Black Women Taking The Reins

Black women such as Anna J. Cooper, Mary Terrell Church and Sojourner Truth criticized black men for being complacent in the advancement  of the black race. Preaching a rhetoric that education was the best most productive way for African Americans to advance in American society. Thinking that black men weren't doing enough and spending too much time in gambling halls they themselves took the pulpit and laid the foundation to advance the black race. This was an unheard of during the 1800's and they were not only stalwarts of early black intellectuals but pioneers of women's rights by filling the power vacuum left behind by black men. Ida B. Wells spoke for black men being lynched. Silenced by a murderous, racist act of lynching that the government black men was rendered powerless. Wells put herself at risk and took the reins to demean the the brutal institution. She questioned the hyprocrisy of whites saying they were civilized while taking pleasure and doing such brutal acts against their fellow beings. Black men who took power and advanced the race such as MLK. Malcolm El-Hajj Malik Shabazz, and Barack Obama owe these ladies thanks.