Author Examines Black Women Politicians

Black women with political aspirations must run for office in areas with significant Black populations if they hope to succeed, a prominent author and former delegate to the United Nations said in a Bunting Institute colloquium yesterday.

"If you have ambitions in politics, my sisters, you've got to find yourselves an area where Blacks are at least 30 percent [of the population], and run from that area," said Helen G. Edmonds in a lecture entitled, "The American Black Woman in the Political Process Since 1900."

Before an audience of 50, the current Bunting Fellow described historical trends and contributions of Black women in American government.

"At no time has the role of Black women in politics been brought together under one cover," said Edmonds. She plans to condense her volumes of research on the history of elected and appointed women into a comprehensive work.

The book will not be a "dictionary of biographies," Edmonds said, stressing that she intends to examine in detail the historical trends and developments of Black female politicians.

"I have hundreds who are unsung and unheralded," she said.

First in a series of weekly Bunting Institute colloquia, the lecture took place in Agassiz House before an audience composed largely of Black women. The nation's formost post-doctoral research center for women, the Bunting Institute offers one and two-year residential fellowships for artists, scholars, writers and scientists.

Edmonds drew from her personal experiences throughout her lecture. During her career, she has served on the faculties of several universites and represented the U.S. as a delegate to the United Nations.

Edmonds became the first Black woman to deliver the seconding speech for a presidential candidate in 1956, endorsing Dwight D. Eishenhower at the Republican National Convention.