Black Women Career Network Research

Black Women Career Network provides career tips to black women. Black women now have voices and have chances of being enrolled in higher education institutions. Middle-class individuals and people of colour in the United States face a lot of difficulties in their homes, workplace, and neighbourhoods. Black women experience higher poverty rates as compared to the black men and cannot afford quality childcare. Black women activists help in fighting the injustices present in the society on the mistreatment of African American women. Black feminism is characterized by fighting against forms of oppression to the African American women, exploitation and harassment. Feminism came into place in the year 1942. History of women feminism can be divided into three waves. The first feminism wave was in the nineteenth century, the second wave was in the 1960s to 1970s and the third wave was from 1970s to the present moments.

The first wave movement feminism demonstrated a clear meaning of women’s placement in the society and the political actions that discriminated women in the society. Black women feminism became popular since it addressed racism and sexism of African American women in the Women’s Movement and Civil Rights Movement (Butler 2011) The Black feminist agenda in the 60’s and 70’s focused on eradicating denial of access to better jobs to African American women, workplace inequalities, and salary inequalities. Due to in-depth gender discrimination that was present in the year 1960s and the government failure to establish the laws of protecting women’s rights in the workplace and the failure to provide equal opportunities to both men and women, a group of women activists formed an organization that was to fight gender discrimination through legislatures and laws.

The feminist sought women’s equality on the personal level and political level. The movement was divided between upper class and lower class individuals, young and old, radial and conservative. The women held non- violent protests as a way of combating racism and sexism. Black women were portrayed as lustful, primitive, dirty, physically strong and unwomanly. African American women were only expected to follow a specific path of getting married at an early age, starting a family and being their husbands' keepers. African American women had limited job opportunities and were unwelcomed in professional programs and medical schools. Women were denied job opportunities and those working were paid low salaries. These made them form a movement in order to right for their rights and promote gender equality in the society.

Through the protest and demonstrations, black women eventually got a chance of securing better-paying jobs, administration in colleges and universities and being independent. Black Feminist movement activists protested against sexism in the media and sabotaging newspaper offices. Feminists held campaigns on the legalization of abortion through testifying before the state legislatures and having public speak-outs. The public speak-outs were used to publicize rape and set up rape crisis centres and advocacy groups. Lobbying and marching was also a way of protesting for their own rights. The book was read by the Women Liberation Movement, Black Liberation Movement, and the entire public since they had to identify the major reasons for the formation of Black Feminist Movement. A good example of black women activist is the one who understands black men, white men, and white women (Crenshaw 57-80).

Black Women Activism is significant in the today’s world since it addresses the instance of inequalities facing the African American women. Activism gives a better understanding of racism, class oppression and sexism. The country is not providing equal opportunities to its citizen; African Americans are still discriminated in terms of race and social class. The African American men and women are subject to long jail terms and sentences as compared to the white people. The negative stereotypes portrayed by the media and other social networks on the lives of African Americans increase the possibilities of mistreatment of African Americans. African Americans are portrayed as lazy, criminals, people of low social class, ignorant, greedy and uneducated. Movement can be used for the fighting such stereotypes as the African American community can demonstrate how they are useful people in the society.

Anti-black racism is a great problem in the United States that can be confronted through disruption of work, business activities, and commuter travel. Black feminists in today’s world help in coming up with ideas and conducting research on the following areas: Black women media, media representation, social technologies and the community; Reclaiming women’s grassroots activism, sexuality, black women, and change: encouraging women participation in higher learning and widening access to higher learning. Black feminist provides ideas on inequality. Black feminists provide information and ideas on youth justice, criminality, and society (Chatelian et al 60). Conclusion African American women and the African community at large are disadvantaged in terms of education. A large number of African American children are educated in poverty.