5 weeks ago I started the Great Black Women in History course taught by Black History Studies and what has really struck me from the course is how instrumental black women were in shaping our legacy. Black women were strong and showed great resilience leading and fighting against men in war as resistance warriors standing up for the rights of their people.

Throughout the course I have been struck by how I, as a black woman, am seen because of my history. I am saddened that instead of the incredible strength that my ancestors passed down to me which should be celebrated, this strength, this fighting spirit is instead seen negatively to the point where I am stereotyped as the “angry black woman” because I chose to stand up for my truth, because I want to be heard.

Well today, at the start of Black History Month I have decided to reclaim my ancestors ‘bas-ass’ spirit and celebrate all that they mean to me. So I am going to start with Queen Bilikisu Sungbo. As you will see from her bio she was childless and was known as one of the greatest builders in history who built one of the largest cities the world has seen, during the middle ages, larger than Baghdad, Cairo, Codova and Rome.

You can order the book, The Great and Mighty Wall, and read more about Queen Sungbo and the construction of the earthen wall in Eredo, of South Western Nigeria.