On Our Sister’s Shoulders
March 2025
My partner Jude teaches Sociology at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. One of the articles her students read is a piece by Gloria Steinem. This semester only one student knew who Gloria Steinem was. When Jude told me this, my heart sank. If these young people do not know about Gloria Steinem (who is still living). I can only assume that they know little to nothing about all of the brave women who risked their lives so that we have the rights we have today.
They might know about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Harriet Tubman but what about Matilda Joslyn Gage (1826–1898), Shulamith Firestone (1945–2012), Patricia Maginnis (1928–2021) and Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977). These are our unsung heroes - many of whom were the backbone of the Women’s Rights and Civil Rights movements.
At this time in our history, we need to learn from these women, so that we do not lose our long fought for rights. The right to vote, the right to have control over our bodies the right to protest, the right to equal pay, the right to own property and the right to be free from violence. We need to know about these women and make sure that our daughters and granddaughters know them too. They are the ones who will be carrying our fight forward.
It is Women’s History Month. I challenge you to learn about a lesser-known woman in history and share her story with a friend or loved
one. If we are to stand on the shoulders of our sisters as we enter an unprecedented time in our country’s history, we need to know who they were, how they fought for our rights and what we can learn from them.
Some (easy) reading material . . .
No Truth Without Ruth by Katerine Krull
The House That Jane Built by Tanya Lee Stone
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer – Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford
How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea