This session presented studies on women’s reproductive health, as well as the problems with the research in the area. The presenter was Dr. Judith Singleton, Professor of Sociology at Dominican University and her presentation was called Blood is Thicker than Water: Pregnancy, Family and Family Estrangement and a second presenter who wishes to remain anonymous at Chicago Women’s History Conference 2026.

Photo credit Essence Richardson

The panel discussion evoked a sense of community within its audience, comprising people from completely different walks of life. It discussed the interactions of Filipino nurses as they first migrated to the U.S. and how stereotypes continue to shape both professional and familial experiences. The speakers discussed the journey and struggles in a manner that felt universal and relatable across immigrant communities.

Photo credit Diana Solis

The first panel I attended at the 2026 Chicago Women’s History Conference was entitled “Transforming a Center: Nursing and Women’s Health Histories Through Black Archives and Community Memory,” and it was led by Dr. Karen Flynn and Dr. Shannon Simonovich from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Midwest Nursing History Research Center, or MNHRC. The panel covered many topics related to nursing, but I was most interested in the historical aspect of Black women as nurses in the United States and the Midwest in particular.

Photo credit Essence Richardson

The 2026 Chicago Women’s History Conference opened with a presentation by Rashayla Marie Brown, also known as Dr. RMB, discussing what the conference’s theme of health justice meant to her. RMB wove appreciation for other women throughout, reflecting on her personal history and how she came to understand the relationship between her mental health and her work as an artist.

Photo credit Katherine Rivas

Serenading us with the words and wisdom of female activists, past and present, keynote speaker Jamila Woods asked us to contemplate the conference’s topic and ask ourselves “what strategies still serve us and what needs to be burned down and reimagined.” As I attended my elected sessions throughout the day, what struck me was the way each of these presentations embodied Wood’s call to wrestle with the legacy and efficacy of what we have inherited.

This is a quote from author Pearl Cleage’s same-named poem, celebrating the resilience and achievements of African American women throughout history. It is with this quote that scholars Jené Watson, Dorothy Clarke, and Kalimah Redd Knight introduced their presentation, “A Broadband of Sisterhood: The League of Women for Community Service.” Though we often conceive of history as something molded by tangible moments and events, history is equally impacted by how we speak about and remember the past. Beginning their presentation with this quotation thus grounded their work in rectifying the historic neglect of Black women’s voices in American history, despite their widespread involvement and profound achievements.

The First Cracks in the Wall, But Not the Last Lights to Pour Through: An Inspiring Day at the Chicago Women's History Conference by Ella Grace

Hosted at Roosevelt University by the Chicago Women’s History Center in partnership with the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, the conference was titled Past and Present Strategies to Advance the Rights of Women. The day began shortly after 9:00 am in the aptly-named Ida B. Wells Hall with some opening remarks and keynote speakerJamila Woods, a poet and singer from the South Side of Chicago. I have been a long-time listener of Jamila’s music so I was particularly excited to hear her speak.