As we mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington (August 28) and the sacrifices made by the heroes before us, we must face that their work did not end there. With every passing generation, the spark that guided their legacy of fighting for racial equality and justice is carried on by new change-makers. That is the same spark I see in the young people today: future leaders, unafraid to stand against the systems trying to hold them back.

The too-often unsung champions, Black women, played and continue to play instrumental roles in smashing the inequalities in American democracy.

Despite concerted efforts by extremists to suppress our votes through underhanded tactics, including disenfranchising, partisan gerrymandering, registration restrictions, and whatever else they can come up with, Black women consistently mobilized and turned out throughout history. Without the March on Washington, I would not be able to, nor would NOW be able to, support and fight for intersectional feminism in the way that we do.

Shrouded in the misconception that our greatest triumphs as a nation are limited only to events like the Revolutionary War and the moon landing, many Americans do not think of the abolition of slavery, Brown v. Board of Education, or the March on Washington when pondering America’s substantial feats. This dismal overlook most likely stems from the historically strained race relations of our past, remnants of which we are still fighting.

However, these wins were not only for Black Americans to celebrate but for all Americans. Black history and American history are not mutually exclusive but, instead, go hand in hand to shape the United States into the country that it is. The March on Washington was a pivotal stride in our history that issued calls for congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act, full integration of public schools, and the enactment of a bill prohibiting job discrimination. Just as Black and American history go hand in hand, the same principle applies to racial justice and women’s equality.

It is our civic duty and constitutional right to vote. A right that was previously denied to us only because of genetic factors out of our control is now bestowed upon us because of the blood, sweat and tears of our predecessors. Black women have been, and continue to be, the backbone of American democracy. And despite our historic successes, the authorities still underestimate our strength. Their shortcoming is reflected in academia, employment and voting; the list trails on far too long from there.

As the countdown to the 2024 elections begins, our power as Black women is more imperative than ever in protecting our communities from the forces that threaten us. We must vote like our lives depend on it because they do. We cannot erase the trauma of our pasts, but we can harness it as fuel to propel us toward the United States that generations before us could only dream of.

Christian F. Nunes is the president of the National Organization for Women. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.

Newsletter