Casa Atabex Aché - House of Womyn's Power

Black History Month: Highlighting Womyn of Color & Herstory

Origins:

In 1926, what we know today as Black History Month, initially began as Negro History Week by historian Carter G. Woodson as an attempt to heighten the awareness and consciousness of the lives and accomplishments of Black men and womyn. Especially within the context of American History, it is difficult to visualize the presence of Black Americans and the scope of their influence because Black history has not been disseminated and promoted in our everyday white washed notions of what history is supposed to mean for us.

Room for Discussion:

What does it mean to have February designated as Black History Month? Is it more important to disseminate Black History through oral tradition and a re-imagining of our education system?

Black Women & Herstory

Honey, de white man is de ruler of everything as fur as Ah been able tub find out. Maybe it’s some place off in de ocean where de black man is in power, but we don’t know nothin’ but we see. So de white man throw down de load and tell de nigger man tuh pick it up. He pick it up because he have to, but he don’t tote it. He hand it to his womenfolks. De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so far as Ah can see.

Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston

Black Womyn and womyn of color in general have had their accomplishments muted in terms of the wider scope of culture and history. Annually in the United States, a small number of famous Black Womyn have their accomplishments remembered in February, however there seems to be no room to celebrate the accomplishments of women of color on a regular basis?

This month, the Casa tumblr seeks to re-envision its understanding of Black History month by taking time to remember and acknowledge the womyn of color who have left an indelible mark on our world.