Guest columnist: For Black women, the road to true equal rights remains long

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength,

the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

- Harriet Tubman

The largest group of women to have benefited the most due to women gaining their equal and civil rights, equal protection under the law - demolishing the glass ceiling: That group would be white women.

So to say, "Yes, we've come a long way baby," they absolutely have.

Unfortunately the same can't be said about America's Black Women.

In 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth boldly addressed the overwhelming crowd of white women and delivered the famous quote, "Am I not a woman too?"

Times for black women haven't changed as much. Incremental changes that are few and far between is what has been the experience of being a black woman in America.

Today black women have the highest numbers of mortality in giving childbirth. The reasons for this are a lack of sufficient health insurance, and simple things like being listened to when there are complaints of pain or other abnormalities happening with the woman's body.

Then there's the lack of adequate employment. Black women were the majority of front-line workers during the pandemic, most not having the choice to work from home.

Lack of sufficient child care is another issue that plagues this community of women. Though black women are regarded as the most highly educated group of women. The pay and the opportunities that would usually accompany such achievements, are extremely difficult to obtain, causing many to work two or more jobs, not only to get by but to pay back enormous loans that financed their education.

Where is the march for black women? Where are the cries for support, and aid for these women, the backbone of America. Knowing that black women here in America were once considered property - most likely were the caregivers of its Founding Fathers - and not afforded rights to their humanity in the Constitution. Nor the challenges and changes that would later allow white women to claim and receive benefits under "the Civil Rights Bill" under minority status.

Even with all of the ills and extreme neglect - I must honor and give thanks to Black Women. Their strength and wisdom is undeniable. They continue to fight not only to gain access in the halls of power, but to bring about equality and fairness to all. It's now 2022, and yet there hasn't been one Black woman governor elected. Something to ponder.

"A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men."

- Gloria Steinem

• LeJewel Crigler, of Elgin, is a domestic engineer, homeschool parent and chair of the Elgin Community Task Force on Policing.