GoWomen: Rev. Willie T. Barrow’s Legacy

Rev. Willie T. Barrow’s Legacy

February is Black History Month celebrating the profound and lasting impact that the civil rights movement had on all marginalized groups. While the primary focus of the civil rights movement was the critical need for racial equality and justice, Black women also challenged gender norms and advocated for the rights of all women. 

Black women played a pivotal and influential role in civil rights, including Rosa Parks, who famously refused to give up her seat on the bus that barred African Americans from sitting anywhere they chose, and Fannie Lou Hamer, who led voting drives to register Black Americans. Many women in the movement were unacknowledged–women like Ella Baker, who advocated for widespread local action, or “participatory democracy,” and Dorothy Height, who was president of the National Council of Negro Women and who focused on the double jeopardy of racism and sexism African American women often faced. Their leadership paved the way for women to take on more prominent roles in various social and political spheres.  

Our own hometown hero, Rev. Willie T. Barrow, was no exception.  

 As a leader in Chicago’s civil rights movement, Rev. Barrow believed in breaking barriers, challenging the status quo, and bringing women together to support and learn from each other, mentoring an ever-expanding pipeline of leaders. She helped to build networks with others working for change, often saying, “We are not so divided as we are disconnected.” 

That exceptional work continues through “Willie’s Warriors,” a leadership development cohort of Black women in the Chicago region. Rev. Barrow’s legacy and fierce commitment to justice lives on through The Willie Taplin Barrow Fund for Black Women’s Leadership at Chicago Foundation for Women. 

 How proud we are that CFW houses this program!   

Willie’s Warriors are important to CFW’s overarching work of building a diverse, multi-sector, inter-generational, and intersectional Gender Equity Network of individuals and organizations committed to working together to end gender bias in our region. Black communities and Black women often experience this inequality in its harshest forms. Sharing space with other women who have had similar experiences breaks down isolation and builds leadership. Through its efforts to help build community and by funding organizations that work directly with people where they live, CFW is committed to supporting Black leaders in their work to create a more equitable society. 

During her lifetime, Rev. Barrow exemplified Black women’s leadership in social justice movements as a field organizer for Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where she was responsible for the organization of transportation, shelter, meetings, and rallies for demonstrations, including the 1965 March on Selma, Alabama. She was also a founding member of Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, later called the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, working with Rev. Jesse Jackson. She provided spiritual guidance and practical assistance to communities in need. 

Being the driving force in cultivating change can weigh heavily on women. On top of being civic leaders, women are often caregivers and mothers, and with a tendency to give much of themselves to a cause, many leaders experience burnout. That’s why Willie’s Warriors is curated to be different from traditional leadership development programs. It is intended to be led by Black women for Black women, creating a sense of security and grounded in self-reflection and self-care.  

The support doesn’t end after graduation. Once participants complete the program, they’re inducted into the alumni group which provides lifelong support. I recently had the honor of attending the Willie’s Warriors alumni induction ceremony; connection, support, and joy radiated from the group.  

This year–which would have been Rev. Barrow’s 100th birthday–will also mark the milestone of over 100 women participating in the program. Much work is still to be done in the fight against racism and the work for women’s rights, but we can celebrate Rev. Willie Barrow for the change she helped create over the years, and, also the 100 Willie’s Warriors for the successes their work will bring. 

 Stay tuned to further announcements from CFW on the next cohort of Willie’s Warriors. While applications for this year are closed, applications for the 2025 cohort will begin in a few months. Please think about applying or passing the information along to someone who may be interested. Know that, like Rev. Willie Barrow, you can also lead a life of service in the fight for women’s and civil rights. Your actions, whether through active support, generous donations, or leading the charge, can create monumental impact and a legacy of transformative change. 

Together we will persist,

Sunny Fischer

CFW’s co-founder, and interim President & CEO