Katie Darmofal - Timeline 3: African American Women from 1940-1980 lyrics

The 1940's – 1980's saw significant advancements for African American women. With the introduction of prominent authors, athletes, politicians and entertainers, African American women became central figures to the growing culture of the nation. Their efforts to gain recognition in America, however, were not met without resistance. Many African American women faced discrimination and, in some cases, violence and incarceration for their attempts to gain equal rights. In this timeline I hope to highlight the struggles, as well as the numerous accomplishments, made by these women throughout the time period. 1954 – Brown V Board of Education Excerpt from Langston Hughes' “Theme for English B” (1949) “So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white – yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That's American.” 1955 – Rosa Park's is arrested, triggering the Montgomery Bus Boycott Excerpt from Alice Walker's “In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens” (1970) “ They were women then My mama's generation Husky of voice – Stout of Step With fists as well as hands How they battered down doors … How they led armies … How they knew what we must know Without knowing a page of it themselves.” 1960 – Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win 3 Olympic gold medals. Excerpt from Mari Evans' “ Vive Noir!” (1970) “ I'm gonna spread out over America intrude my proud blackness all over the place” 1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Excerpt from Amiri Baraka's “It's Nation Time” (1970) “Time to get together time to be one strong fast black energy space one pulsating positive magnetism, rising” 1967 – Aretha Franklin recorded her signature song “Respect” Excerpt from Robert Hayden's “Homage to the Empress of Blues” (1948) “She came out on the stage in ostrich feathers, beaded satin, and shone that smile on us and sang.” 1968 – Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives Excerpt from Margaret Walker's “Prophets for a New Day” (1970) “And the winds of freedom begin to blow While the Word descends on the waiting World below.” 1970 – Angela Davis is arrested Excerpt from Larry Neal's “Malcolm X – An Autobiography” (1967) “And then there is jail. America is the world's greatest jailer, and we are all in jails Holy spirits contained like magnificent birds of wonder.” 1976 – Barbara Jordan was the first woman and African American to give the keynote address at the National Convention of the Democratic Party. Excerpt from Maya Angelou's “ Still I Rise” (1978) “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.”