Reflections on Civil Rights History in the South:
The Intersections of Identity, Place, Gender, and Race in a Contemporary Framework
Ella Baker and the Value of Women's Work
An Essay by
Quentina Dunbar
As a Gender and Women’s Studies major, throughout the trip I was always examining the ways gender played a role within the civil rights movement. Throughout the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, I snapped picture after picture of how women fit into the memorialization of the civil rights movement. Subsequently, I was very pleased with the overall visibility of women in the movement although I realize there were probably thousands of hard working women who were not included.
Admittedly, before this trip I had never looked into or learned about the works of Ella Baker. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Ella Baker was inspired by her grandmother’s stories of resiliency. These stories of resiliency stayed with her throughout her childhood and began to manifest in social justice work at the start of her young adult life. After graduating college, Baker moved to New York City to begin her activist career after turning down multiple teaching offers because she believed that was what was expected of her as a woman and she wanted to do more. Her activism materialized in many ways- the underlying theme being her strong organizational skills.
In conclusion, while Ms. Baker sought to avoid traditional women’s work, she embraced her feminine skill of organization and according to those who knew her personally she excelled because of it. Ms. Baker employed many feminist ideals within her activism, group work, leadership models and an overall philosophy of for the people, with the people earned her recognition in high revere.
References
O'Malley, Susan. "American National Biography Online: Baker, Ella Josephine." American National Biography Online: Baker, Ella Josephine. Oxford University Press, 1 Feb. 2000. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Vassallo, Nathalie. "New Film Questions The Meaning Of 'Women's Work'" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 6 Oct. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Throughout history, in both the private and public sectors women have found commonplace in positions that utilize organizational skills. In a current article from Huffington Post- Women, the author, Nathalie Vassallo, establishes throughout the years the rigid division of “Men’s Work” and “Women’s Work” have remained ultimately consistent (Vassallo, 2014). While Ms. Ella Baker aimed to separate herself from teaching because it was regarded as women’s work, it was her organization skills, a staple of female dominated fields, which allowed her to make her mark in the lives of many through her civil rights activism.
When Mr. Chuck McDew, a civil rights activist and a founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC, was prompted about his knowledge of Ms. Baker, he
gladly spoke of her organization and people skills that made her an asset to the movement. Ms. Baker worked several jobs throughout her life. Similarly, she held various positions with a variety of civil rights groups. One of her work includes serving as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference where she was critical of the “leader-centered orientation” (O’Malley, 2000). Baker was a strong proponent of group leadership. This philosophy was one of the ways Baker set herself apart from her male counterparts spearheading the movement. Her credits also include: mentor to SNCC members, human relations consultant for Atlanta, GA’s YWCA, and working with the Southern Conference Education Fund (O’Malley, 2000). Ella Baker’s work within the civil rights movement proved to build exponentially upon her organization skills and allowed her to thrive in a male dominated environment.