Thursday, March 3, 2016

Learn about Anna Arnold Hedgeman During Black History Month




Distinguished Professor of International Law at Florida A&M University, Dr. Jeremy Levitt is an expert on race and gender rights. A commentator on numerous media outlets, Dr. Jeremy Levitt finds it important to raise awareness of historical figures who do not always get the recognition they deserve, like Anna Arnold Hedgeman.

Understanding Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s contribution to history and racial justice will provide a different perspective from the typical stories told during Black History Month. Anna Arnold Hedgeman influenced politics and civil service in the 1920s through 1970s, decades rife with inequality. In the 1930s, she quit her job to help African-Americans in their struggle to secure civil service positions. In the 1940s, she further strategized for the Democratic Party to support President Harry Truman’s 1948 campaign. Anna Arnold Hedgeman was often a consultant and spokesperson for the African-American community on issues of politics, which was uncommon for a female at the time.