National Black Women's Health Project

National Black Women’s Health Project was legally formed in 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia out of an expressed need to address the health and reproductive rights of African American Women. NBWHP was principally founded by Byllye Avery. Avery was involved in reproductive healthcare work in Gainesville, Florida in the 1970s and was particularly influenced by the impact that policy had on women of color and poor women. Additionally Avery was also concerned with healthcare choices and wanted “to provide an environment where women could feel comfortable and take control of their own health” (Silliman et al., 66). Lillie Allen, an healthcare educator, (who is not formally listed on the organizations website but is sited in other sources) was primarily concerned with birthing choices of African Americans as well as internalized racism within the community. Both women worked with the National Women's Health Network and started the project within the organization. However eventually they extracted “The Project” from the NWHN because of concern regarding the lack of focus on the issues facing Black women and poor women which played out through the events that occurred during and the National Conference on Black Women’s Health Issues at Spelman College in 1983 (Silliman et al., 69). Because of the two main focuses on self-help and the medical establishment as an institution, the NBWHP ebb and flows between a grassroots operation that focuses on the community of women and one that focused on policy. The National Black Women’s Health Project, opened a office in Washington, DC to specifically address policy issues and eventually moved their headquarters to Washington, DC. NBWHP has subsequently changed their name to the Black Women’s Health Imperative and has just celebrated 25 years.

Mission statement

The Health Imperatives for Black Women

These five "Health Imperatives for Black Women" are guided by our mission - optimum health for Black women - and are reflected in every action step we take as an organization. Please review them and then join us in our efforts to optimize the physical, mental and spiritual wellness of all Black women.

1. Make Black women's health an imperative for federal and state governments and communities. 2. Work to eliminate the enormous health disparities that exist for Black women. 3. Ensure that Black women have access to the broad range of reproductive health options, are empowered to make real choices and are assured of privacy in reproductive decision-making. 4. Reduce the high death rates among Black women from preventable causes. 5. Increase access to health insurance coverage for all Black women and their families.

Contributions

National Black Women’s Health Project initiated several projects that were geared towards the totality of women's health in addition reproductive healthcare. The projects included “Walking for Wellness [that featured]…Wilma Rudolph, to encourage African American women to improve their health through exercise” (Silliman et al., 77). Additional programs included education about birth control options as was as a video to encourage women to look at their vaginas through self-exam. Currently on their website there are also resources regarding healthcare issues as well choices. The NBWHP also published the book, Body and Soul: A Black Women’s Guide to Health and Well-Being by Linda Villarosa and Our Bodies, Our Voice, Our Chocies which served as “a black women’s primer on reproductive health and rights” (Silliman et al., 78).

Controversies

During the 1992 March for Women's Lives, there was conflict in the planning of the march between NOW and smaller feminist groups of color. The protest was headed by Byllye Avery because of the continuation of issues concerning race and representation. While organizations eventually were asked to speak many stood in solidarity with Avery because “she was the first woman of color to come forward publicly and nationally for reproductive rights” (Suh 89).

References

Silliman, Jael, Fried, Marlene Gerber, Ross, Loretta, and Gutierrez, Elena R. Undivided rights: women of color organize for reproductive justice. Massachusetts: South End Press, 2004.

Suh, Mary. “Who’s sorry NOW? Women of color protest pro-choice march” MS July 1992: 88-89

Train, Judy. “Touch of Genius” MS October 1989: 71-72

Black Women’s Health Imperative. 2009. 1 November 2009. <http://www.blackwomenshealth.org/>