Identifying and Preserving the Legacy of Black Women

I love being a Black woman. I could make the statement more dramatic, but there is no need. I honestly could never imagine being anyone else. I am honored by everything that defines me as such. In all of my years, I have only met one woman who said she wished she had been born white. The year was 1973; during a time when it was 'okay' to be Black, and I was appalled by her statement. I grew up in a community filled with women who carried themselves with pride and dignity. This attitude was so prevelant, it did not actually have to be taught; it just,,was. It did not matter if a woman left her house each morning to go and raise someone else's children, cook their meals, and clean their houses, she carried presented herself as a 'lady'. It did not matter if the people she worked for shared her view or not. I believe that God blessed our people by making it possible for them to hold onto their dignity and become stronger even in the midst of slavery. This attitude was an invisible piece of armor that aided in ultimate survival. Black women