The Strength to Keep Going

By Genevieve Divoky, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

Isabella Baumfree, a former slave from New York, gained her freedom in 1826. In 1843, she found her calling, changed her name to Sojourner Truth, and began to travel the country preaching about abolition and women’s rights. For the remainder of her life, Truth advocated for African American rights, particularly black women. 

Today, Truth’s legacy is evident as the struggle for both women’s rights and African Americans’ rights continue. Sojourner Truth would undoubtedly have been thrilled by the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, as well as the 19th amendment. However, in the present-day United States, black women’s rights are continuously under attack. Voter suppression still happens, and the Voting Rights Act faces multiple lawsuits that could render it obsolete. Other minorities also face threats, including Native Americans and other non-white groups. 

During her life, Truth’s ceaselessly advocated for minorities and women’s rights, Were Sojourner Truth alive, she would certainly continue her activism, especially in today’s political climate with the threats facing all US minorities. Although Truth is not here to lead the way actively, we must remember her tireless efforts and ideals that all people are deserving of rights. We must continue the fight until equality and equity can be achieved and the world that Truth envisioned and fought for can become a reality. 

Sojourner Truth’s story is incredibly inspirational and a moving reminder of the need for outspoken citizens who can carry on the fight for human rights. Even though Truth herself was born into slavery, she refused to give up on her goals or ideals. Her speeches, including the famous (though disputed) “Ain’t I A Woman?”, rebelled against the standards of her time. Truth worked to combat all areas of injustice and gain recognition for all those deemed ‘lesser’ in the United States. 

Sojourner Truth remains a figure to look up to, through her perseverance, strength, and unwavering belief in herself and her goals. Today, these traits continue to be important, especially in the never-ending fight for equality among all people. Despite the struggles we face, we must remember that we are not alone in the fight; we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, including Sojourner Truth. If we remember the lessons she (and others) taught, we can continue the fight and, someday, achieve our goals.

References

Hansi Lo Wang, “60 years later, Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters face new threats,” NPR, Accessed January 4, 2026, https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5482864/scotus-voting-rights-act-8th-circuit-vra Nehemiah Frank, "Sojourner Truth: Her Legacy in Today's Struggles," The Black Wall Street Times, Accessed January 4, 2026, https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2025/03/11/sojourner-truth-her-legacy-in-todays-struggles/

Genevieve Divoky is a first-year history major at The Ohio State University. After college, she hopes to go to law school. When not studying, Genevieve enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and walking outside.

Why Mary McLeod Bethune Still Matters Today

By Abigail Lara, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

We often celebrate large-scale change, forgetting that it frequently begins at the local level. For Mary McLeod Bethune, this sentiment manifested itself in her early beginnings. As a child, she was chosen to attend the Trinity Presbyterian Mission School in Mayesville, South Carolina, walking a ten-mile round trip each day and becoming the first in her family to obtain a formal education. However, instead of locking her newfound knowledge in a vault and concealing it from the local youth, she would come home from school and gather the other plantation children, sharing her learnings and appetite for discovery and emphasizing her early desire for progress and growth within the African-American community. Eventually, those seemingly small steps towards changemaking planted the seed for the activist we know today, whose revolutionary efforts to educate young Black women paved the way for their incorporation in government positions, and inspired present-day women to pioneer inclusivity and leadership within their own communities. Bethune’s Historical Work Although Mary McLeod Bethune is regarded as one of the most influential educators in American history, she was also a political activist whose commitment to education helped augment civic participation and political empowerment for Black women. By founding a school for African-American girls, she provided young women with opportunities that had long been denied to them. Education has historically been associated with power, knowledge, and freedom—associations that motivated white Americans to restrict literacy among enslaved and free Southern African Americans, fearing that education would enable them to understand the law and claim their rights. Bethune’s determination to make education a dream within reach empowered Southern Black women and paved the way for their increased political visibility. In 1904, Bethune founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. What began with only a few students eventually merged with the Cookman Institute to become Bethune-Cookman College, making her the first woman to establish and lead a major university for African-Americans and setting a precedent for what would later be recognized as Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs. Her influence extended beyond the classroom when President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed her Director of Negro Affairs for the National Youth Administration, where she served as an important advisor advocating for Black inclusion in New Deal programs and federal employment. In 1935, she further expanded Black women’s political engagement by founding the National Council of Negro Women, uniting dozens of organizations to amplify their voices on issues such as education, employment, and civil rights. Much like many other underrepresented minorities in politics, however, her work was met by many trials and tribulations, particularly when the Ku Klux Klan threatened to destroy her school. Yet, despite this dangerous obstacle, Bethune persisted in her dedication to her community, confronting the KKK and remaining undaunted. Her bravery and willingness to share her kindness with the world earned her various awards, like the Thomas Jefferson Award for Leadership in 1942 and the Order of the Star of Africa in 1952. However, Bethune’s mission was so impactful that not only did it aid in the full enfranchisement and education of Black women, but it also served to inspire and motivate many women today to follow in her footsteps. Her Legacy in Modern Leadership Bethune’s commitment to education was not just evident in her actions but also in her words, which she framed as advice for future generations. In her piece “My Last Will and Testament,” Bethune wrote, “The world around us really belongs to youth for youth will take over its future management. Our children must never lose their zeal for building a better world. They must not be discouraged from aspiring toward greatness, for they are to be the leaders of tomorrow.”

Her emphasis on the potential for greatness in future generations can be traced to many modern politicians, but one in particular truly stands out as a living reflection of Bethune’s ambitions: Miami-Dade Public Schools District 9 Board member, Luisa Santos. Santos immigrated to the United States as a child with her family and was initially unable to pursue a university education because of her immigration status. Despite excelling academically and being highly involved in high school, Santos attended Miami-Dade College, a local community college, as it was the only institution that would accept her while she was undocumented. Eventually, she became a permanent Florida resident and transferred to Georgetown University to complete her Bachelor’s in political economy, later becoming a U.S. citizen. Like Bethune, Santos faced educational restrictions because of her background, but ultimately overcame them and went on to foster meaningful change within her community. Santos advocates for equitable resources and policies as a Miami-Dade School Board member. In 2020, she proposed the facilitation of post-secondary resources for undocumented students and mixed-status families by offering professional development and resources to College Assistance Program (CAP) Advisors and providing guidance documents in multiple formats and languages for students seeking assistance. Similar to Bethune, she aimed to expand educational opportunities for marginalized groups who lacked the resources necessary to progress in professional and academic fields. Given these similarities, it is safe to declare Santos a spiritual descendant of Mary McLeod Bethune, a woman who, in her time, battled against multiple hindrances to equality, and whose legacy Santos strives to uphold through her similarly brave policies, beliefs, and involvement in currently underrepresented communities in Miami. Conclusion Mary McLeod Bethune’s selfless work as an educator and philanthropist still beats in the hearts of modern politicians like Luisa Santos, who possess a similar mission to provide a voice to those who once felt voiceless. While it is essential to recognize the efforts of these remarkable women, it is equally important to consider the perspective of those shaped by their passionate actions. Their work is not simply equated with policy, awards, or historical recognition; it is constantly reflected in the individuals who were inspired to believe that their voices, too, deserve to be heard.

As someone who, like Santos, immigrated to the United States and faced many social and educational limitations due to the presence of a significant language barrier, I feel deeply connected to these two women who have gone down in history as defenders of those who could not afford soldiers. I not only felt like an outcast in the cafeteria when I could not understand a classmate’s punchline, but I also doubted my abilities when I couldn’t grasp lectures in an unfamiliar language or understand a foreign education system in a country far from my own. When it came time to apply for college, I felt limited in my resources and noticed the discrepancy between my knowledgeable classmates and my sense of disorientation. However, Bethune and Santos’ intrepid nature and aptitude to see beyond their own misfortunes and adversities inspired me to act and help build a better future rather than sulk in the present. I now volunteer as an advising fellow for Matriculate, helping high-achieving low-income students navigate the college application process with ease and comfort, knowing that they possess the resources necessary to succeed Ultimately, Mary McLeod Bethune’s legacy is not confined to the institutions she built or the positions she held, but to the individuals who choose to act upon the values she championed. People like Luisa Santos exemplify how Bethune’s belief in education and representation continues to move generations. In choosing action over silence, both women demonstrate that history exists to create precedents, not simply to reminisce or admire. Santos and Bethune are two women in a long chain of individuals who will carry their message forward and collectively create a better, more breathable future for all.

References

Adam Foreman, “The Extraordinary Life of Mary McLeod Bethune,” The National WWII Museum, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/mary-mcleod-bethune “Mary McLeod Bethune (U.S. National Park Service),” n.d. https://www.nps.gov/people/mary-mcleod-bethune.htm Moorer, Vanessa. 2022. “Mary McLeod Bethune: ‘First Lady of Negro America.’” National Museum of African American History and Culture. July 15, 2022. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/mary-mcleod-bethune. Zinn Education Project. “Fall, 1922: Mary McLeod Bethune Confronts Klan to Defend Black Voting Rights,” September 26, 2023. https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/mary-mcleod-bethune-confronts-klan/. WESH 2 News. “Mary McCleod Bethune Radio Show Interview,” July 14, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBnAxKSxXsg “Dr. Bethune’s Last Will & Testament,” n.d. https://www.cookman.edu/history/last-will-testament.html NCNW. “About - NCNW,” July 10, 2025. https://ncnw.org/about-us/. Archives of Women’s Political Communication. “Mary McLeod Bethune -,” n.d. https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/mary-m-bethune/. Rick. “Mary McLeod Bethune: Educator & Activist.” Orange County Regional History Center, October 5, 2020. https://www.thehistorycenter.org/mcleod-bethune Santos, Luisa and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “POST-SECONDARY RESOURCES FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS AND MIXED STATUS FAMILIES,” 2020. Ospina, Andres. “Luisa Santos, Her History— Resilient and Committed to Her Goals.” Go! Latino Magazine, July 20, 2020. https://golatinos.net/luisa-santos-her-history-resilient-and-committed-to-her-goals

Abigail Lara is a freshman at the University of Miami, majoring in international studies and economics with a minor in French. She aims to attend law school after graduating to pursue her dream of becoming an international lawyer and working with the United Nations.  She is also open to obtaining a Ph.D. and becoming a history professor in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing the guitar and piano and watching travel vlogs with her dad, with whom she shares an adventurous spirit and a passion for exploring new cultures and discovering the world.

The Fight for Survival

By Riya Singh, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

At a time when Chinese Americans faced exclusion and discrimination, Tye Leung Schulze made history not only as the first Chinese American woman to work for the U.S. federal government, but also as a powerful voice in the women’s suffrage movement. In 1912, prior to the establishment of the 19th Amendment, she became the first Chinese American woman to vote in a U.S. election. Schulze’s participation in the suffrage movement highlighted the fact that the fight for voting rights was not only about gender, but also about race, citizenship, and belonging.

Schulze’s story reminds us that civic participation is a powerful form of advocacy. By exercising her right to vote, she helped expand the meaning of democracy, allowing Chinese women and other women of color to go beyond voting. Schulze’s contribution to the suffragist movement paved the way for Asian-American women to become lawyers, politicians, and so much more. Because of her, Asian-American women and other marginalized women today have access to resources and opportunities that were once denied to Tye Leung Schulze herself.

Riya Singh is a 2nd year at UCLA where she is majoring in Political

 Science and Sociology with a minor in Community Engagement and Social Change. She is passionate about social justice with a focus on immigration policy and women's liberation

What I Wish People Knew About Laura Cornelius

By Kate Chappell, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

When I first started researching Laura Cornelius Kellogg three months ago for Power In Place, I had never heard of her. As I’ve worked on my research project and immersed myself in the story of this woman who is seldom taught or thought about in current times, I’ve thought about why this incredible and complex woman is often overlooked or not often studied, as well as what I have come to wish more people knew about her. Laura “Wynnogene” Cornelius Kellogg is a historical figure who presents a complex legacy; as we in the present look back on her life, we see a deeply intelligent woman who devoted herself to writing and the betterment of her community, but also a derisive person who ultimately quit public activism and died away from the public eye. Kellogg grew up in Wisconsin as a member of the Oneida Nation, a people who originally lived in New York state but were relocated to north-eastern Wisconsin in 1822. This forced move of the Nation was not far removed from Kellogg’s lifetime, as her maternal grandfather, Daniel Bread or “Great Eagle”, was the Oneida leader during the time when the tribe left their ancestral homeland in New York and resettled in Wisconsin. No doubt this shaky history of displacement and resettlement haunted Laura’s childhood, just as much as it influenced her grandparents and parents before her. The feeling of being without a proper home, or having one’s home taken away, surely had a deep effect on Kellogg and influenced her throughout her life. Laura Cornelius Kellogg also defies any easy classification. Kellogg can be somewhat classified as a “suffragette” but did not align herself with contemporary suffragette movements in her lifetime, being that Native American women already had the right to be involved in tribal politics and always had. She is often classified as an Indigenous rights activist, which is certainly true; but even then, Kellogg has a contemptuous legacy within Native American politics due to the failure of her Lolomi plan to return land back to Indigenous peoples. She is not quite the suffragist that modern people would want her to be, and she did not live up to all that Indigenous communities needed an activist to be in her lifetime. When I think of what I want people to know about Laura Cornelisu Kellogg, I think about duty. Her family genealogy was rooted in Oneida leadership, both her mother and father being children to great Nation leaders. Kellogg’s duty, then, was to carry on the family legacy. This gave her a lot of power; she was able to escape the fate of being educated at an Indian boarding school and instead graduated with honors from Grafton High School in Fond du lac, Wisconsin in 1898. She spoke not only English, but also two Indigenous languages and was the first to write an English dictionary of the Oneida language, as well as having studied classical Latin and Greek. Kellogg hopped across many different universities across the United States, from New York City to California, and traveled to Europe as a young lady where the people nicknamed her “Princess Neoskalita”. I think Laura Cornelius Kellogg knew that to fulfill her duty to her people, she needed to be educated across many different disciplines and experience more of the world than just northern Wisconsin. Kellogg understood that her duty was first to educate herself - and then to make her education and experiences of some value to the people she left back home. I wish more people knew just how ahead of her time Kellogg was. Her Lolomi plan to legally reclaim Indigenous land was a headfirst dive into Indigenous sovereignty and self-determinism that would be radical even today. Kellogg didn’t just write about this plan - she lived it. She brought her cases to court, fundraised for the money, devoted the best years of her life to writing about, educating on, and fighting these battles with her husband and the people closest to her. She was arrested for such efforts twice, in Oklahoma and Colorado. Ultimately, her legal cases never amounted to anything, and she was accused of fraud and held in contempt by those she had fundraised money from to help her work. She was divisive in her forwardness, which cost her membership in the Society of American Indians, an organization she helped create, and she lost the respect of many others along her journey towards what ultimately became her biggest failure. I believe this is part of why Kellogg is not a very well-known historical figure; she can be pigeon-holed into the category of “failure,” someone the history textbooks would rather skip over, or someone people find to be less important. However, I do not believe that her Lolomi plan or legal battles were complete failures. Her plan to return land back to Indigenous peoples through legal actions is not complete, however, today the Oneida tribe has control over 18,000 acres of their original land. Laura Cornelius Kellogg was a step towards this slow, continuous struggle. When we talk about Land Back and indigenous self-determination today, Kellogg is one of the many extraordinary people who paved the way for these discussions to even happen. These are the things I wish more people knew about Laura Cornelius Kellogg - not that she “failed” or that her ideas never came to fruition in the way that she intended, but that she along with so many other Indigenous figures in the long history of colonialism and the creation of the United States contributed to immensely important ideas that outlasted them and have motivated and invigorated the new generations of activists today.

References

[1] “History – Oneida Indian Nation.” Oneida Indian Nation, www.oneidaindiannation.com/history/. [2] Anne Waters. “Kellogg, Laura Miriam Cornelius (1880–c.1949).” The Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers. Continuum, 2005. [3] Hauptman, Laurence M. “Kellogg, Laura Minnie Cornelius.” American National Biography Online. Oxford University Press, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.2001384. [4] Kellogg, Laura Cornelius, Cristina Margareta Stanciu, and Kristina Ackley. Laura Cornelius Kellogg : Our Democracy and the American Indian and Other Works. First edition. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 2015.

Kate Chappell is a senior at Loyola University Chicago studying English and Political Science with a minor in German Studies. She is passionate about writing, poetry, and politics. Her favorite class at university so far has been Constitutional Law and one of her favorite college memories was studying abroad for a summer in Berlin, Germany.

Komako Kimura on Stage

By Bhargavi Munagala, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

Unable to box herself to a definition, Komako Kimura is best known for her activism in the women’s suffrage movement. Performance was her activism; whether it was writing newspapers, performing in multiple theaters and opening her own, Kimura always pushed the boundaries of what was deemed acceptable. Born on July 29, 1887, in Tokyo, Japan, Kimura was quickly taught her role in society. Her father moved away to Taiwan for work opportunities, while Kimura was enrolled in the Kumamoto Girls School, where she was taught how to be a good wife and woman. There, she read the works of Ellen Key, a Swedish feminist, and was quickly inspired to have similar ideologies in Japan. Even in her personal life, Kimura faced hardships for not being what society accepted to be a “woman”. As a younger girl, she was arranged to marry an older man, to which she ran away from. Having a baby out of wedlock was looked down upon, and when she committed the cardinal sin of doing just that, society shunned her. Her work in the socialist journals began to take off her name, and she was kicked out of the acting school she went to. However, that did not stop Kimura. If anything, it only encouraged her to push forward. She created the “The True New Women’s Association”, and began to publish newspapers, titled “The New True Women”, and give speeches. But her goal wasn’t simply to spread the word in Japan, she wanted her message to be international. Her fight wasn’t just to make women equal legally or give them rights. No, it was more, it was to inspire women. She wanted women to think for themselves, to not have to rely on a man to make her decisions. For all women to strive to have an education, to be determined. When she came to the United States, Kimura was hit with another barrier. 1910’s and 1920’s saw a large wave of Anti-Asian laws and strict immigration policies, which made it even harder for her to stand her ground in the political world. And yet she never stopped, wrestling the idea that feminism was exclusively a white-woman right. Kimura proved that women’s rights were not earned through assimilation or through acceptance, it was inherent. While in the United States, Kimura was inspired by the American women and their suffrage movement. She met President Woodrow Wilson and met the first woman in a federal position, Jeannette Rankin. Kimura also famously walked in the suffrage march in New York on October 27th, 1917. Going back to Japan, Kimura faced lots of hardships. Her newspaper was suppressed, and when she refused to stop her performance in which she was the lead actress, she was even arrested. Deciding she could no longer live there, Kimura and her family moved back to New York, where she continued to fight for women and Asian women’s rights. Notably, performing at Carnegie Hall and on Broadway. She also continued to write multiple books on acting and meditation. Kimura was the steppingstone for many activists, many Asian-American women in the United States to stand tall and demand what we deserve. Rather than be meek, quiet, or obedient- like Asian women are stereotyped to be in the United States, what her own government told her- she unapologetically challenged their thinking to do what she believed was right. Kimura’s fight wasn’t one to make her own life easier, nor was it simply to achieve rights. Her fight was one aimed to inspire women. The act of performing has always been political, activism having always been an art. As an Asian-American woman who admires the performing arts, Kimura is everything I want to see in an activist. She never let her opposers get in the way of what she loved, performing. And yet, she stood up for herself, no matter where she went. She learned to make performing a means of communication. She fought for her rights while on stage. Komako Kimura is simply a chapter of how storytelling can change someone’s life, and the rest of the pages are meant to be filled by my generation.

References

4 Kimura Komako Images: Picryl - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search, picryl.com/topics/kimura+komako. Fusek, Alyssa Pearl. “Kimura Komako: The Dancing Feminist.” Unseen Japan, 28 Sept. 2022, unseen-japan.com/kimura-komako/. “Komako Kimura.” Wikidata, www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17212246?uselang=fr. “Komako Kimura (1918).” Newspapers.Com, www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-komako-kimura-1918/10051194/. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.

Bhargavi Munagala is a sophomore at the University of Georgia, majoring in Political Science, International Affairs, and Japanese Language and Literature. She is interested in women's rights, international politics, and human rights issues. On campus, she is involved with language tutoring and pre-law clubs.

Carrying the Ballot Forward: Nannie Helen Burroughs and the Living Fight for Voting Rights

By Nnedinma Chinwike-Iwuamadi, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

The struggle for voting rights in the United States is often framed as a story of landmark legislation and heroic moments, but its true power lies in the people who insisted on full political inclusion when doing so came at a great personal cost. One of those figures is Nannie Helen Burroughs, an African-American woman whose unwavering belief in complete political rights continues to echo through modern voting rights campaigns today. Burroughs was unequivocal in her stance that political freedom without the vote was not freedom at all. At a time when Black women were marginalized both by white suffrage organizations and by Black male leadership that often prioritized racial justice over gender equality, Burroughs refused to accept partial citizenship. She believed that women deserved the full rights of democracy without compromise, delay, or qualification. Today, her influence can be seen in contemporary voting rights movements that center Black women as organizers, strategists, and defenders of democracy. Modern campaigns that fight voter suppression, challenging restrictive voter ID laws, combating polling place closures, and mobilizing strong turnouts, reflect on Burroughs's belief that political participation is a form of community protection. Organizations led by Black women continued to echo her insistence that access to the ballot is inseparable from access to education, economic opportunity, and justice. Burroughs's impact is also deeply rooted at the community level through her educational work and civic activism. She cultivated political consciousness long before many people could safely exercise their right to vote and that legacy lives on today in voter education drives, church-based registration efforts, and youth-led civic engagement programs that treat voting not as a one-day event, but as an ongoing responsibility.

 As a young, African-American woman studying political science, Burroughs's story moves me in a deep, personal way. Reading about her life reminds me that my presence in academic and political spaces is not accidental, but inherited. She studied, taught, organized, and spoke with the understanding that knowledge was a toll of liberation and that political silence was a luxury Black women could not afford. In moments when coursework feels heavy or the political climate feels discouraging, Burroughs's example grounds me and reminds me that she did this work without the protections and opportunities that I now have, and she did it anyway. Burroughs teaches me that political science is not just about theory or institutions, but it's about people who dared to imagine themselves as full citizens when the law said otherwise. Her legacy challenges me to be bold in my convictions, to resist settling for partial progress, and to remember that voting rights were not simply granted to Black people, they were defended, generation after generation. In carrying her story forward, I see my own path more clearly. Nannie Helen Burroughs did not wait for permission to claim democracy and because of women like her, I study politics not as an outsider looking in, but as someone who belongs at the center of the conversation.

References

Easter, Opal. Nannie Helen Burroughs. New York, New York: Garland Publishing, 1995. Boyd, Herb. “Nannie Helen Burroughs, Renowned Activist and Artist.” Black Life in America, May 1, 2025. Person. “Nannie Helen Burroughs: A Woman Far Ahead of Her Time.” OCAAHS, March 18, 2022. Jackson, Errin. “Nannie Helen Burroughs (1883-1961) .” Black Past , March 27, 2007. “Burroughs, Nannie Helen,” The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, n.d.

Nnedinma Chinwike-Iwuamadi is a senior at Old Dominion University studying Political Science. She was born in Lagos, Nigeria but raised in Virginia Beach, VA. After receiving her bachelor’s, she plans to attend law school and pursue her dreams of becoming an international attorney.

What We Can Learn From the History of Black Women in Political Movements

By Amaiyah Korf ,2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

Like any college student today, I often grapple with the question: “How can I make a positive impact in the world?” Especially now, in times of heightened uncertainty and negative narratives being amplified, it can be challenging for young students to find their voice. I knew I had always wanted to utilize my abilities and education to amplify and support the voices of the most disadvantaged but overlooked communities. When I joined Power in Place as an associate researcher, I was thrilled to start working on projects that uplifted and amplified the voices of women of color who fought for women's rights, yet whose voices had been buried in the haystack of history. As a researcher for Power in Place, I had the exciting opportunity to research Frances Barrier Williams, an accomplished orator and political advocate who championed the advancement of women and African Americans during her time as an activist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Frances (Fannie) E. Barrier Williams achieved many accomplishments throughout her life, including co-founding the NAACP and earning the honor of being the only black woman to eulogize the late suffragist Susan B. Anthony. Yet it wasn’t until Mrs. Williams faced extreme hardship and worked tirelessly that she accomplished her goals and helped improve the lives of millions of African Americans throughout the United States, an observation I found oddly reassuring. Frances Barrier Williams' story is not unique, but it is inspiring. She, like so many women, has continuously had to pave a path towards progress despite their own struggles. And this is the case we see repeatedly: black women, the ones most often hurt by politics, are constantly the ones we see organizing their communities for the greater good. It has historically occurred in the suffragist and civil rights movements, and more recently, in 2020, when black women like Stacy Abrams in Georgia and Brittany Smalls in Philadelphia were credited with rallying a majority of the black population to vote, which helped Joe Biden win in crucial states. We saw it again in 2024 when 92% of black women voted for Kamala Harris (The Guardian). Throughout history, Black women have consistently been advocates for the progress of others, because, unfortunately, we know that no one is advocating for us except ourselves. Williams lived within the same barriers we still do 150 years later, yet in a world that was constantly trying to minimize and dismiss her because of what, not who, she was, Frances realized the barbarity of it and never let outdated ideas prevent her from working to help her communities. Today, I often find myself tired and discouraged by our political progress. Watching these past few years, as what I thought the founding principles of our country have become more precarious, is scary and uncertain as a black woman myself. When I think of women like Frances Barrier Williams, I think of how she knew she wouldn’t be around to see the fruits of their labor yet still pushed for the progress of future generations. For me. When you think of it that way, it feels incredibly intimate. Knowing that I am some women in history’s wildest dreams, that I am who they fought and walked so long for, keeps my fire for politics and community organization alive. These ladies' stories have not only inspired me but also taught me a valuable lesson. Researching the methods women used for grassroots organization, community involvement, and leadership provides a step-by-step guide on how to connect better with your community and how to engage them in critical social and political issues. It helped me realize that the most effective way I can make a positive impact in politics is through individual collaboration and education. I know I can’t end world hunger or for-profit prisons, but I can feed my neighbor and look out for my community. That is what Frances Barrier Williams and this Time Capsule Project are about; it’s not the significant achievements in our lives that will live on, but rather the way we impacted our community and helped advance and better the lives of those around us. Those are the things that matter most, and that will have a lasting impact on the world after we are gone. Now, I know that is how I can make a positive impact in the world.

References

The Guardian 2024: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/04/black-women-harris-election-loss

Amaiyah Korf is a second-year student majoring in political science and economics at the University of Northern Iowa, minoring in legal studies and Spanish, and is on the pre-law track. Aside from her interests in politics, she co-heads her school's Film Club and enjoys spending time outdoors. After college, Amaiyah hopes to get involved in the legal or political world to help build a more equitable, democratic, and kinder world.

A Journey With Sarah Parker Remond

By Princess Osei Bonsu ,2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

There are moments in research where the past feels relatable and far too personal. Learning about Sarah Parker Remond was one of those moments for me. I first came across Sarah Parker Remond during the beginning of my research at Power in Place. She wasn’t simply an abolitionist or a suffragist, but a woman who refused to accept the limitations society presented to her. She said no to limits shaped by race, gender, and even ones presented to her by virtue of where she found herself in life. Born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1826, Sarah Parker Remond grew up in a country where Black women were denied political rights, autonomy to their bodies, and even freedom of movement. Yet she refused to hide and not be seen. She even educated herself on own terms. What struck me most was how early she began. At just sixteen, Sarah Parker Remond was already speaking publicly against slavery. In a time when women were expected to be silent and “lady-like,” she chose to be present in lecture halls rather than to bow to societal norms. That choice sits deeply with me. As a student navigating academic and political spaces that were not designed with women of color in mind, I acknowledge the courage it takes to speak up and out anyway and to boldly express your opinions knowing it may be questioned, minimized, or extinguished completely. Her fight for both women’s political rights and against racial injustice cannot be talked about independently of one another. During her travels to Great Britain in 1858, She was not only fighting for abolition in the United States but she was also building a transatlantic network and space for Black intellectual and political thinking. In England, Ireland, and across Europe, she lectured to filled halls, encouraging people to audiences to be the judge and jury of the moral costs of slavery and racial hierarchy. She understood that public opinion, especially one that is international, could be a powerful tool and driver of change. One of the interesting things about Sarah in my research findings was her life in Italy. In 1866, Remond pursued medical training in Florence at the Santa Maria Nuova medical school. She was one of the first African American women to study medicine in Europe. This was not just a random dream; it was a radical move showcasing her strong will to challenge norms. Medicine, just like politics, was a male dominated field, and Sarah’s presence alone disrupted expectations. Her willingness and determination to cross borders, her intellectual pursuits and ability , as well as professional, and national endeavors feels especially relevant today, as many young colored women imagine futures that go beyond our homes and societal paths. The most admirable aspect of Remond, in my view, is how she remained respected while still holding on to resistance. Through her magnificent speech and her resolve not to let her education be stopped, in the first place becoming a matter of protest. The line that she walked between plotting and defiance is still a source of inspiration for me. It reminds me that resistance is not always messy, sometimes it is very precise, disciplined, and unyielding. Sarah Parker Remond was not here to witness the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which gave women in the U.S. the right to vote. She passed away in Rome in 1894, several decades before the introduction of the 19th Amendment, and way before Black women could vote freely without being intimidated or excluded. However, her legacy magnifies our views on citizenship and voting rights. She was not only asking for the right to vote but also creating a new narrative about human dignity, a narrative that included access to education, movement, and complete civic belonging. Looking into the life of Sarah Parker Remond has changed my perception of my goals. Her life serves as a stamp to indicate that knowledge is power, that the voice carries with it a responsibility and that the intersectional identity rather than being a burden is a source of empowerment. She enlightens that being part of different worlds does not necessarily mean one has to forsake the cause of justice. Connecting with Sarah through time has made my own path in life clearer. I too want to use education as a lever to push for change. I too want to voice my opinion even if that is hard sometimes. And I also think that writing the complete account of women of color is not only an academic obligation, but it is an act of restitution. Sarah Parker Remond did not ask for permission to be important. So we shall not.

References

Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. “Sarah Parker Remond.” Iowa State University, https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/sarah-parker-remond/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025. Hamilton Hall. “Sarah Parker Remond and the Suffrage Movement.” Hamilton Hall, https://www.hamiltonhall.org/suffrage. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025. Irish America. “Sarah Parker Remond.” Irish America, 25 Sept. 2020, https://www.irishamerica.com/2020/09/sarah-parker-redmond/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.

Princess Osei Bonsu is a Junior at Smith College Massachusetts majoring in Political Science and Geosciences. She is interested in social justice, reproductive justice, and politics. On campus, Princess works at the Office of Student Engagement.

Hallie Quinn Brown to Ayanna Pressley

By Emily Potoczak, 2025-2026 Research Collaborator at Power in Place

Hallie Quinn Brown had accomplished a lot in terms of service in her lifetime. She dedicated her life to it from a very young age. After she graduated from Wilberforce University in 1873, she began teaching. This is where she started to change the lives of others through education. She knew that education was so important and taught all over. She started teaching in plantations to allow slaves to get the education they deserved. She taught in many states across the United States, including Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and Ohio. In Alabama, she worked alongside Booker T. Washington.

She continued her dedication to service to many things outside of teaching as well. But in all that she did, educating people was her underlying message. This was a major part of all the organizations that she was a part of and she even helped found some of them. Some examples include the Colored Women’s League of Washington, D.C., where she was the principal promoter principal promoter (1893), the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), where she was the founder (1893), president (1920-1924) and, honorary president (1924-1949), the A.M.E church, where she was the Secretary of Education (1900), and the Ohio Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, where she was president (1905-1912). It was obvious that she was highly involved and wanted a better place for the women like her. She advocated for and represented so many women.

On top of all of the organizations that she was a part of, she traveled the United States and Europe spreading her message through speeches and articles. Her message was against racism, against repression, for women’s suffrage, and for African American culture and temperance. She even won some awards for her hard work. These awards include honorary degrees and memorials. It is clear that she was busy working hard while advocating for her people. It is definitely justified in why she got these awards.

I believe that she can be connected to the future in many ways. The first way is that all of her work helped the United States be where it is today. She and many others fought for the rights of African American women and women in general. Without their work, women may not have the right to vote today. She is also an inspiration to many young women and shows that hard work does pay off and it helps more than ever. She can also be connected to the future by current politicians. One example is Ayanna Pressley, who is an American politician currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Massachusetts' 7th congressional district since 2019. Brown and Pressley are connected because they both have been in multiple places in the United States, both broke down many barriers, both fight for racial justice, women’s rights, and educational equity, and both take part in community driven leadership. It is empowering and inspiring to see women like Brown representing our country today and she would be proud for her legacy to be continued.

References

[1]Kenny, Miles. 2024. “Ayanna Pressley | Biography, District, Massachusetts, Election, & Age.” [2]Encyclopedia Britannica. August 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ayanna-Pressley. “[3]Hallie Quinn Brown C. 1850 – 1949 – a History of Speech – Language Pathology,” n.d.]https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/history-of-cds/hallie-quinn-brown-c-1850-1949/. Cited Source Material for Question N: “Brown, Hallie Quinn (C. 1845–1949) | Encyclopedia.com,” n.d. https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/brown-hallie-quinn-c-1845-1949#:~:text=honorary%20Master%20of%20Arts%2C%20Wilberforce%20University%20%281890%29%3B%20member,in%20St.%20Paul%2C%20Minnesota%2C%20named%20in%20her%20honor. Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. “Hallie Q. Brown Community Center,” March 2, 2021. https://www.hallieqbrown.org/site/index.php/about/our-legacy/.

Emily is a sophomore at The Ohio State University and majoring in political science and minoring in Spanish and Law & Public Policy. She is a strong advocate for human and women's rights. In her free time, she hangs out with her friends, plays volleyball, and travels to different places.

A Voice That Wouldn’t Be Silenced: How Nellie Griswold Francis Linked Suffrage, Anti-Lynching, and Civil Rights & How Her Contributions Are Still Important Today

By Macy Grulkowski, 2025/2026 Power in Place Research Collaborator

Nellie Griswold Francis, born in 1874 in Nashville and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, was a prominent suffragist and advocate for justice, recognizing the interconnectedness of voting rights, safety, dignity, and equality. As the only African American graduate of St. Paul High School in 1891, she defied societal barriers early on. She utilized public speaking, particularly in church, to advocate for inclusion and equality among women, founding the Everywoman Suffrage Club in 1914 to uplift women across racial lines. Francis’s activism extended beyond suffrage to anti-lynching efforts; she made significant strides toward racial justice, exemplified by her advocacy for anti-lynching legislation in Minnesota, leading to a state statute in 1921 amid a surge of racial violence post-World War I. Despite facing personal racism, such as protests against her and her husband's move into a white neighborhood, her courage symbolized her relentless activism. She leveraged diverse platforms—churches, women’s clubs, and media—to address racial discrimination and civil rights, emphasizing collective struggle and solidarity. Francis’s legacy illustrates that voting rights are inherently tied to the broader fight for racial justice and human dignity, as she advocated for a peaceful but strong approach to freedom, ensuring her voice and those of Black women were heard in the democratic process. With Francis recognizing the importance of the relationship between voting rights and equality, she advocated for women, regardless of color, and she strongly felt that everyone should have a say in community issues. Francis campaigned hard for human rights, particularly during the time of lynching. She was effective in putting an end to lynching by pushing Minnesota lawmakers to approve legislation. In today's world, having a figure like Francis is very important. Due to a lack of election security, our country is facing issues that could lead to a decline in voting rights and potential corruption in the polls. The present administration puts US citizenship in serious uncertainty with the SAVE Act. The SAVE act is a proposed federal bill where citizens would have to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person to register to vote in federal elections. This raises questions on whether married individuals who have changed their name will have problems voting since their name technically does not match their birth certificate. Francis would see this as a clear violation of voting rights. Francis’s efforts towards racial violence and accountability are also directly associated with many movements today. Francis’s contributions towards Minnesota's laws are something that needs to be reflected on when it comes to pushing for more laws against police brutality. This has been an issue especially in Minnesota as we experienced the Gorge Floyd protests which sparked nationwide protests. With Francis’s push to stop lynching and our current push towards stopping police brutality there is a clear issue with accountability for figures of power in our communities. The significance of community-based activity and organizing is demonstrated by these problems. Participating in local activities, clubs, organizations, the city council, or your church can help create a more welcoming and inclusive community. When you depend on community resources and address issues like inequality, public safety or education access, which Francis discovered to be crucial, it's a great way to accomplish good community building skills.

References

Nelson, Paul. “Francis, Nellie (1874–1969).” *MNopedia*, Minnesota Historical Society. Last modified April 15, 2025. Accessed October 22, 2025. https://www3.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/person/francis-nellie-1874-1969 Douglas, Leetta M. “Votes for ‘Everywoman’: Nellie Griswold Francis, the Women of Rondo, and Their Suffrage Crusade.” In *Ramsey County History*, vol. 55, no. 2, Summer 2020. Saint Paul: Ramsey County Historical Society. PDF, https://rchs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/RCHS_Summer-2020_LDouglas.pdf Picture Reference- Nellie Francis, ca. 1924. Image is from Mary Dillon Foster's Who’s Who Among Minnesota Women (1924), 111.

Macy Grulkowski is a rising senior majoring in political science and minoring in global studies and sustainability. She finds passion in advocating for many community issues where she also finds passion on campus as president of TRIO student leaders to help first generation students, students who have disability, or students who receive federal funding for tuition.