Why black women activists stay in the room when they are not being heard

Objective Despite the vital roles that black women play in black activist organizations, they are often overlooked and mistreated within such spaces. The purpose of this article is to examine why black women remain engaged in black activist spaces given this treatment. Methods I conducted in‐depth interviews with 25 black women engaged in activist organizations in the Chicagoland area. Results This study found that black women remain engaged in black activist spaces where they experienced mistreatment because (1) they believed that the black community's fight for freedom was worth their radical sacrifice, and (2) they felt both empowered by the legacy of black activist women of past movements and responsible for continuing that legacy in order to improve the lives and path to liberation of the black women that will come after them. Conclusion I suggest that the sacrifices of black women activists are ultimately motivated by an ethic of care that stems from a love for their community and themselves. While some do find the legacy of black women activists to be burdensome, many aim to continue the legacy of their predecessors by establishing a foundation onto which future generations can build a path to black liberation.