Spotlight on Women’s History Month with The King Center
This Women’s History Month, we honor the many contributions of the women who have helped shape our world into a global community. Women’s History Month was originally established in 1980 by the National Women’s History Project (now named the National Women’s History Alliance) who successfully lobbied President Jimmy Carter for national recognition. Each year the National Women’s History Alliance selects an annual theme that is meant to capture the essence of the moment. This year’s theme is, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”
The King Center’s founder, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, is one of the most impactful women in world history. Mrs. King’s commitment to justice, voting rights, nonviolence and creating a more just, humane, equitable and peaceful world is a pivotal part of why our society is better today. Without her sacrifice, we would not have unprecedented access to the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the national holiday celebrating Dr. King’s legacy, or The King Center, that serves to educate and train global citizens on Kingian Nonviolence.
One of Mrs. King’s most famous quotes is, “Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.” There are other women whose sacrificial leadership and activism during the Civil Rights Movement embodied what it meant to be the soul of the nation like
Fannie Lou Hamer, who co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and fought for fair voter registration and desegregation.
Ella Baker, who helped organize SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and inspired many young people to get involved in the Civil Right Movement.
Diane Nash, one of the founding SNCC members, became one of the country’s prominent student leaders and educators on nonviolence.
Amelia Boynton Robinson, who instructed Black people farming skills and became the first African American woman to run for Congress in in Alabama.
Septima Clark, who was a member of the NAACP and helped spark a campaign to change the policy that disallowed Black teachers from working in public schools.
In addition to the aforementioned women, there are many others who have created sustainable and equitable change in their own way. There are women like Sojourner Truth, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Wangari Maathai, have made an indelible mark on our world with their courage, leadership, and countless others who deserve public acknowledgement for what they have done to influence and inspire change in our “World House.”
Unfortunately, women have not historically received their just due for their leadership and innovation. Misogyny, gender bias and the lack of access have been some of the biggest barriers that have prevented many women receiving the credit they deserve for what they have done. Yet, there is no better time to change that narrative than today. The King Center’s 2024 theme is, “It Starts with Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate Through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence.” With this theme in mind, it is our responsibility to honor women who have committed their lives to shifting the cultural climate with truth, equity, and justice. We must carry on their legacies by supporting the women leaders of the future.
The King Center encourages you to complete your own personal study on women who have impacted your local communities, and to learn about the women who forged the pathway for creating a more just, humane, equitable and peaceful world.
To prepare for being a nonviolent global leader yourself, please visit The King Center Institute at https://thekingcenterinstitute.org/.