Mighty Black Women

Here are profiles of black women who have succeeded in their lives, families and their professions. Their stories defy the stereotypes of who we are and embrace what we’ve known all along about ourselves. Click here to tell us about a Mighty Black Woman.

_____________________________________________

Xerox’s Ursula Burns on how to fix our schools
Businesses should do more for the schools in their communities, says Ursula Burns, chairman of the Xerox Corp. and the first black female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Burns believes that they can start by providing mentors to young students. Read about a speech she gave to students in Philadelphia.

Harp and Heritage: The musical life of a pioneer
“When I was coming along in Girls High and Philly, I was the only African harpist that I knew,” said Ann Hobson Pilot. “Harp was considered, first of all, a feminine instrument. It was for women with blond hair and long flowing gowns.” Pilot defied the image over the next 40 years. Now retired from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she was in her hometown for a recital. Here is a video of the event.

	Evelyn Harvey keeps it tidy on her street in Phila. The 6100 block of North Franklin Street recently won the city’s Clean Block Contest. Read about Harvey and her neighbors’ commitment to make sure their block does not deteriorate. Here’s a Google map of flowers in bloom on the block.
	A helping hand for those with cancer Three years ago, as my dear friend Gloria Harper Dickinson waged a losing battle with inflammatory breast cancer, she would constantly mention the name of Lillie Daniels. “My guardian angel,” Gloria would say. So begins a column by Philadelphia Inquirer writer Annette John-Hall about a remarkable cancer survivor who helps other women.
	Porches – 5 African American women speak of their lives This documentary is part of an independent film series “Philadelphia Stories 7″ on MiND TV Online. It was produced by Tatiana Bacchus, Cymande Lewis and David Allen Ruth. Enjoy this amazing video.
	Hats suitable for a place in history For more than 50 years, Mae Reeves made hats for the famous and not-so-famous (her customers included Marian Anderson, Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald). Now, the Smithsonian has purchased 30 of her hats and some of the antique furniture from her millinery shop in Philadelphia for its new National Museum of African American History and Culture. Read the Philadelphia Inquirer story about this remarkable entrepreneur and watch this video by Philadelphia’s 6ABC.
	Mary Jackson’s basket making genius keeps a tradition alive Mary Jackson learned the craft of basket weaving from the women in her family. Now she is at the forefront of preserving this tradition and making it a life line for her family and community near Charleston, S.C. Some of the baskets of this MacArthur Fellowship genius grant winner are on display in the National Museum of African Art in D.C. Read about her in this Washington Post story and in the Charleston City Paper.
	Joan Myers Brown, a dance pioneer gets her rewards Joan Myers Brown, founder of Philadelphia’s premier African American dance company Philadanco, has been at it since 1960 and shows no signs of stopping. The city is honoring her with its highest award in May. Read her story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
	Miss Thelma keeps going after being struck by stray bullet At 86, a resilient Thelma Causey did slow down a bit after a ricocheting bullet tore into her left leg while she was standing on her front porch May 31. Read her story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
	Augusta Thomas, union vice president, still going strong at 87 Augusta Thomas, a civil rights activist who joined the sit-ins at a Greenboro lunch counter in the 1960s, came to Washington last year as the newly elected vice president for women and fair practices at the American Federation of Government Employees. Read her interview with The Washington Post.
	Daisy Marie Taylor, former nurse, nurtured others Daisy Marie Taylor spent her life nurturing others and putting action to her faith. ”Mama” was always eager to help a “fellow traveler” on or off the job. She listened to folks cry the blues for hours. She prayed with the downtrodden or for corner boys. She’s no longer able to do all that she did in the past, but her legacy lives on. The retired nurse is featured in this essay by her granddaughter, Vanee’ M. Vines.
	Cathy Hughes at the helm of Radio One Cathy Hughes turned a tiny AM radio station in Washington, D.C., into a communications giant with 52 radio stations, a television station and a magazine. Read about Hughes here.
	Bay area journalist still living her dream Belva Davis, a television anchor for 43 years, has been called the “Bay Area’s Walter Cronkite.” Read about Davis here.
	Helping youth through soccer Patricia Trippley Demiranda is working through a foundation started in her son’s memory to use sports as a way to motivate and encourage youngsters. Read about Demiranda here.
	Security firm first Mary Parker is the only nationally certified African American female owner of a full-service security firm in the country. Read about Parker in this Atlanta Constitution-Journal story.
	Award-winnning storyteller and author Linda Goss is an award-winning storyteller and author in Philadelphia, and co-founder of the National Association of Black Storytellers. She c0mes from a family of storytellers. Her grandfather was a superb spinner of tales. Goss spoke with Sherry Howard.
	Revered Veteran Soror Bernice Greene, at 96 one of the oldest members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, talks about her life, joining the sorority in 1932 and much more. Read her interview with Sherry Howard.
	Rising star French minister Popular French minister, Rama Yade, came to Washington for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual legislative conference. Read about her rise in French politics in this Washington Post story.
	Dorothy Height at Black Family Reunion Celebration Dorothy Height, 97, chairwoman and president-emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women, talks about the significance of the reunion, the election of Barack Obama and more in a Washington Post video. The celebration was held in Washington over the weekend. Click for video.
	Sonia Sanchez: 75 and still at it Poet Sonia Sanchez talks about her life and other issues in this interview with Philadelphia Weekly.
	Sarahlyn U. Argrow: Working with the working woman Sarahlyn U. Argrow, struggling with her own issues of divorce, low self-esteem and financial hardship, wanted to help when a friend came to her needing money. Her grandmother’s words rang fresh in her mind – while you are going through your own problems, it does not mean that you can’t help someone else. “I didn’t have the money,” Argrow recalled in a recent interview with WABW. “But God revealed to me that I did have the resources.” Click here to read her story written by Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb.