Lifting as We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box

"Lifting as We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box" by Evette Dionne, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient, unveils the pivotal yet often overlooked role of African American women in the suffrage movement. Published on April 21, 2020, this compelling narrative reveals how figures like Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida B. Wells didn't just fight for the right to vote but battled against both racial and gender prejudices entrenched in early 20th-century America. These courageous women forged their own paths, establishing organizations when mainstream groups excluded them, and advocating not only for gender equality but also for racial justice. Dionne's book is essential reading for high school students, offering a more comprehensive understanding of American history through the lens of those who fought on multiple fronts for the rights we often take for granted today. This engaging exploration prompts critical reflection on how far we have come and how far we still have to go.