Honoring Black History Month

During the month of February, we celebrate Black History Month, a time to honor the contributions of the Black/ African American community.

Throughout our nation’s history, Black voices have been instrumental in challenging sexual violence and raising awareness about sexual abuse. We invite you to learn about and celebrate the Black leaders and activists who have been at the forefront of fighting sexual violence and oppression:

Anita Hill:

Anita Hill was a lawyer, educator and author. In 1991, Anita Hill testified that Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her when he was chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and she worked there as an adviser to him. Her heartfelt testimony led to persistent media backlash and explicit harassment from the public.

Hill’s courageous decision to speak up about her experience started a nation wide conversation about sexual harassment and gender based violence. Anita Hill’s voice gave courage to an entire generation of women and she is regarded as a pioneer of the #MeToo movement.

To learn more about Anita Hill’s impact on the Women’s Rights Movement, visit http://ow.ly/BnPk50HLIP1

Tarana Burke:

Tarana Burke, a survivor herself, founded the #MeToo movement long before mainstream media popularized the hashtag in 2017. Tarana is a survivor of sexual violence herself and has been advocating for black women and girls for over three decades. Her persistent fight against racism and sexism has led to numerous honors including 2017 TIME Person of the Year, and the 2019 Sydney Peace Prize, among many other honors. Tarana’s commitment and vision is bigger than any hashtag or viral moment.

To learn more about Tarana Burke and her advocacy work, visit http://ow.ly/IQJ050HZ4NJ

Recy Taylor

Decades prior to the #MeToo Movement, Recy Taylor found the strength to speak out against her assault in the hopes of helping others. In 1944, Recy was followed from church by 6 white men who abducted and repeatedly raped her. Despite the constant threats and terror, she spoke publicly about her assault and gave voice to a crime that went, and still goes, without justice for Black women all across America. Recy’s courageous actions are credited as laying the foundation for the Women’s Movement and the Civil Rights Movement.

To learn more about Recy Taylor and her fight against racial and gender based injustices, visit https://loom.ly/_grCiKo

During February and beyond, Clove Alliance stands in solidarity and support with Black survivors and activists. We acknowledge that our work is indebted to the work and contributions of Black and African American leadership. We are committed to working together to achieve an equitable future free of violence for all members of our community.