The Power Table

This Black History Month, we didn’t just looking back; we didn’t just celebrate the past; we looked at the blueprint and we are honouring 27 of the Black women who took the DNA of revolution, led armies, taught communities, fought empires, built thriving societies, and redefined what it means to be free.Western supremacist patriarchy claims that history is a male invention. Science says otherwise.All human DNA traces back to one source: a Black woman in Africa. She is the ‘Mitochondrial Eve.’ She is the blueprint. To claim supremacy over her descendants isn’t just a lie—it’s a biological impossibility.For Black History Month, we aren’t just celebrating the past. We are honouring the lineage of the women who used the DNA of revolution to dismantle empires.These are the stories of the Black Women fighters, thinkers, and artists who turned ‘impossible’ into ‘independence’ inspiring women across the centuries.Welcome to The Architects of Resistance. Part 5“ 27 Women. One Unbroken Thread.These aren’t just biographies—they are the blueprints of three women who redefined how we understand power, identity, and in the words of bell hooks, the “imperialist white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy.The Intellectual ArchitectsThe Foundation. The scholars and theorists who took the tools of the academy and turned them into sledgehammers. They provided the language for the overthrow, grasping oppression at its root and designing the new systems of collective care.”1. Angela Davis: The Structural DemolitionistBorn in the “Dynamite Hill” neighbourhood of Birmingham, Alabama, Davis grew up in the epicentre of racial terror, which forged her into a master strategist of systemic change. A philosopher, scholar, and former political prisoner, she became a global icon of resistance in the 1970s.· The Blueprint: Davis is the primary architect of Abolition Feminism. She taught us that “radical” simply means “grasping things at the root.” She doesn’t just want to fix the system; she wants to dismantle the carceral state and build a society rooted in collective care.· Mitochondrial Link: She carries the “warrior-scholar” DNA, proving that the mind is the first territory that must be liberated.The Power Table is a reader-supported production. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.2. bell hooks: The Cartographer of the HeartBorn Gloria Jean Watkins, she adopted her great-grandmother’s name in lowercase (bell hooks) to keep the focus on the “substance of books, not the worth of the person.” She was a prolific theorist who bridged the gap between the academy and the street.· The Blueprint: She famously coined the phrase “imperialist white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy” to describe the interlocking systems of our oppression. hooks argued that “love as the practice of freedom” is the only foundation strong enough to support a true revolution.· Mitochondrial Link: She focused on the “Internal Architecture”—healing the psychic wounds of the Diaspora and reclaiming the right to self-love as a political act.3. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Narrative WeaverA Nigerian powerhouse who brought African feminism to the global “pop culture” stage, Adichie is the architect of the Multi-Dimensional Story. Her work refuses to allow the West to flatten the complex reality of Black womanhood into a “single story” of catastrophe.· The Blueprint: Through works like Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, she rebuilds the narrative walls of the African continent. She reminds us that “We Should All Be Feminists” because gender, as it is currently constructed, is an architectural flaw in the human experience.· Mitochondrial Link: Living between the US and Nigeria, she represents the modern return to the source—connecting the contemporary global struggle back to the literal soil where our common ancestor first walked.These three women represent the “Modern Archive” of our series, since they are the “Foundational Thinkers”. Get full access to Wisdom, Folly & Fabulous Shoes at shirleyosborne.substack.com/subscribe

This is Part 4 of The Architects of Resistance for Black History Month 2026, where we are celebrating Black women, specifically, those who have fought on the front lines for the sovereignty and freedom of our people. We call them the architects of resistanceThey say history is written by the victors. But the truth? The truth is written in our marrow, he marrow of the people of Africa, Black people.Western science spent centuries trying to engineer a hierarchy to justify the scourge of racism that it has inflicted upon the world, but in doing so, it stumbled upon a fact it couldn’t erase: Humanity began with a Black woman. Every human being drawing breath today carries the genetic signature of ‘Mitochondrial Eve’—the common maternal ancestor of us all, who walked the African continent 200,000 years ago. We are all her children.It is the ultimate audacity: that the very men who claim supremacy are merely guests in a house built by the Black women they tried to silence. But while they were busy claiming the crown, Black women were busy building the resistance.From the first breath of our species to the front lines of every revolution, the thread of defiance has remained unbroken. These aren’t just stories of ‘activism’—they are the continuation of a biological legacy of power.Global Revolutionary ThinkersThe Pathfinders. The women who carved freedom out of the shadows. They operated in the dark so we could live in the light. They built the underground networks and the international alliances that proved our resistance has no borders.19. Paulette Nardal (Martinique, 1896–1985)Bio: An intellectual and journalist who co-founded the Revue du Monde Noir and was a pioneer of the Négritude movement.The Literary Salon: Her salon in Paris was the melting pot where the fathers of Négritude (Césaire Aime Poet and former President of the Regional Council of Martinique, he coined the word negritude,· , Leopold Senghor the 1st president of senegal) first met.· Intersectionality: She was one of the first to articulate the specific double-burden of race and gender for Black women.· Suffrage: She worked to ensure Martinican women gained the right to vote in 1944.20. Wangari Maathai (Kenya, 1940–2011)Bio: An environmental and political activist who founded the Green Belt Movement.· Ecofeminism: She linked environmental conservation with women’s rights and democracy and made it so that today the Green belt movement has planted more than 57 million trees and restored five million hectares of degraded forests and landscapes· Direct Action: She famously stood her ground against government developers, even when the police beat her up.· Nobel Success: She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.21. Queen Mother Moore (USA, 1898–1997)Bio: An activist for over 70 years who is considered the “Mother of the Reparations Movement.”· Reparations Pioneer: She was the first to formally petition the UN for reparations for descendants of enslaved people. Her early work stated the movement that has brought us to today where reparations are being sought by the descendants of Africans enslaved all around the world, and the African Union has declared the enslavement of Africans a crime against humanity and Ghana is petitioning the UN to do the same Pan-Africanism: She mentored Malcolm X and was a leading figure in the UNIA and the Republic of New Afrika.· Grassroots Teacher: She spent her life educating Black youth about their African identity and economic self-sufficiency.The Power Table is a reader-supported production. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.22. Solitude (Guadeloupe, c. 1772–1802)Bio: A legendary figure of the resistance against the re-imposition of slavery by Napoleon’s troops.· Fierce Combatant: Though pregnant at the time, she fought in the front lines of the 1802 uprising against enslavement by the french.· Symbolic Martyr: Her execution (the day after she gave birth) made her the eternal symbol of Guadeloupean freedom.· Inspirational Figure: Her story was finally immortalized in literature and statues in the late 20th century.23. Marie-Jeanne Lamartinière (Haiti, fl. 1802)Bio: A soldier in the Haitian Revolution who fought famously at the Battle of Crête-à-Pierrot.· Military Bravery: She wore a male uniform and was noted for her skill with a rifle and her ability to boost troop morale during the siege.· Cross-Role Success: She acted as both a nurse and a frontline combatant.· Legendary Status: She is celebrated as “Haiti’s Joan of Arc.”24. Catherine Flon (Haiti, fl. 1803)Bio: A seamstress and revolutionary who is credited with sewing the first Haitian flag.· The Act of Creation: She famously sewed the blue and red bands together after the white band (symbolizing the French) was cut out.· Unity Symbol: The flag she made represented the alliance between Black and biracial (mulatto) revolutionaries.· National Icon: She appears on the Haitian 10-gourde banknote. Get full access to Wisdom, Folly & Fabulous Shoes at shirleyosborne.substack.com/subscribe

The Frequency. The High Priestesses of Song and Stone. These women understood that the patriarchy can control a border, but it cannot control a vibration. They used melody and canvas to decolonize the mind and remind us that our DNA is the masterpiece.”13. Nina Simone (USA, 1933–2003)Bio: The “High Priestess of Soul” who transitioned from a classical piano prodigy to the voice of the Civil Rights Movement.· Musical Protest: Songs like “Mississippi Goddam” became anthems that channeled the rage and urgency of the movement.· Sacrifice: She famously said, “An artist’s duty... is to reflect the times,” even when it cost her commercial success.· Global Influence: Her music provided the emotional soundtrack for liberation movements worldwide.14. Miriam Makeba (South Africa, 1932–2008)Bio: Known as “Mama Africa,” she was a singer who used her global platform to campaign against Apartheid.· Exile as Activism: After testifying against Apartheid at the UN, her South African citizenship was revoked; she spent 30 years in exile.· Cultural Ambassador: She brought African music to the world stage, blending it with messages of political freedom.· Resilience: She successfully navigated professional blacklisting in the US due to her marriage to Stokely Carmichael.The Power Table is a reader-supported production. To receive new posts and support the work of dismantling The Patriarchy, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.15. Josephine Baker (France/USA, 1906–1975)Bio: A world-famous dancer who served as a spy for the French Resistance during WWII.· Subversive Espionage: She carried secret messages written in invisible ink on her sheet music and pinned to her underwear.· Civil Rights Warrior: She refused to perform for segregated audiences in the US and spoke at the March on Washington.· The “Rainbow Tribe”: She adopted 12 children of different ethnicities to prove that racial harmony was possible.16. Victoria Santa Cruz (Peru, 1922–2014)Bio: A choreographer, poet, and activist who spearheaded the Afro-Peruvian cultural renaissance.· “Me Gritaron Negra”: Her rhythmic poem/performance became a global Black feminist anthem about reclaiming identity.· Cultural Reclamation: She founded the first Black theater company in Peru to recover “lost” ancestral rhythms.· Intellectual Power: She taught at Carnegie Mellon, influencing generations of actors with her theories on “internal rhythm.”17. Elizabeth Catlett (USA/Mexico, 1915–2012)Bio: A sculptor and printmaker whose work focused on the struggles and dignity of Black women.· Art as a Weapon: She believed art should be used for social change and made her prints affordable for working-class people.· Political Exile: She was declared an “undesirable alien” by the US government due to her leftist activism and lived most of her life in Mexico.· Iconography: Her depictions of Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth remain some of the most powerful in art history.18. Faith Ringgold (USA, 1930–2024)Bio: An artist and author best known for her “story quilts” that challenge racial and gender stereotypes.· Medium as Resistance: She used quilting—a traditional “domestic” craft—to tell epic, revolutionary stories of Black life.· Activist Organizing: She led protests in the 1960s and 70s to demand that museums include Black and female artists.· Educational Impact: Her books, like Tar Beach, have introduced millions of children to Black history and imagination. Get full access to Wisdom, Folly & Fabulous Shoes at shirleyosborne.substack.com/subscribe

Revolutionary & Political LeadersThey call Africa the ‘Cradle of Humanity,’ but they often forget who was rocking the cradle.We’re told that history belongs to the ‘conquerors’ and the ‘supreme,’ but the biology says otherwise. All human life is a direct line back to one woman. One Black woman. We are all her descendants.Isn’t it fascinating? That men have spent millennia claiming to be the architects of civilization, when they are merely the guests in a house built by Black women. The patriarchy claims the crown, but Black women have always held the scepter.This series isn’t about victims; it’s about Architects. For Black History Month, we are honoring the lineage of the frontline. From the savannas of the African Continent, to the Maroon mountains to the Parisian salons, these are the Black women who dismantled the structures meant to cage them, and built something better in their place.These are “the women who...“The Throne. These are the Strategists of State. They navigated the master’s own courts, out-negotiated empires, and protected the ‘Soul’ of their nations. They didn’t just lead armies; they led civilizations, proving that power is a maternal inheritance.”7. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Nigeria, 1900–1978)Bio: A teacher and political campaigner who founded the Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU).· Mass Mobilization: She led 10,000 women in protests against unfair taxes, eventually forcing a local traditional king to abdicate.· Pan-Africanist: She traveled the world advocating for women’s rights and was the first Nigerian woman to drive a car (a symbol of her independence).· Feminist Blueprint: She integrated traditional African female power structures with modern political activism.8. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (South Africa, 1936–2018)Bio: Known as the “Mother of the Nation,” she was a key anti-Apartheid leader while Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.· Frontline Activism: She endured banishment, torture, and solitary confinement but never stopped organizing the resistance.· Grassroots Power: She kept the ANC’s mission alive domestically when other leaders were in exile or prison.· Uncompromising Stance: Her militant approach was a necessary counterweight to the diplomatic efforts of the era.·9. Shirley Chisholm 1924 - 2005If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” — Shirley ChisholmThe Hook: Born in Brooklyn NY to a Guyanese father and a Barbadian mother, Shirley Chisholm was forged in the strict, academic excellence of the Caribbean. She returned to the U.S. with a “British-Barbadian” accent and a refusal to bow to the mediocre expectations of the American patriarchy. The Success: Shirley didn’t just “run” for President; she succeeded in creating a blueprint for every woman of color who has held office since. “Unbought and Unbossed”, she moved the needle of history.10. Marielle Franco (Brazil, 1979–2018)Bio: A politician and human rights activist from the Maré favela who fought against police brutality and for LGBTQ+ rights.· Voice of the Marginalized: She used her seat in the Rio de Janeiro council to expose state violence in the favelas.· Intersectionality: Her identity as a Black, queer woman from the slums made her a revolutionary threat to the status quo.· Global Impact: Her assassination sparked a worldwide movement, making her a permanent symbol of Brazilian resistance.11. Ida B. Wells-Barnett (USA, 1862–1931)Bio: An investigative journalist and educator who led the anti-lynching crusade in the United States.· Journalistic Resistance: She used data and primary sources to prove that lynching was a tool of economic and social control, not “punishment” for crimes.· Suffrage Leader: She refused to march in the back of suffrage parades, asserting Black women’s place at the front of the movement.· Founder: She was a founding member of the NAACP.12. Claudia Jones (Trinidad/UK, 1915–1964)Bio: A communist activist and journalist who was deported from the US for her politics and became a leader in the UK.· Intersectionality Pioneer: She wrote “An End to the Neglect of the Problems of the Negro Woman!” in 1949.· Notting Hill Carnival: She founded the carnival as a joyful, defiant response to racist riots in 1960’s London.· The West Indian Gazette: She founded the first major Black newspaper in Britain. The Power Table is a reader-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber - a win-win for both of us! Get full access to Wisdom, Folly & Fabulous Shoes at shirleyosborne.substack.com/subscribe

It is February 28th.We have come to the end of Black History Month for 2026. This year, we presented "The Architects of Resistance", a study of twenty-seven Black women from around the world who put themselves on the front lines of the resistance against invasion and occupation, enslavement, colonialism and exploitation, sexism and the patriarchy, racism and discrimination and other forms of injustice as directed against African peoples.The number of Black women who did historically noteworthy work in the sectors above is so great we found the short listing process to be indescribably difficult, so we went personal. We began by selecting women with whose work we were already familiar and then asked other people to add to the list.This is The Architects of Resistance Part One: The Resistance Fighters and Military Leaders. Look for parts 2-5 being published today, and subscribe to ensure you get our Women's History Month series. We hope you enjoy this series. 1 of 5.If you like our content, please subscribe, share and follow us on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, Blusky, Tiktok and visit our website https://www.shirleyosborne.com.Purchase a book or two, and gift one to a woman you know. All of this helps our work tremendously - the work of dismantling the patriarchy and contributing to a world of better communities for all of us. Get full access to Wisdom, Folly & Fabulous Shoes at shirleyosborne.substack.com/subscribe

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