Feb 7, 2024

February is Black History Month. This month, and always, we celebrate the vision and dedication of Black women in the rape crisis movement in its establishment and ongoing work. 

Rosa Parks is famous for initiating the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 sparking a 13-month protest culminating in the Supreme Court decision deeming segregation unconstitutional. Before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks worked at the National Association of Colored People (NAACP) providing support and advocacy to Black sexual assault survivors. Her lifelong commitment to survivors and justice guided the early leaders of the rape crisis movement and lives on today.

The intersection of racism, sexism, and sexual violence is examined in The Bluest Eye and Beloved by Toni Morrison; Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. These masters of literature continue to define and strengthen the movement's understanding of the experiences of survivors. 

Tarana Burke organized the Me Too Movement and sparked a revolution in how survivors are treated in the United States and worldwide. 

We celebrate Black History Month with appreciation and reverence for the work of Black women in the movement to end sexual violence and in our own organization.