Chapter 2: Leadership Thread Two: Intergenerational

Over the ages, Black women have led the fight for emancipation and equal rights in US society. Yet the narratives of Black women’s leadership and the origins of how they have shared their wisdom rarely gain the attention of White history’s scholars. And perhaps that is one part of the problem – histories.

This chapter suggests that generations of Black women leaders, who are referenced as “griots”, have shared their sagacity, while influencing other women to develop anti-oppression fighting styles in the battle against racism and the struggle for justice. The text recounts Black leadership herstories pointing out not only who they are, and why they lead, but what has been accomplished so that the next generation of leaders learn and reflect.

Two African terms are used in this chapter, “griot” and “sankofa.” The griot role is one of influencing how histories and traditions are preserved and shared. The second, “Sankofa,” from the Twi language of Ghana, means to go back and get what was taken; to retrieve. African Americans often use the term to mean remembering the past, to protect and plan for the future. Intergenerational storytelling, containing rich oral traditions, is the way of the griot.

This chapter examines the role of griot storytelling by Black women leaders and the notion of sankofa as valuable tools for the next generation. They serve as praxis, as devices, propelling an ethic of social responsibility and looking back—to plan for the future.