Black Women Will Save the World: An Anthem

Veteran journalist Ryan (The Presidency in Black and White) combines a memoir of her recent experiences as a Black woman in the White House Press Corps and a stirring tribute to the sacrifices and triumphs of other leading Black “sheroes.” Ryan chronicles the rise of several Black women political leaders in the United States, including Shirley Chisholm, Stacey Abrams, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Kamala Harris. She looks at their work on issues of justice and fairness and stresses their struggles to overcome invisibility and erasure in today’s political arena. She also focuses on the sacrifices paid by Black women when faced by bias and discrimination, based on both gender and race; she presents this issue as an ongoing individual, collective, and structural struggle. Ryan also discusses the mistreatment that she herself has endured as a journalist and the negative effects of ongoing microaggressions directed towards her and other Black women leaders. Finally, the book sets out ways to advance civil rights in the United States and includes extensive footnotes. Ryan’s text speaks volumes about Black women’s crucial roles as leaders, truth tellers, and unsung heroes for justice in the United States.