Sha Battle is a native Georgian and multifaceted entrepreneur who has worked for the likes of Coca Cola, Exxon, and Price Waterhouse Coopers. Over the course of her career, Battle has been deeply committed to the idea of uplifting Black and minority women and was inspired to embrace their achievements in a more formally recognized celebration.
In 2016, Battle “established April as International Black Women’s History Month…in the city of Atlanta to uplift and support the achievements of Black and minority women, and to build understanding and awareness of the contributions of Black women to the world.”
“When you google Black History Month, it oftentimes the same five, ten, or fifteen Black women who come up in the results, and it was the same thing for Women’s History Month,” Battle told ESSENCE.
“I thought, we need our own month because there’s absolutely awesome things here, and they often go unrecognized. Since we have February and March, we need April as Black Women’s History Month, and so then I completed the paperwork to have it officially notated,” said Battle.
As the Institute for Women’s Policy Research aptly describes, “Since women’s experiences are not a monolith; it is important to explore the experiences of Black women while examining the interconnectedness of racism, sexism, classism, and other social inequalities. Illuminating these experiences is integral to advancing Black women’s rights and economic justice.”
“I had no idea that Black and Minority women had contributed so much to this world, because most of it is not taught in schools,” Battle added.
The theme for this year’s International Black Women’s History Month is “Continuing The Fight For Equity, Knowing Our Worth, Trusting Our God.”
“I am hoping that International Black Women’s History Month will be celebrated in communities across the globe,” said Battle. “I want to build understanding and awareness, ensuring that children as well as adults are educated on Black and minority women’s rich history.”
She advises for people to “reach out to their legislators or senators, any higher ups on the federal ladder, to help to push this initiative forward.”
And Battle’s legacy is certainly spreading, both nationally and internationally . In 2024 in Virginia, Democratic Delegate Josh Cole, introduced HJ8, “Black Women’s History Month; designating as April 2024 and each succeeding year thereafter,” which passed both the state House and Senate.
In Canada, the NAACP Vancouver Branch released a statement, “it is important to recognize that the contributions of Black women to American society are so significant and multifaceted that they cannot be contained within a single month. This is why April has been designated as Black Women’s History Month.”
