NWHP Blog: Events and Articles posted by people like YOU » Equality

“A Silent Strength”

prowessandpearls — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:53:20 +0000

I’ve been blessed to have grown up surrounded by an amazing group of women! All, who in their own little way, paved the future for me…sometimes unbeknownst to them. Women, like my mother, my sisters, my cousins and my aunts. I shared with you a few weeks ago about my lovely mother, who was one of my greatest teachers/heroins. As we’ve closed out another “Black History Month”, it would be remiss of me to not mention a woman who was a true trailblazer, not only for myself, but for the nation. Yes, I said the nation! I don’t know what it is about the women in my family, but they never felt the need to brag on themselves, they never tooted their own horn and they never put the spotlight on themselves. I guess my job is to do it for them! This post is dedicated to my aunt Sarah Mae Flemming-Brown(my dad’s oldest sister), whom we affectionately called “Aunt Kitty”, she was truly our family heroin, a trailblazer in her own right! Here’s her story……….

Civil Rights Leader

Sarah Mae Flemming, the forerunner of Rosa Parks, for many years remained an unsung hero in the annals of civil rights. It was a little-publicized civil-rights case involving public transportation in Columbia, SC that helped Rosa Parks and her lawyers prevail in a lawsuit challenging segregation on buses in Montgomery, Alabama…this case became the Flemming legacy.

Flemming was born on June 28th, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, the eldest of Mack and Rosetta Flemming’s seven children. The granddaughter of slaves, Flemming grew up on her family’s own land – 130 acres, five miles north of what is now downtown Eastover. She would eventually die of a heart attack on that same land, just shy of her 60th birthday.

Flemming slipped into history the morning of June 22, 1954 when she, a black maid, took a front seat on the then segregated city bus operated by South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G). The line dividing the races on South Carolina buses served as one of the most visible daily reminders of segregation. Enforced by bus drivers vested with the powers of a deputy sheriff, the line was inscribed into a body of state laws that had for three generations separated blacks and whites. On Columbia buses, the color line shifted, depending on whether more black or white people were riding. One thing remained firm- whites never sat behind blacks.

On that historic morning Flemming took a seat in what she deemed an appropriate area.
After taking her seat, a white Columbia bus driver humiliated the 20 year old black woman from Eastover, blocking her with his arm and accusing her of sitting in the “whites-only” part of the bus. She was ordered by the bus driver to give up her seat in the front of the bus. She refused and the bus driver called the police. Sarah was arrested and subsequently sued South Carolina Electric and Gas, the owners and operators of the bus system in Columbia. She also claimed that she was hit by the driver as she exited the bus. This incident, occurring 17 months before Rosa Parks took her stand against segregation on city buses in Montgomery, Alabama- Flemming challenged segregation on SCE&G buses in Columbia. Sarah Mae did not reach the fame of Mrs. Parks, but she did find success in her fight for equality for African Americans and all citizens of the United States.

Sarah Fleming claimed her rights under the fourteenth amendment of the United States constitution had been violated by the driver’s actions. The 14th Amendment states that any person born in the United States is automatically a citizen of this country. This amendment states all citizens have the right to due process under the law and gives all citizens equal protection. It goes on to state that no citizen should be deprived of their life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness.

Phillip Whittenburg, a young white lawyer, originally took the case. Later he was joined by Thurgood Marshall and Matthew Perry. The NAACP sponsored the suit on behalf of Mrs. Fleming. Although the US Supreme Court had already ruled that segregation on city buses was against the law, the South Carolina Public Service Commission decided to uphold the South Carolina state law which supported segregation. The Fleming case was brought before Justice Timmerman, the judge for the eastern district of South Carolina, on February 16, 1955. Although the suit was based on the same principles as that of Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled that separate was not inherently equal, the judgment declared that Fleming’s claim failed to meet the requirements for relief and the case was dismissed. Justice Timmerman put forth that the Plessy v. Ferguson decision held that separation on public transportation was legal. The fight for equality on South Carolina buses did not end there.

Mrs. Fleming, the NAACP, and her lawyers appealed the ruling and the decision was reversed. The State Court of Appeals stated in their December 14, 1955 decision that Brown vs. Board did indeed cross all levels of society, including public transportation. The justices stated that “separate but equal” could not be fair and equal treatment of citizens in the United States. This outcome was not the end of the road however, as South Carolina Electric and Gas appealed the State Court’s decision. The US Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit dismissed the appeal on April 23, 1956 and the US Supreme Court upheld the Appeals Court decisions on November 29, 1956. The ruling was widely ignored, but is cited in the decision on the far-better publicized Rosa Parks case – which led to the end of segregated buses.

In 1955, Flemming’s win in court was big news in black newspapers across the country. The bigger news is that this young woman, in the face of southern Jim Crow politics took a step that forever changed the face of civil rights in the South.

An amazing story isn’t it? I think the MOST amazing thing is that I didn’t even know about any of this until after my aunt passed away, by the way, I was married with children of my own! I told you that the women in my family didn’t toot their own horn, but really Aunt Kitty, you never even mentioned this story not once…go figure, lol! And yes, that was THE Thurgood Marshall, first African-American Supreme Court justice, who was one of my aunt’s lawyers. As you can imagine, I am one proud niece. Her story sounds like a scene from the movie “The Help”. Hey I may someday write a screenplay, who knows! She is definitely our family heroine, a true inspiration, one of many who silently fought behind the scenes so we ALL could have equality. Thank you Aunt Kitty for trailblazing the way by showing us all how to do ourselves well! A big horn toot for you!!

*Excerpts taken from “South Carolina African-American Calendar” and “Teaching American History in South Carolina”

Who in your life has been an inspiration and heroin/hero to you?

Having a blast serving Him !

xoxoxo
Michell @Prowess and Pearls

Equal Rights Amendment—NOW!

NWHP admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 07:21:19 +0000

The ERA was written by Alice Paul in 1923 and introduced to Congress every year until it passed out of both chambers in 1972. This amendment seemed to be received with enthusiasm and was ratified by 6 states in two days! However, the pace of the ratification slowed after 1975 and only 35 states (out of the 38 needed) had ratified it by 1978. In October of 1978 Congress extended the deadline for ratification to June 30, 1982. This extension expired and in 1982 and the ERA was not passed. This deadline has inhibited the ERA to be passed and since then the ERA has been loosing it’s fight for equality.

On January 11th, 2013 (in honor of Alice Paul’s Birthday) a petition was launched at the grassroots level by those who haven’t forgotten about the importance this legislation means to women & girls nationwide. This petition is on the Whitehouse.gov website and it’s purpose is to gain support for the ERA and to eliminate deadlines introduced in 1972.

Social media & grassroots organizing has given the ERA new life and the chance to gain the Nation’s attention once more. It has already collected more than 6,000 signatures in little over a week. If you would like to join this cause, CLICK the links BELOW!

Click HERE to sign the petition!!!

Click HERE to join the Facebook group!

Follow the ERA 2013 Action Campaign on Twitter @ERAAction

Click HERE to follow on Tumblr! (http://eraactioncampaign.tumblr.com/)

Written by: Kimberly Roush Blog Moderator

Kerber, Linda K., and Hart Jane Sherron. De. “Dimensions of Citizenship III.” Women’s America: Refocusing the past. 7th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Oxford UP, 1982. 719. Print.

Women’s Work in WWII Millions of working women break down the barriers of gender discrimination

vintageflyer — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:55:39 +0000

Women’s Work in WWII is a book of little stories about personal struggles that melded into a revolution. It tells the chronological story about the zigzag social and political developments that enabled U.S. women to gain equal employment with the parallel story of WWII. It documents the history of millions of women working in thousands of roles with minimal training and no experience but fully confident that they were equal to filling the roles of men they replaced.

These women had a job to do. They were comfortable in their own skin and proved why you need to be who you are. They imagined success and achieved it. The book includes many photographs and stories of personal innovation like a former gift wrapper who increased B-17 aircraft production with the help of a tissue or women engineers working with advanced mathematics and science to revolutionize products. The political system changed; female juries, local union leadership and elected female officials became commonplace.

The war ended and so did female equality. But these women did not accept that outcome. The book concludes when after the war, these same women worked in and with Congress, with the president, the unions and across the courts. Their objective: restore equal pay for equal work and provide a workplace that would be free from gender discrimination.

Upon completing the book, readers reflect on their experience and gain new respect for the importance of making personal commitments to change. Available in softcover/January 2013 or hardcover February/2013.

Pioneers in Women’s Education

NWHP admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:34:35 +0000

The 2012 Women’s History Month Proclamation given by President Barak Obama addressed women’s continual fight for equality, fairness, and justice. Acknowledging that generations of women pioneers challenged injustices and shattered ceilings to further women’s education—there is still work to be done.

“As Americans, ours is a legacy of bold independence and passionate belief in fairness and justice for all. For generations, this intrepid spirit has driven women pioneers to challenge injustices and shatter ceilings in pursuit of full and enduring equality. During Women’s History Month, we commemorate their struggles, celebrate centuries of progress, and reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the rights, security, and dignity of women in America and around the world. …While we have made great strides toward equality, we cannot rest until our mothers, sisters, and daughters assume their rightful place as full participants in a secure, prosperous, and just society.”

-Barak Obama

Many of those pioneers in education are recognized and honored in the 2012 Gazette publication by the National Women’s History Project. Representing hundreds of women whose countless hours of work remain uncounted for, these honorees lead the way in improving education for all young women in America over the centuries. The efforts made by these individuals changed the course of history–or more appropriate herstory.

These Honorees include:

Emma Hart Willard (1787–1870) – Women Higher Education Pioneer

Charlotte Forten Grimke (1837 – 1914) – Freedman Bureau Educator

Annie Sullivan (1866 – 1936) – Disability Education Architect

Gracia Molina de Pick (b.1929) – Feminist Educational Reformer

Okolo Rashid (b.1949) – Community Development Activist and  Historical Preservation Advocate

Brenda Flyswithhawks (b. 1950) – American Indian Advocate and Educator

Written by:

Kimberly Roush
Blog Manager

Gender Equality Solidarity Society (G.E.S.S.) 2012 Empowerment Art Show March 1-27

gessouc — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:59:16 +0000

G.E.S.S. is a student organization at Ohio University of Chillicothe and our purpose is to promote gender equality and awareness to students and the local community. In recognition of Women’s History month, G.E.S.S. wanted to recognize the event on our campus by sponsoring an “Empowerment” themed art show.

The purpose of this show is to recognize Women’s History Month as well as empower the viewer. The artists range from Ohio University students, faculty and community members. A semi-formal reception will be held on March 9th from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM which is open to the public to honor the artists and their work. The show will run until March 27th.

Recognizing this event at a local level helps unite and empower women at a local level—in some cases this is where it is needed most. While each piece of artwork tells a story, it is up to the viewer to interpret that story. Artwork can spark ideas and conversations that other aspects of life and culture cannot. This show is meant to do just that with the intentions of empowerment and enlightening the individual.