The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Right's Movement

Key Takeaways: 

• Black women played important roles in the Civil Rights Movement. 
• Some key figures in the fight for equality include Diane Nash, Ella Baker and Dr. Vera Mae Pigee.
• During Women’s History Month and beyond, we need to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of these women and countless others that history has largely forgotten.

As I reflect on the progress that Black Americans have made, I am often struck by the efforts of countless unsung heroes, many of whom are Black women. While most of their stories are not well known, their dedication and bravery were essential in the fight for civil rights. Yet, while they were fighting against racism, they were also forced to combat another form of discrimination — sexism.

Without these women, the movement would not have succeeded. In honor of Women's History Month , I want to shine a light on some of the Black female heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.

Diane Nash

Activist Diane Nash played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, yet her story is often overlooked. Among her many efforts, some of her most notable include her leadership in staging sit-ins and the Freedom Rides. Ultimately, her work influenced the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Born in Chicago, IL, in 1938, Nash had a middle-class upbringing. She had limited exposure to segregation until she transferred to Fisk University in Nashville, TN, her sophomore year of college. In 1960, Nash became a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). By the end of March 1960, she helped lead organizers to stage sit-ins in 55 cities across 13 states.

As she continued to coordinate sit-ins, Nash also started organizing the Freedom Rides to protest segregation in public transportation and was instrumental in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. Towards the end of the 1960s, Nash traveled back to Chicago to work as a public school teacher and activist. In 2022, Nash was honored with the U.S.’s most esteemed award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ella Baker

A community organizer and political activist, Ella Baker dedicated her life to grassroots organizing and empowering her peers to create social change. Baker was born in 1903 in Norfolk, VA. She later studied at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC, where she graduated as valedictorian in 1927. After graduation, Baker moved to New York and started working with the Young Negroes Cooperative League and other organizations dedicated to uplifting and empowering women.

Toward the end of the 1930s, Baker joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where she worked her way up from secretary to director. While she later resigned from that position, she returned to work as the president of the New York branch of the NAACP to focus on integrating local schools and improving the quality of education for Black students.

In 1955, Baker co-founded the organization In Friendship to raise money to support civil rights activism in the South. Shortly after, she traveled to Atlanta, GA, to help form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and work as its grassroots organizer. After several years, Baker parted ways with the SCLC to partner with student activist groups, which eventually led to the formation of the SNCC. She continued to lead the fight for human rights until her passing in 1986.

Dr. Vera Mae Pigee

Dr. Vera Mae Pigee was a notable civil rights organizer and activist in Mississippi. Born in 1924 in Glendora, MS, Pigee’s mother raised her and her brother on her own. At 29 years old, Pigee played an instrumental role in developing the Coahoma County branch of the NAACP in Clarksdale, MS. After developing an entrepreneurial spirit, she left to study cosmetology in Chicago with the goal of starting her own business. Two years later, she returned to Clarksdale to open Pigee’s Beauty Salon. In addition to running her salon, Pigee continued her activism and joined the Coahoma County NAACP as its secretary. She also worked as an advisor to the Mississippi chapter of the NAACP Youth Council.

For years, Pigee’s salon doubled as a haven for civil rights activism. From there, she hosted meetings, classes, literacy drives, voter registration seminars and other events. In the early 1970s, Pigee traveled to Detroit, MI, to study sociology and journalism at Wayne State University. She went on to earn her doctorate in journalism and later wrote and published an autobiography, “Struggle of Struggles,” about her work with the NAACP. Pigee continued working as an activist and later became a minister. She passed away in 2007 at the age of 83.

Remembering the Legacies of Black Female Civil Rights Heroes

Nash, Baker and Pigee — along with many other notable and brave Black women — played critical roles in the fight for civil rights. Often, these women worked as local leaders and served as the connection between national and grassroots organizations. In recent years, scholars determined that government officials were heavily influenced by the work of Black female activists.

Many of the legislative initiatives at the time were created in response to grassroots protests, which were commonly organized and led by Black women. Yet, the efforts of many women during this movement have been largely reduced to footnotes of history or erased altogether. During this month and beyond, let’s focus on recognizing the many contributions and sacrifices of these women and countless others.

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