Five Caribbean Women You Should Know for Women’s History Month

ByAlexandriaMillerContributor

Since 1987, on the final day of February, the current President of the United States ushers in Women’s History Month. All of March is dedicated to celebrating women around the world and throughout history who have fought, and sometimes died, in the name of equality, liberty, and advancing the welfare of womankind.

It’s important to remember that not too long ago women did not have the right to votea core tenet of liberty that many take for granted It’s tempting to cite the female titans of industries, world leaders, and celebrities as examples of how far we ’ ve come, but they should never be viewed as symbols that we have obtained equality, as there’s still further to go in the balance of power between men and women

The politicians that should be protecting women have found themselves tangled up in undermining women ’ s autonomy, and rigidly defining what makes a woman

Women’s History Month is a reminder and renewal of that mission towards equality and justice This year, in President Biden’s address, he stated, “Too often, the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed, but the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America were as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well " The President went on to highlight women of color in particular, for being on the frontlines and risking the most as abolitionists, civil rights leaders, suffragists, and labor activists

Like Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month is a month for remembering and honoring the women who make, and have made, sacrifices which we build upon today But, it should also spur us to do so year-round

Women’s History Month began as Women’s History Week in the school district of Sonoma California in 1978 It served a similar purpose as it does now - celebrating women ’ s contribution to culture, history, and society Multiple schools partook in presentations and essay competitions; hundreds of students participated and there was the occasional parade The idea spread to other districts and even other countries By 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring March 2 - 8 as Women’s History Week Carter used the opportunity to call for the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment, which declared, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex ”

Seven years later, Congress officially declared the entirety of March, Women’s History Month

Coming off the heels of Black History Month, March is recognized as Women s History Month in the U S , in addition to International Women’s Day on March 8th which celebrates women ’ s achievements, embraces equity, and calls for a more inclusive world As we kick off Women’s History Month, here is a feature showcasing five Caribbean American women you should know about Within the last year alone, we have seen countless women in the Caribbean and its diaspora break records, set trends, and accomplish enormous feats in their respective fields Caribbean women make history every day and, in many ways, their accomplishments are a testament to the legacies of the female trailblazers who came before them

As a Jamaican-American and lover of history, I have always believed knowing our history is a great way to venerate our ancestors, establish connections across the region, and ensure that our communities are empowered with the knowledge of who we are and where we come from It is for all these reasons and more that I founded my podcast, Strictly Facts: A Guide to Caribbean History and Culture in 2020 This March, join Strictly Facts in celebrating Women’s History Month by learning about five Caribbean women who are crucial change agents and have transformed the world

Catherine Flon | Haiti (1772 - 1831)

The Haitian Revolution is one of the most significant Black uprisings in history

After twelve years of insurrection, the selfemancipated revolutionaries of what was then Saint-Domingue successfully founded the world’s first Black republic and officially declared their independence from France in 1804 Toussaint Louverture and JeanJacques Dessalines are perhaps the most renowned leaders of the Haitian Revolution; however, the rebellion was not without crucial women who supported the movement Said to be Dessalines’ goddaughter, Catherine Flon was one such female supporter who has been relatively obscured in history A seamstress who also served as her godfather’s assistant, Flon was a nurse to her fellow patriots and tended them back health during the Revolution On May 18, 1803, Dessalines led the Haitian army in the fight for independence and had ripped the white stripe out of France’s tricolor flag as a symbol of Haiti’s freedom from colonialism

Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Claudia Jones was a political activist, organizer, journalist, and cultural leader who spearheaded movements for social change in both the United States and Britain Not long after immigrating to New York with her family in 1924, Jones joined political and social justice organizations like the Junior NAACP and the National Urban League. She was later catapulted into leadership through her support of the falsely accused Scottsboro Boys on trial for rape in Alabama in 1931 Jones later joined the Communist Party, beginning with the Young Communist League, and continued to grow as a popular advocate for workers’ rights, especially for women and people of color Her growing recognition made her a target of US surveillance and she was arrested several times and eventually deported in December

Born in the United States to Guyanese and Bajan parents, Shirley Chisholm was a revered American politician who worked as an educator in New York during the early part of her career She was drawn to politics through organizations for civil rights and women ’ s representation that she joined in Brooklyn in 1953 Four years after joining the Unity Democratic Club in 1960, Chisholm ran for then New York State Assemblyman Thomas R Jones’ seat in 1964 after he declined reelection Chisholm sat on New York State Legislatures until 1968, from which she made it her duty to support legislative protections for voting rights, unemployment benefits, women ’ s advocacy, and education for the working class

In 1968, Chisholm ran and was eventually elected to the U S House of Representatives With the slogan “Unbought and Unbossed,” she became the first Black woman elected to Congress and would go on

He trampled on the white stripe in the streets of Arcahaie, leaving Flon to later sew together the remaining red and blue stripes to create Haiti’s first flag, representing the Black and mixed-race Haitians joining forces under the motto “Liberté ou la Mort!” May 18th is commemorated annually as Haitian Flag Day and Flon is celebrated as one of three heroines of the Haitian Revolution, with her picture featured on the island’s ten gourdes banknote in 2000

1955. In Britain, Jones continued her organizing efforts for racial equity with a focus on the UK’s expanding West Indian population She co-founded the West Indian Workers and Students Association, the West Indian Gazette and Afro-Asian Caribbean News, and Britain’s first Caribbean carnival, now known as the Notting Hill Carnival, all while giving speeches across the world on women ’ s rights and racial equality to be a founding member of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 The following year, Chisholm also became the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination and the first African American to run for a president under a major party for the 1972 presidential election Though her campaign later failed, she went on to spend the next fifteen years in Congress and was later inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993