History

 

Throughout history women have been sysematically reduced to the status of seond class citizens in this country and many others.  However, the struggle faced by African American women in this country has been particulaly difficult.  Although all women have historically been  victims of oppression due to patriarchal domination of the social structure African American women have had to deal with oppression from not just the standpoint of a woman, but from that of an African American as well.  This "double consciousness" that African American women have had to live and cope with has created  a sense of independence that has caused them to develope a standard of pride and professionalism rivaled by few.  From the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's till modern day African American women have consisently been at the forefront of social uplift and equality of all people.  In recent years African American women have paved the way for other minority groups through fighting for equality in th workforce as well as equality of  access to academic institutions like no other group.  They are achieving levels of academic and professional success once only dreamed of, and yet continue to strive for equality for all people in every sense of the word.