Black history was never meant to fit into one month. Beyond the names we were taught—Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks—stands a legacy of Black women whose labor, courage, and brilliance shaped the Civil Rights Movement. From Septima Clark to Fannie Lou Hamer, these women were the backbone of progress. Their stories belong in every classroom, not as side notes, but as essential American history.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler made history in 1864 as the first Black woman in the United States to earn a medical degree. Working during the turbulent aftermath of the Civil War, she dedicated her practice to caring for poor Black women and children who were often denied medical treatment. Despite intense racism and sexism, her work laid the foundation for generations of Black physicians who would follow.

The Aunties brought the truth—soft, spicy, prayerful, and free-spirited. Take what speaks to you and leave the rest. If this sounds like your life, you’re not alone. Share your advice in the comments, and keep sending your questions. The circle is open; the Aunties are listening.