People are starting to notice that Black women are not in a rush to put their bodies on the line (again) to save the country from itself. Black women no longer assume that if victory is won through their endangerment and sacrifice that their willingness to fight will be appreciated or recognized. Based on history, they are aware that others will attempt to steal the credit for their contributions, gain the benefits, then leave them behind. So instead of thanklessly exhausting themselves while others stay comfortable, they are reshifting their energy and organizing to uplift themselves, their families, communities, and institutions and giving others the opportunity to correct a situation caused by their ignoring Black women’s warnings.
Black women have spent the last four centuries being unpaid, underpaid and unappreciated caregivers, protectors, scapegoats and targets for violence and exploitation for the entire country. But they have never been passive or silent victims. Through all kinds of brilliant tactics, from playing dumb or sick, self-mutilation, or creating secret codes in artwork, hairstyles, quilts, song lyrics and more, they have always resisted. They have had no choice but to be innovative, creative and clever in order to create workarounds and pathways to secure physical and spiritual freedom from a system designed to extract and oppress.
As they have fought for their own liberation, others have been freed as well. Many non-Black women and other people of color fail to credit the sacrifices Black women made in their fight for freedom and opportunities that also benefitted them and other marginalized groups. From resistance to slavery, to the suffrage movement, to the 20th-century civil rights movement, to the Black Lives Matter movement, to being regarded as today’s backbone of the Democratic Party, they have fought for dignity, respect, inclusion and equality.
No matter the level of denial, White women benefitted the most from affirmative action and DEI programs that Black women fought to open, then they turned around and accused Black women of using the “race card” when the disproportionate advantage was pointed out. It also did not go unnoticed that too many White women sat on the sidelines when Black women were in the streets demanding police accountability for targeting and brutalizing our loved ones and communities. The majority of White women voted several elections in a row for a person with a long and documented history of racist ideology who campaigned with coded and clear language of racial insults.
In addition to being ignored, Black women have also endured never-ending attempts at erasure. French-born Surya Bonaly’s awe-inspiring backflip in ice-skating (which she was penalized for) was initially unmentioned in 2026 Olympics coverage while a White male American was heaped with praise for doing the same thing 34 years later. Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan — geniuses behind the space program — were largely omitted for their contributions until Margaret Lee Shetterly uplifted their story in Hidden Figures. Big Mama Thornton was the first to sing and record “Hound Dog” before Elvis Presley co-opted and capitalized on the song. Black women wore their hair in braids since forever (and were demonized for them) before a “Bo Derek look” was appropriated and considered beautiful. Former First Lady Michelle Obama first suggested a school lunch overhaul and exercise initiative in the late 2000s, only for it to be deemed a “nanny state” approach to healthy habits. Then suddenly, almost two decades later, her focus was considered a great idea when a White man who doesn’t believe in science-based health care suggested something similar.
Genuine allies need to speak up and join in when they commit or see these deliberate or intentional slights, cooptations, appropriations and omissions. In order to be the most effective in fighting for a fair and equitable world for all, allyship needs to be consistent and purposeful. It is not a cute weekend activity to post on social media for likes. It is a deep commitment people make to working with and advocating for others that they respect and understand. It’s getting out of a personal comfort zone and genuinely becoming an integral part of a community versus an observer who will extract creations and labor for their benefit.
Black women refuse to be further used as props for volunteer credit hours. People need to interact with them as equals, which includes listening to and following their lead. Insincere people should not waste people’s time. They should stay home basking in ignorance and self-indulgent surface-level navel-gazing. Don’t ask Black women to engage in fights that benefit everyone except them after neglecting, ignoring and minimizing them. They are done with the disrespect. They’re stepping back from the frontlines so others can engage in resistance and understand the pain of being overlooked or exploited. Black women have been constant warriors and need to catch their breath, take care of their mental and physical health, regain their strength and resolve. They will not get on the frontlines upon demand. They will decide what is in their own best interest and the strategy to achieve it. In the meantime, sincere allies keep in mind how to be most effective:
- Allow someone to be the center of their own story
- Help without seeking incessant praise
- Follow the lead of people from the marginalized or disenfranchised group
- Be proactive about educating yourself without expecting the people you’re helping to give free one-on-one seminars
- Speak up and advocate for others even when they’re not around
- Give credit to the original creators when showcasing something from outside of your culture
It’s time for people to stop exploiting, taking for granted, and leaning on Black women to fight for and change a system that everyone lives in. Black women have spent 400 years carrying an outsized level of moral high ground and self-sacrifice to push this country to live up to its ideals and become a more perfect union for all.Now, others need roll up their sleeves, put on their marching shoes, and do the hard work that has fallen on Black women’s shoulders for too long.
