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Feminism The World Outside
Betty Friedan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, No doubt, events happening outside Spelman’s
published in 1963, helped to ignite the Feminist walls were influencing us. We had new role
Movement in the country. While largely dismissed models. Shirley Chisolm was elected the first black
as a ”white women’s movement”, certain ideas woman to the U.S. Congress; President Johnson
resonated among black women—equal pay for signed an executive order prohibiting discrimination
equal work, self-control over women’s bodies, and against women by federal contractors; Robert
equal opportunity. The feminist movement on Kennedy had been assassinated; black students
predominately white women’s campuses also were protesting on predominantly white campuses,
emphasized the difference between the patriarchal, demanding Black Studies Programs and taking
strict rules that governed women on black over student union buildings. Vietnam protests on
campuses and relative freedoms given to white campuses were becoming more prevalent.
women students. Black power debates and In the Spring of 1969, the Spelman Student
speeches often challenged these rules as Government Association prepared a list of
oppressive, remnants of slavery and negative demands for the Annual Trustee Board meeting:
perceptions of Black women’s abilities to control enhanced emphasis on black culture, literature and
their sexual desires. Spelman students who had content in curriculum; more black faculty
been on exchange at the New England sister (Spelman’s faculty was 80% white); and student,
colleges had experienced the differences.
faculty and alumnae representation on the Trustee
In the fall of 1968, our senior year, the influence of Board (the Trustee Board consisted of one black
Black Power and Feminism intersected when the member). Admitting that they had come,
Spelman student body protested dress codes and anticipating being locked up, the Trustees
curfews by staging a sit-in at night in Sisters acquiesced to all our logically presented, well-
Chapel while the Student Government Association crafted demands. Those of us who were graduating
negotiated a relaxation of the antiquated rules. We sighed with relief that no further action was
emerged from our victory, feeling empowered and needed, knowing that we were prepared to suffer
liberated. disciplinary consequences if our demands were not
