Spelman, Georgia State Professors To Host Conference On Black Women’s Leadership In Religious Activism

'When We Lead: Black Women's Spiritual Activism and Social Change Conference' will take place in October.

Georgia State University’s Monique Moultrie and Spelman College’s Rosetta Ross have teamed up for a two-day conference examining the profound influence of Black women’s leadership in religious activism and social justice movements.

“When We Lead: Black Women’s Spiritual Activism and Social Change Conference” will take place Oct. 4 and 5 at the Emory Conference Center Hotel in Atlanta. This event will unite scholars, religious leaders, activists, community members, and those interested in exploring the vital role of Black women in shaping public life and religious activism.

Attendees can engage in discussions, mentorship opportunities, and professional development sessions to enhance understanding of Black women’s spiritual leadership across various religious traditions.

The conference celebrates Moultrie and Ross’s work on the Garden Initiative for Black Women’s Religious Activism, a three-year project supported by the Henry Luce Foundation. The initiative was created to address the lack of complete documentation and recognition of Black women religious leaders’ contributions to American society.

“My deepest hope is that people recognize that Black women religious leaders’ contributions have helped shape public life as we endeavor to help the nation be a more just and inclusive society,” Moultrie said.

Moultrie and Ross launched The Garden Initiative to focus on four key objectives: documenting and archiving Black women’s religious leadership; establishing a mentoring hub for leaders; broadening scholarship on Black women’s religious leaders beyond Christianity; and enhancing public understanding of the gendered role of Black religious participation in social justice movements.

“I have been pleased to learn how much I did not know about Black women’s religious leadership across traditions in the United States,” Ross said.

“The research has yielded new knowledge for me about the existence of Black women I had not heard of who are making important contributions,” Ross added. “If the Garden Initiative’s future progress helps people recognize the full impact of the contributions Black women make, then that recognition, for me, will be a significant legacy.”

Since its inception, the project has made notable progress, including the creation of its website. The site features a comprehensive timeline showcasing Black women’s religious leadership, activism, and organizing from the 1800s to the present day. It also includes biographies and resource guides on notable Black women religious activists, such as Coretta Scott King and Harriet Tubman.

While the college professors’ work has made momentous strides in just three years, they both stress the additional work that needs to be done.

One of their biggest motivations in creating the Garden Initiative came in response to the influence of religious leaders in the civil rights movement, which focused primarily on male leadership. Moultrie and Ross hope this project will transform public perceptions of Black religious leadership.