other words, a person of color cannot be responsible and be lower in social status than other people. It is formulated by the fact that a person does not choose the country, race, gender, and other factors. Consequently, regardless of the above points, each person should treat everyone equally.
Among the other principal concerns for African American women, there was a manifestation of racial discrimination in the provision of medical services. There have been cases where certain medications have been tested on African American women without informing them (Prather et al. 6). In other words, little-studied or new drugs were prescribed to them for certain diseases, the consequences of which were unknown. In addition, in the medical field, African American women faced difficulties obtaining normal services (Prather et al. 3). This factor, together with other manifestations of discrimination, such as separate places in transport or public places, was among the main concerns for women.
Moreover, it is worth noting that women played an important role in the revolution, as organizations were created that influenced its course. The Black Panther organization fought for the rights of African American women in the context of not only the racial issue but also the gender aspect (National Archives 1). Among the concerns of this organization were gender and sex equality, in addition to racial discrimination. It included fighting against the brutal treatment of women and drawing attention to the gender issue. It is worth noting that these organizations became the basis for the emergence of the well-known movement, namely Black Feminism (National Archives 1). However, in addition to the gender issue, the issue of the sexual exploitation of African American women was also raised.
The issue of sexual exploitation was one of the main concerns for African American women during the Black revolution. During the slavery era, African American women reportedly had abortions as a form of resistance due to sexual exploitation (Prather et al. 5). It was the result of uncontrolled sexual relations when African American women had to give birth to many children. This issue was also raised in the context of a time period when the rejection of African Americans was seen as something outside the norm. It corresponded to the sentiments that were popular among the population, namely the dominance of one race over another.
When addressing the notion of whether this concern was tenable, one can highlight several factors. First, there is evidence of the manifestation of such attitudes towards African American women. Accordingly, it formulates a counterargument that the demands of women during the revolution were exaggerated. Further, women were subjected to mass segregation in the provision of medical services until the 1960s (Prather et al. 8). Limited access to the provision of medical services, or any manifestation of difficulties in this aspect, formulates a threat to life. Thus, one can conclude that the concerns of African American women during the Black revolution were argumentative.
The significance of African American women’s contributions to the course of revolution is formulated by the abovementioned fact about the public attention. Any instance of cruelty to women during clashes or riots attracted great attention. As already indicated, there have been cases of trauma or injury to pregnant and young African American women. It led to a significant increase in negative attitudes towards activists speaking out against anti-racist movements. Besides, it discretized the police and the authorities in the international arena, which had a strong influence on decision-making.
When it comes to prehistory, it is essential to understand that this problem originated deep in the history of the country. Black women were the most oppressed and subjugated group in America. Although Black men were experiencing hardships due to slavery and segregation, African American women were suffering from patriarchy on top of these hardships. Thus, during the time of slavery, the attitude toward Black women was beyond the moral norms of human life. It manifested itself in the segregation of African American and white populations, isolated places, and bad treatment. These are not all the negative aspects of attitudes, but it characterizes the global mood of the people. In addition, some groups of the white population believed that African Americans had come to terms with the current situation and considered such an attitude to be normal. Thus, at the historical level, the problem of the racial issue arose among the population of the United States, the manifestations of which are still observed today.
The above factors have become a trigger for the emergence of anti-racist sentiment among the African American population. In the 1950s, there were several historical events and the first strikes that developed into a mass revolution. It included a strike against buses when the African Americans stopped using bus routes en masse. As a result, route owners suffered financial losses, which became an effective method. In addition, there were “sit-in” demonstrations in a cafe that served only the white population. All over the country, African Americans entered such establishments and sat there until they were served, which also attracted public attention. Due to the lack of results in 1967, large-scale riots broke out in 128 cities, which led to bloody rallies in Detroit and Newark. At the same time, the slogan “black power” was put forward, which was widely spread to the public. It rejected the friendship of the African American and white population, although it was believed that equality lies in mutual integration.
Before long, it turned into massive raids across the country, which were violently suppressed with the participation of activists and the police. Participants went to public places and sought equal service and the eradication of racist sentiment. However, they were met by the violent mob and police, with harsh treatment such as beatings and arrests. There were cases when buses with participants in anti-racist raids were set on fire with the passengers, which led to casualties. Besides, the demonstrators were arrested even if they were participants in peaceful protests and did not take illegal actions. They were detained under false pretenses and taken to prison, where in some cases, they were subjected to cruelty.
In conclusion, the Black revolution was a significant historical event that influenced the course of history on the racial issue. Although many people died and were injured, it led to several decisions from the leadership in favor of anti-racism sentiments. These included acts to combat segregation and reduce the manifestation of racial discrimination. Women played an important role in the course of the revolution, as many created and managed well-known organizations. Among their concerns was not only the issue of race but also the issue of gender identity and gender equality. Finally, another concern was the manifestation of difficulties in the provision of medical services. The collective impact of the movement-related shifts influenced the course of the revolution and led to significant changes in the racial issue.
Works Cited
National Archives. Women in Black Power. Web.
Prather, Cynthia. “Racism, African American Women, and Their Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Review of Historical and Contemporary Evidence and Implications for Health Equity.” National Library of Medicine, 2018, Web.
Wolfenstein, Eugene. The Victims of Democracy: Malcolm X and the Black Revolution. University of California Press, 2021.