This document discusses the history of African American women fighting against slavery, for freedom and civil rights. It outlines some of the prominent women who led these efforts, from Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth in the abolition movement, to Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell and Angela Davis who fought for education, civil rights and gender equality. The reflection questions how African Americans allowed themselves to go from a position of dignity to being disrespected in media portrayals. It argues that modern African American women should not feel they need to degrade themselves to succeed, and that promoting education and empowerment can help regain dignity and respect.

1. From Dignity to Disrespect Why Did We Allow Ourselves to Sink So Low? By: Warren Savage Coppin State University Student

2. African American Women suffering the Indignities of Slavery

4. African American Women Fighting for Education, Civil Rights, & Gender Issues Fanny Jackson Coppin Ida B. Wells Mary Church Terrell

5. African American Women Involved In the Latter Civil Rights Movement Angela Davis Rosa Parks AssataShakur Coretta Scott King

6. Reflection African American women have been fighting for their freedom, civil rights, and their rights to be respected as women ever since they stepped foot on these American shores. The system of white supremacy/racism has stereotyped African American women in the image of persons who had no dignity, was not worthy of any dignity, within public opinion. The fight and the struggle to redeem the African American image has been a constant uphill battle. Many African American females, seen and unseen, within the history of America have fought, bled, and died to be seen and respected as human beings worthy of their due respect. My question then becomes: How did we as an African people, who had dignity and self-respect, allow ourselves to be reduced in the media as people having no worth? How did we allow ourselves to go from dignity to disrespect?

7. African American Women Willingly Allowing Themselves To be Disrespected in the Media

8. Reflection Regardless what you may think about the pop media/culture, I maintain that African American women should not have to get naked or reduce themselves to demeaning roles to make it in this world. Because the simple truth is : When women do this they reinforce historical stereotypes that have been placed on them by their ex-slave masters. There are many educated, intelligent African American women that don’t have to reduce themselves to such levels. No people on the face of this earth has ever suffered like the African Americans; that is not to say that I am oblivious to other people’s suffering but I will say within our holocaust we as a people lost our original names, language, god, and our place in the world. We must constantly redeem ourselves through education, spiritual enlightenment, and social uplifting. Lets bring back our dignity and our self-respect. Stop allowing ourselves to be stereotyped with images of disrespect.

9. Powerful African American Women