Did you know that this year’s Black History Month (BHM) theme is women? Did you even know BHM had a theme? Every year the Association of the Study of African American Life and History, the founders of BHM, announce a theme, and this year’s theme is “Black Women in American Culture and History”. Today’s Inclusion Solution is going to highlight some of these great women throughout history in business and corporate America that have made a mark and opened doors.
Caroline R. Jones: The first back female vice president of a major advertising agency: BBDO. She is also the co-founder of Mingo-Jones Advertising, where she created the catchphrase “We do chicken right” for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Patricia Roberts Harris: The first African American woman to hold a corporate board seat (IBM). Other firsts: first black woman to serve as a US Cabinet secretary, first black woman to serve as a US ambassador and the first to head an American Law School (Howard University).
Sheila C. Johnson: BET’s co-founder and owner of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics basketball team where she serves as vice chairman, president and managing partner. Johnson is the first African American woman to be an owner or partner in three professional sports franchises: WNBA, NHL, and NBA.
Laurel Richie: Former chief marketing officer for the Girl Scouts makes history in 2011 by becoming the first African American woman named president of a US professional sports league, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Valerie Carter Daniels: The first African American woman to join an NFL board of directors with the Green Bay Packers. Daniels also operates the largest black-owned restaurant franchise in the US, with 100 Burger King and Pizza Hut units as president and CEO of V&J Holding Cos.
Sylvia Rhone: In 1994 Rhone became chairman and CEO of Elektra Entertainment Group, making her the only African American and first woman in the recording industry to attain the dual title. She currently serves as president of Universal Motown Records.
To read more about these and many more great African American women in who broke through barriers to achieve great success in the business world , check out the article “Trailblazers: Centuries of black women who’ve made significant inroads in business and corporate America” in the most recent issue of Black Enterprise magazine. Black Enterprise has laid out a timeline of prominent African American woman (many who you probably have never heard of) starting from 1903 through 2011.
Even though there have been accomplishments throughout the century of African American women in business, they are still very much underrepresented in the workplace.
- The EEOC reported in 2008 that only 3.2% of managers in private industry were African American, compared to 30% white women.
- A survey conducted by Catalyst showed that even though black women may be viewed as less threatening than black men they still face many stereotypes in the workplace. The biggest barriers African American women face are negative, race-based stereotypes; more frequent questioning of their credibility and authority; and a lack of institutional support.
- Experiencing a double outsider status – unlike white women or African American men – African American women report exclusion from informal networks and conflicted relationships with white women among the challenges they face.
What’s the Inclusion Solution?
- Mentoring. Mentoring is a powerful and important tool in the workplace. For those of you who have already succeeded in the business world, vow to mentor an African American woman coming up the ranks. Share with her what worked for you and what did not to get you to where you are today.
- Check yourself. Are you harboring the stereotypes we mentioned above? If the answer is yes, make a conscious decision to learn more about African American women and dispel your biases.
This post was written by Mareisha N. Winters, Vice President of The Winters Group, Inc.
