Association of Black Women Historians facts for kids
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| Formation | October 1979 |
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| Founders | Rosalyn Terborg-Penn Eleanor Smith |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., United States |
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Official language
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English |
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National Director
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Erica Armstrong Dunbar |
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National Vice Director
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Shennette Garrett-Scott |
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Secretary
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Jessica Klanderud |
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Treasurer
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Le'Trice Donaldson |
The Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) is a group of experts who study history. It is a non-profit organization, meaning it doesn't aim to make money. It is based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. This group was first thought of in 1977 and officially started in 1979.
Contents
How the ABWH Started
The idea for the Association of Black Women Historians came from three Black women historians in 1977. Their names were Elizabeth Parker, Eleanor Smith, and Rosalyn Terborg-Penn. The group's main goals are to help its members connect with each other. They also want to support Black women in the history field. Another goal is to share information about job chances and suggest new topics for historical research.
Early Meetings and Growth
Before the ABWH officially launched in late 1979 in New York, meetings were held in different cities. These cities included Cincinnati, places in California, and Massachusetts. During these meetings, the women planned how the organization would work. They chose a committee to name the group and create a newsletter. This newsletter was called Truth, named after the famous Black woman who fought against slavery, Sojourner Truth.
The first leaders of the ABWH included Darlene Clark Hine, Rosalyn Terborg-Penn, and Janice Sumler-Lewis. Other early members were Bettye J. Gardner, Sharon Harley, Cheryl Johnson, Juanita Moore, Sylvia M. Jacobs, Maria A. Brown, and Cynthia Neverdon-Morton.
Events and Publications
The ABWH has held many important events over the years. They have organized research conferences and annual luncheons. They also published a book to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Their first research conference was in 1983 at Howard University. It was called "Women in the African Diaspora: An Interdisciplinary Perspective." This means it looked at women of African descent from different angles.
The first luncheon was held in 1981. It helped raise money for the group and featured important speakers. These speakers included Nell Irvin Painter, Elizabeth Clarke Lewis, and Mary Frances Berry. In 1992, Bill Clinton, who was running for president at the time, gave a short speech at one of their events.
The Association of Black Women Historians still holds its annual luncheon. They have also published two books. These books are In Spite of the Double Drawbacks: African American Women in History and Culture and The Truth Worth of Race: African American Women and the Struggle for Freedom. As of 2025, Erica Armstrong Dunbar is the national director of the organization.
In 2012, the ABWH shared their thoughts about the movie The Help. They said the movie "distorts, ignores, and trivializes the experiences of black domestic workers." This means they felt the movie did not show the true stories of Black women who worked in homes.
Current Leaders
The ABWH has a team of leaders who help run the organization. These leaders are called the executive council members. They work together to achieve the group's goals.
Here are some of the current executive council members:
- Charisse Burden Stelly - Parliamentarian
- Sheena Harris - Membership Director
- Adam McNeil - Social Media Director
- Cherisse Jones Branch - Southern Regional Director
- Siobhan Carter-David - Eastern Regional Director
- Erica Ball - Far Western Region Director
- Elizabeth Todd-Breland - Midwestern Regional Director
- Kali Gross - Creative Productions Director (for ABWH-TV)
- Charlene Fletcher - National Publications Director
- Tianna Wilson - Graduate Student Representative
Awards and Recognition
The Association of Black Women Historians gives out awards to celebrate important work. They honor people of African descent who are doing great things in history. They like to recognize newer people in the history field, not just those who are already famous experts.
Some of their awards include:
- The Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Publication Award, given for important writings.
- The Lillian Hornsby Memorial Award
- The Drusilla Dunjee Houston Award
- The Rosalyn Terborg-Penn Junior Faculty Award
- The Lorraine Anderson Williams Leadership Award
