National Black Women's Health Project
Encyclopedia
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 health
care 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 birth
ing 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.
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.
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 vagina
s 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).
, 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).
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
out of an expressed need to address the health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and reproductive rights
Reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Women. NBWHP was principally founded by Byllye Avery
Byllye Avery
Byllye Yvonne Avery is an American health care activist, who has worked to improve the welfare of African-American women by creating the National Black Women's Health Project in 1981. She has received the MacArthur Foundation's Fellowship for Social Contribution and the Gustav O...
. Avery was involved in reproductive health
Reproductive health
Within the framework of the World Health Organization's definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health, or sexual health/hygiene, addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system...
care work in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
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 birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
ing choices of African Americans as well as internalized racism within the community. Both women worked with the National Women's Health Network
National Women's Health Network
The National Women's Health Network is a non-profit women's health advocacy organization located in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1975 by Barbara Seaman, Alice Wolfson, Belita Cowan, Mary Howell, M.D., and Phyllis Chesler, Ph.D. The stated mission of the organization is to give women a...
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
Spelman College
Spelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
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
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
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 Project's five "Health Imperatives for Black Women" are guided by its mission to achieve optimum health for 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
Privacy
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
in reproductive decision-making.
4. Reduce the high death rates among Black women from preventable causes.
5. Increase access to health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
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 healthWomen's health
Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy. These often relate to structures such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, females. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, maternal health,...
in addition reproductive healthcare. The projects included “Walking for Wellness [that featured]…Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was an American athlete. Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s and competed in two Olympic Games, in 1956 and in 1960....
, to encourage African American women to improve their health through exercise” (Silliman et al., 77). Additional programs included education about birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
options as was as a video to encourage women to look at their vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
s 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 LivesMarch for Women's Lives
The March for Women's Lives was a demonstration for reproductive rights and women's rights, held April 25, 2004 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. The National Park Service no longer makes official estimates of attendance after the Million Man March controversy in 1994, so official estimates...
, there was conflict in the planning of the march between NOW and smaller feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
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).