By ReShonda Tate
This post was originally published on Defender Network.
This article was also published on Word In Black.
Let’s be clear: If the culture had a backbone, it would be dipped in cocoa butter and braided tight with laid edges. Black women are the blueprint, the foundation, the spark—and somehow, we still get side-eyed when we say it out loud.
But we’ve got the receipts to back up this claim. From the voting booth to the Billboard charts, when the culture was in crisis, Black women showed up, showed out and still managed to keep their gloss poppin’.
1. When Fannie Lou Hamer snatched the mic—and history—at the 1964 DNC
Auntie Fannie wasn’t just “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” she was sick of America ignoring Black pain. Her testimony about voter suppression in Mississippi wasn’t just powerful—it cracked the foundation of the Democratic Party. And she did it in pearls, with a Bible in her lap and fire in her belly.
2. When Beyoncé made “Homecoming” a masterclass in Black Excellence
While folks were still thinking Coachella was for flower crowns and overpriced lemonade, Beyoncé turned it into an HBCU halftime show on steroids. She didn’t just perform—she educated, celebrated and elevated the culture, all while hitting eight-counts in heels. You’re welcome.
3. When Black women turned Georgia blue
Stacey Abrams and a battalion of Black women organizers looked voter suppression in the face and said, Not today, Satan. Their organizing helped flip a historically red state, and lowkey saved the democracy in the process. Crown them accordingly.
4. When Megan Thee Stallion twerked her way through trauma—and across the collegiate stage
People tried to silence her, to shame her. But Meg kept rapping, kept reclaiming her space, and still graduated from college. Her mere existence is resistance and her knees are a national treasure.
5. When Serena Williams changed the game—literally
She wasn’t supposed to win. Not with those beads. Not with that body. Not with that attitude. And yet… she won. Again. And again. And again. While they questioned her grace, she gave us greatness. 23 Grand Slams worth.
6. When Tarana Burke said #MeToo before the world was ready to listen
Long before Hollywood got on board, Tarana Burke was fighting for Black girls and women who’d been silenced. She didn’t do it for the spotlight. She did it for the healing. And in the process, she sparked a global movement.
7. When Michelle Obama gave us fashion, fitness and forever First Lady goals
While navigating the most powerful (and prejudiced) house in the country, Michelle still managed to glow. Arms sculpted, edges laid, and a side-eye that could cut steel. She told us to go high—but she wasn’t afraid to get real either.
8. When Viola Davis demanded more—and gave us chills
Whether she’s crying with snot or delivering a monologue that makes your ancestors stir, Viola gives us everything. But beyond the screen, she’s fighting for equity in pay, representation and respect. A true leading lady—in every sense.
9. When Rihanna turned a makeup line into a cultural revolution
Before Fenty Beauty, foundation stopped at “medium beige.” Rihanna said nah, and gave us 40+ shades of inclusion, plus lingerie for every body type. Suddenly, diversity wasn’t optional—it was expected.
10. When the aunties carried us through every crisis with chicken, wisdom and shade
Y’all can have your influencers. Give me the women who always know what’s going on, have a spare fan in their purse, and will pray and cuss in the same sentence. The aunties held us down through COVID, chaos and daisy dukes at the cookout. Give them their flowers now—not at the funeral.
The bottom line? Black women don’t just save the culture—we are the culture. And the next time someone forgets that, kindly remind them: We have been doing this—effortlessly, endlessly, without even breaking a sweat.