ESSENTIAL SOLDIERS

Women fought for Black liberation while challenging sexism within the movement.

The role of women in the Pan-African nationalist movement of the 1960s and ’70s has been mischaracterized and ignored. Historian McCray charges that their “shrouded existence” in the popular patriarchal history belies the crucial work they performed in the Black freedom struggle. With comprehensive research and intimate interviews, McCray delves into the complex and evolving role of women. These “essential soldiers” performed kazileadership—“work-centered, people-centered, and African-American centered”—as they fought the triple oppression of race, gender, and class. The Black nationalist movement gained credence in the United States among young people who felt the pace of the Civil Rights Movement was too slow. Though borne out of racial oppression at home, it was greatly influenced by liberation struggles around the globe. Based on the principle of Kawaida, an African tradition of communitarianism and self-determination, more than 20 groups flourished in urban centers, from Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles. By uplifting Black culture and fighting racial oppression, the diverse groups focused on strengthening the community. Women were the backbone of these efforts. In food deserts, they started cooperatives providing fresh, nutritious groceries. Where public schools failed Black children, they taught academics alongside cultural pride. They were involved in producing the Black News, which reached a circulation of 50,000, and helping in broader political campaigns, including voter registration and economic boycotts. A basic principle of Kawaida was complementarity, which enforced gender roles identifying males as leaders and women as followers. Highlighting female activists who challenged this sexist formulation, like Amina Baraka and Tayari kwa Salaam, McCray traces the evolution of women’s thinking and practices, including the founding of their own organizations, like the Black Women’s United Front, which focused on domestic violence, rape, reproductive rights, and equal pay. They transformed both themselves and the movement.

A fresh perspective on the role of women in the Black nationalist movement.