Beginning in Mother Africa
Along the Nile
Evolved proud Powerful
Queens and warriors
My an-sistas and she-roes
Let me pause for the cause
And reflect awhile...

An-Sistas
Nzingha
Sheba
Warrior sistas
Ruled with a strong hand
Didnt take no mess
Didnt have time
to front or impress
When it was time
To fight the good fight
These sistas handled their business
And let God do the rest...
Cleopatra
Nefertiti
Beautiful, magnificent
Royal Queens
Though its been said
Cleo wasnt Egyptian
As far as Im concerned
Shes still a sista to me
Beautiful Nefertiti
Amiable spouse to
Her mighty King Akhenaton
Ruled together
Side by side
In the righteous way
As one accord
A royal and regal
Love Supreme...

She-Roes
Harriet Tubman...
A poor black womyn slave
On a mission from God
A female Moses
Determined to lead her people
Out of the dark hell of
Slavery and servitude
By way of the Underground Express
And on the road
To freedom...
Sojourner Truth
A bold and fearless sista
Who fought like a man
But bared her breasts proudly
And said now aint i a womun
Told those who wanted freedom
To follow de Nawth Star
And keep on keepin on churren
Cause freedoms yonder
And aint far...

Fannie Lou Hamer
A po but determined sista
Round by Misssippi way
Said she was sick and tired
Of bein sick and tired
Sista Fannie fought in the battle
Of progression and betterment
Of oppressed and disillusioned
Cullud folks and Negroes
Fought for the right
For all black folk to vote
A courageous sista
Who lifted her voice
And told her people
Yes, you DO have a choice!

Rosa Parks
Mother of the Movement
Montgomery, Alabama
December, 1955 Sista Rosa had worked all day
And was tired
All she wanted
Was to rest her weary body
When her bus came
She paid her fare
And sat down to ride
But
B-cuz she was
A BLACK WOMYN
She was jailed
And fined
For not knowing her place
This passive act
Of defiance
Brought about a change
That without it
We wouldnt be where we are today...

Shirley Chisolm
A gutsy, outspoken sista
Who let the world know
A womyns place
Is not only in the House
But in Congress and the Senate
Hell, even for President
Sista Shirley held her ground
On the issues that mattered
Didnt take no tea
For her fever
And didnt let nobody
Turn her round S
ista Shirley
A pioneer and champion
Who led the way
For sistas holding offices
In politics today... Angela Davis
The bi-Afroed
Gap-toothed sista
Raising her fist
With Black pride
As she was escorted
To jail to serve her time
Sista Angela takes her place
In the Strong Black Womyn
Hall of Fame
She stood firm
For what she believed in
Wasnt no shame in her game
She proved she was black enuf
Defiantly in yo face
A sista down
For the Cause
Right on Sista Angela
Stay on the case...

Betty Shabazz
Beloved wife of El-Hajj
Malik El-Shabazz
Known to us all
As Minister Malcolm X
Stood by Brotha Malcolm
Was his comfort and strength
Thru good times and bad
She showed tremendous courage
And grace under stress
When Brotha Malcolms life
Came to a tragic end
Like a phoenix from the ashes
She rose to her own heights
And carried on
Brotha Malcolms legacy
With her own brilliant light
She may be gone from us in body
But never in mind
As-Salaamu-Alaikum Sista Betty
Your star will forever shine...

So let it be known
That without Black Her-Story
We as sistas could not have grown
To the levels we have today
And these are but a few
Of many of my an-sistas
And she-roes
Who helped build
and pave the way
For the womyn we are
And continually aspire to be
Strong
Proud
Independent
Courageous
Edified
Written thru the pages
Of Black
HER-story

Genelle Majied

Email Genelle Majied