If you were asked to name women who were involved in war I bet you would struggle to name more than a few. If you were asked to name black women who were involved in war, you would probably be able to name even fewer. These amazing women deserve to be remembered, and with black history month in mind, we should strive to give them the recognition they deserve. I strongly feel that these women worked incredibly hard, and we owe it to them to bring their memory back to the surface. This article aims to shed light on a selection of these women, and to honour their service.

Lilian Bader

Lilian became one of the first black women to join the Royal Airforce( RAF) during the second world war. Lillian was not only one of the first black women to join the air force but in fact one of the first women to train for a specific role within the RAF . She ‘was one of the first women to be trained as an instrument repairer, a trade that was newly opened to women.’ I personally believe that this makes her such a strong example to others as she succeeded in an area that was previously viewed as both non female and non black. Lillian essentially created the path for other black women to be able to follow. Lillian also went on to be more successful as she ‘became a Leading Aircraftwoman and soon gained the rank of Acting Corporal.’ Prior to the RAF, Lillian was ‘let go from her first employment because of issues with her heritage.’    I believe that Lillian was incredible to have carried on despite the issues she faced, and that it is wonderful she managed to succeed despite societal, gender, and race based barriers that were in place at the time. She achieved great personal success, which allows her legacy to be strongly influential for other black women who had been told that they could not achieve their dreams and aspirations.

[pullquote align=”left” size=”normal”]She managed to succeed despite societal, gender, and race based barriers that were in place at the time[/pullquote]

Mary Seacole

The second woman is Mary Seacole. Mary held the position of nurse during the Crimean war. ‘She approached the war office in the United Kingdom to ask permission to assist the soldiers as a nurse due to hearing about the poor working conditions  but was refused’.  The reason I believe that Mary is incredibly important as a historical figure is because she went on to create real change for black women and for the soldiers she was caring for and she was an incredibly determined individual. She  became known as ‘Mother Seacole’ for the care she gave sick and convalescent officers in hospital and occasionally on the battlefield where she was under fire herself.   She always put the soldiers that she was caring for first and passionately cared about every single one of them.

When the British government would not help her, ‘she funded her own trip to Crimea, where she established the British Hotel with Thomas Day, a relative of her husband, Edwin.’ Mary was able to create real change as her hospital was near to the real action of the war. I believe that Mary is a passionate, caring woman who created real change as she was the first to think to help the soldiers at the source of war rather than far away which gave them a better chance at survival. 

Cathay Williams

The third woman  is Cathay Williams who went against societal norms and Became the Only Known Female Buffalo Soldier in American history.  She is also the only documented black woman to serve in the Army in the 19th century. Williams signed up to fight in the US army under the name William Cathay as women were prohibited from joining the army.  When it was discovered that she was a female she was honorably discharged by her commanding officer, Captain Charles E. Clarke. During her time as a seamstress in the city of  Colorado her story became known. As a result a  reporter from the city of Saint Louis came to interview her to find out if the rumours and stories he had heard circulating were true and as a result Her life and military service narrative was published in the St. Louis Daily Times on January 2, 1876.

Cathay’s story is full of dedication and hard work and she defied the expectations of society and proved that women could do everything a man could. During her time in the army she was hospitalised multiple times but was not discovered as a woman till her last hospital visit. Cathay proves to other black women that they too can do anything they set their minds to and that they can overcome any barriers in their way especially as Cathay came from a slavery back ground. 

In my article I have only explored three phenomenal black women who relate to the specific topic of warfare but I sincerely hope that you as the reader will use my article as a starting point to learn more about incredible black women who played crucial roles in History. I have chosen to discuss Lillian, Mary and Cathay within my article as I felt that the black women within the topic of warfare are not often discussed and as a result In wished to bring their stories forward. All three women are a story that showcases dedication and overcoming obstacles and I believe that we can all learn a lot from these women. 

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