Speaking While Female Speech Bank

On this day in 1900, Yaa Asantewaa delivered a rousing speech that launched the War of the Golden Stool against British colonial rulers. Asantewaa was a queen in the Ashanti empire, modern-day Ghana, on the west coast of Africa.?She was chosen by the regional Asante kings to lead the warriors. The Golden Stool (Asikadwa) is the royal throne of the Ashanti kings —?the ultimate symbol of power in the Asante kingdom. According to legend, the stool descended from the sky and landed on the lap of the first Asante king. It's a sacred object, believed to house the spirit of the?Asante nation, and it's kept in a hidden place. According to tradition, if the Golden Stool were ever destroyed or captured by enemies, the entire Asante kingdom would descend into chaos. In 1900, the British Governor of the Gold Coast demanded to be allowed to sit on the Golden Stool. It was a naked power play, an assertion of domination. At a meeting of leaders the Asante government on March 28, 1900, the chiefs struggled to agree on a?military solution. Some suggested conceding to the British. But Asantewaa stepped forward and challenged the council: "How can a proud and brave people like the Asante sit back and look while white men took away their king and chiefs, and humiliated them with a demand for the Golden Stool?" Then, to emphasize her determination to fight, she seized a gun and fired a shot in front of the men. That shot marked the beginning of the Ashante rebellion against colonial Britain. After assembling her warriors, Asantewaa gave another fiery speech, telling them that to die defending the Golden Stool was more honorable than remaining in subjugation. "Gallant youth and men of our fatherland, shall we sit down to be dehumanized all the time by these rogues? We should rise and defend our heritage." "Shall we sit down to be dehumanized all the time by these rogues? We should rise and defend our heritage." After several months, the Gold Coast governor eventually sent a force of 1,400 to suppress the rebellion. That was the final battle in the long-running Anglo-Asante wars —?but the Golden Stool itself was not captured. Asantewaa and 15 of her advisors were sent into exile in the Seychelles, where she died in 1921. It wasn't until 1957 that the Asante protectorate gained independence from Britain, and Ghana became the first independent sub‐Saharan country in the post-colonial years. Yaa Asantewaa is beloved in Black history for standing up to colonial powers. Let's also celebrate her today for using her voice to defend her people. #womenshistorymonth #publicspeaking #womensvoices

It was fifty years ago today that Marie Cruz —?also known as Sacheen Littlefeather —?calmly stepped up to the podium at the Academy Awards and threw a bombshell into the ceremony. On behalf of Marlon Brando, she declined the Oscar. Brando himself was back at his home in the Hollywood Hills, boycotting the event to protest the industry's portrayal of Native Americans. He also wanted to call attention to the standoff at Wounded Knee, in South Dakota. It was one of the most striking and dramatic moments in the history of the Oscars. Wearing a fringed buckskin dress and moccasins, her hair parted in the middle, the 26-year-old activist explained that Brando was rejecting the Oscar for Best Actor in The Godfather for his portrayal of Vito Corleone. "Hello. My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I'm Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee," she said. "I'm representing Marlon Brando this evening, and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently, because of time, but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry. . . " The audience loudly booed her — but there were a few scattered cheers. In the years since, especially in the wake of #OscarsSoWhite movement, Sacheen Littlefeather's speech has been credited with raising awareness of the lack of diversity on the silver screen. In 2022, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sent Littlefeather a formal letter of apology for the reception to her speech. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” it read. Curiously, after her death a few months later, her family members accused Sacheen Littlefeather of falsely claiming Native American heritage. Fifty years ago, her voice was strong. #womensvoices #womenshistorymonth #publicspeaking

Could it be true that the “great men” in history gave all the greatest speeches? Or could it be we just don’t KNOW about great women speakers? For the answer, see Ms. Magazine today ...?https://lnkd.in/eVfni_Zt #womenshistorymonth #womenleaders #womenspeakers

This week, the government of The Gambia voted in support of a bill that would bring back female genital mutilation in the West African nation. If the bill passes, it would be a major, heartbreaking setback for efforts to put a halt to FGM across Africa. "It was very sad to witness the whole debate," said?Fatou Baldeh MBE, a Gambian women's rights advocate and outspoken opponent of FGM, in an interview with The New York Times. She herself was a victim of "cutting" when she was seven years old. According to the Times, anti-FGM campaigners gathered outside the parliament building Banjul, the capital, during Monday's debate. But police barricades kept many from getting inside — meanwhile while allowing in the religious leaders and others who advocate cutting to enter. FGM is common in Africa and widespread in parts of?Asia?and the?Middle East. It is routinely forced on young girls without their awareness or consent, and is internationally recognized as a gross violation of human rights. In The Gambia, three-fourths of the girls and women are victims of "cutting." But only five of the nation's 58 lawmakers are women. Thank you?Fatou Baldeh MBE?for raising your voice about this horrible injustice against women and girls. #womensvoices #womenspeakers #womenshistorymonth