Maria Stewart (1803-1879)
One of the pioneering Black women to plead the case of the African-American community and denounce both racism and sexism has greatly been ignored by history. Maria W. Stewart was the first American woman, Black or white, to speak in front of a mixed crowd of men and women, but her legacy is rarely acknowledged.
As a deeply religious and purpose-driven woman, Stewart employed many aspects of the prophetic and African-American jeremiad used in the careers and rhetoric of several accomplished Black thinkers.
Although Stewart had a brief career as a public figure and only a few of her published works are available, an appreciation of her prophetic character and discourse can be obtained by reading Marilyn Richardson’s Maria W. Stewart: America’s First Black Woman Political Writer.
Stewart associated women with virtue and cited scripture to support her claims. This suggested women are an integral part of the liberation of Black people and enlightenment, and it was considered revolutionary thought during a time when women were only honored as mothers and wives.
Stewart’s claim was a direct challenge to patriarchy and hegemony and it’s important to note that her analysis preceded many known Black thinkers such as Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
Stewart challenged Black women to pursue economic independence and encouraged them to model Black women in Connecticut who had worked and saved money to build their own church.
These views identify Stewart as a transcendent defender and advocate of all human rights, not only racial but gender as well.
Kenneshea Allums recently graduated with an MA from the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University. She provides critical commentary on issues impacting black women at blackwomenunchecked.com.
