CARPENTER FOUNDATION AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

THIS WEEK ON TO THE CONTRARY.

FIRST, AN HISTORIC SUMMIT AT THE VATICAN TAKES ON SEXUAL ABUSE.

THEN, HOW RACISM IMPACTED BLACK SUFFRAGISTS FIGHTING FOR WOMEN'S VOTING RIGHTS.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES, THE HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, FROM TWO WOMEN WHO KNOW.

HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY, A DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL TRENDS FROM DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.

UP FIRST, THE POPE TAKES ON SEX ABUSE.

"HEAR THE CRY OF THE LITTLE ONES ASKING FOR JUSTICE."

THAT'S WHAT POPE FRANCIS URGED HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS TO DO AS HE OPENED AN HISTORIC SUMMIT AIMED AT ADDRESSING SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDALS PLAGUING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

ALMOST 200 CHURCH OFFICIALS FROM MORE THAN 100 NATIONS ARE AT THE FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN DEALING WITH ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.

LAST WEEK, THE POPE DEFROCKED FORMER US CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK AFTER HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF ABUSE BY THE VATICAN.

EXPERTS SAY THAT MCCARRICK'S CASE SHOWS THE VATICAN'S WILLINGNESS TO HOLD POWERFUL ARCHBISHOPS ACCOUNTABLE.

BUT THAT COMES AFTER DECADES OF CHURCH OFFICIALS DOWNPLAYING OR OUTRIGHT DENYING THE PROBLEM.

LAST YEAR, THE POPE HIMSELF CAME UNDER INTENSE CRITICISM FOR DEFENDING A CHILEAN BISHOP WIDELY SUSPECTED OF COVERING UP ANOTHER BISHOP'S ABUSE.

SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES ARE URGING THE POPE TO ESTABLISH A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR ABUSIVE PRIESTS AND THOSE WHO COVER FOR THEM.

>> SO CONGRESSWOMAN NORTON, IS THE CHURCH AND THE POPE, ARE THEY FINALLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

>> BONNIE, THE CHURCH IS FINALLY COMPELLED TO ACT.

NOW THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, LIKE THOSE IN PENNSYLVANIA, ARE MOVING AGGRESSIVELY.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THIS IS A BETTER STEP THAN WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IN BOSTON 20 YEARS AGO AND WE SAW NOTHING COME OF IT.

>> THIS IS A CRISIS OF FAITH AND I HATE TO SAY IT.

ANYTHING SHORT OF ZERO TOLERANCE IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE.

>> WE'RE BANKRUPT IN TERMS OF MORALITY HERE, AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE CAESAR JUDGING CAESAR.

THE ENDS OF IT.

>> WELL, BUT PATRICE MENTIONED, MEGAN, AND YOU GREW UP IN THE CHURCH, THAT, YOU KNOW, BOSTON 20S YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY THE SCANDALS BROKE IN AUSTRALIA 30 YEARS AGO AND HIT THE U.S. TWO DECADES AGO, AND I KNOW THAT'S LIKE A SPLIT SECOND IN THE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, WHICH TOOK 500 YEARS TO EXONERATE GALILEO, THE GRAVITY THING.

>> RIGHT.

>> ANYWAY, BUT WILL THIS -- I MEAN, IS IT JUST GOING TO BE CHIPPING AWAY?

>> THINGS WOULD MOVE FASTER IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AND I THINK PEOPLE UNIVERSITY FEEL LIKE THIS IS SO LONG OVERDUE AND IT IS VERY -- IT ECHOES WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER PATRIARCHAL HIERARCHIES.

THERE'S A SICKLING.

WAGON, IN THE MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT, IN-LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH POLICE ABUSES, AND I THINK ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

AND WE HAVE TO REBUILD THE TRUST THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS, AND OF COURSE THAT WOULD INCLUDE THEIR CHURCH.

>> WELL, ANGELA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK AS THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE SUMMIT AND LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, THERE'S GOT TO BE TRANSPARENCY.

THERE'S GOT TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REGAIN TRUST IN THE INSTITUTION.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE PEW RESEARCH DATA SAYS CONTACT LICKS ARE LOSING CONFIDENCE.

>> ARE THEY LOSING MEMBERSHIP?

IS THEIR GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP GOING DOWN?

>> THEY'RE LOSING MEMBERSHIP IN SOME COUNTRIES.

>> DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN >> IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

>> THEY'RE GONE IN EUROPE PRETTY MUCH.

RIGHT?

>> THAT WAS HAPPENING ANYWAY.

THIS ONLY ACCELERATES IT.

THIS IS -- IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WRONGDOING AND UNDER CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND WRONGDOING UNDER THE CHURCH.

I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

THEIRS IS A DIFFERENT MATRIX.

EVEN INVOLVING CHILDREN I'M SURE THAT THE PRIESTS AND OVER SEARS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED HAVE SAID THEY WILL BE FOR GIVEN AND WE WILL SEND THEM TO ANOTHER PLACE.

IT'S AT THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY IS FORGIVENESS.

EVEN FOR TERRIBLE SINS LIKE -- >> RIGHT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT -- >> WAIT.

I'M GOING TO SPEAK FROM CATHOLIC THEOLOGY NOW.

OF COURSE WHAT ABOUT -- BUT I'M SAYING, WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS, TOO?

IF THE CHURCH OPPOSES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

WHAT I'M -- WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS?

THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS THINKING OF BOTH THE VICTIM AND -- I'M NOT CATHOLIC HERE.

OF BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE SIN L&C TOWER AND SO I'M GOING TO UNDERSTAND HOW VERY GOOD MEN LIKE THE POPE WHO, BY THE WAY, HAS IN MANY WAYS BEEN A WONDERFUL PATH BREAKING POPE, HOW HE COULD NOT SEE THIS.

AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP FROM THINKING LIKE ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON WITH A LAW DEGREE AND THINK LIKE A PRIEST.

THAT IS HARD TO DO.

>> BUT THEY DID IT, THIS COMMISSION OR COUNCIL, LAY OUT RULES THAT BISHOPS HAVE TO USE WHEN THEY FIND ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AGAINST PRIESTS, AGAINST OTHER HIGHER OFFICIALS.

>> WELL, PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE AND THAT LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY DIDN'T EXIST.

I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS.

AN I OUTSIDE OF THE CATHOLIC SETTING.

THE CHRISTIAN WORLD, LOTS OF DENOMINATIONS STRUGGLE WITH THIS VERY SAME ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW -- AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE INDEPENDENT CHURCHES, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE NO ONE TELLING THEM, IMPOSING THESE KINDS OF RULES THAT BRING SOME ACCOUNTABILITY, THIS GOES UN DEMOCRAT WITH.

SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD AND THERE SHOULD BE A CAUTIONARY TALE TO EVERY FAITH THAT YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE LEADERS AND BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS BEHAVIOR WHEN IT HAPPENS.

>> I WONDER, THOUGH.

I AM A CATHOLIC.

I HAD 13 YEARS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL.

THE FACT THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS REALLY SORT OF AN OUTLIER WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING WOMEN A PATH TO LEADERSHIP, IF THAT'S THE REASON, NOW MAYBE THERE ARE THESE PROBLEMS IN OTHER CHURCHES AND I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE SINGULAR IN HAVING SUCH A BIG PROBLEM.

>> WHOLE, I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT MARRIAGE.

IS THIS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TOWARDS ALLOW ING PRIESTS TO MARRY?

>> YOU MENTIONED SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE MILITARY.

IT'S NOT LIKE THERE AREN'T BIG INSTITUTIONS WHERE MARRIAGE IS ALLOWED, WHERE THIS KIND OF STUFF DID YOU WANT GO ON, BUT IT SEALS LIKE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WENT ON HERE, I ACTUALLY THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE PRIESTHOOD IN GENERAL.

I THINK THERE WOULD BE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FLOCK IF THEY'RE HAVING SIMILAR LIVES.

I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.

AND EVERYBODY I KNOW IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAID IT WAS AN ECONOMIC DECISION.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THOSE FAMILIES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, COULD MAKE SOME SENSE.

>> BUT ALSO, IT'S RAISING A LOT OF THE SEMINARIANS ARE WHERE THE OLDER PRIESTS WERE GOING TO FOR THEIR SEXUAL OUTLETS AND IT WAS MALE ON MALE.

WHAT'S THIS GOING TO DO TO THE CHURCH DEALING WITH GAY PRIESTS IN >> I DON'T KNOW.

YOU KNOW, EARLY ON IN HIS TERM, THIS POPE SAID LIVE AND LET LIVE WITH REGARD TO GAY RELATIONSHIPS >> YES.

>> AND WHO AM I TO JUDGE.

I MEAN, HE HAS SAID SOME VERY -- IT MAY HAVE BEEN WHO AM I TO JUDGE IT, NOT LIVE AND LET LIVE, BUT IT WAS SORT OF THE FIRST OPEN DOOR, YOU KNOW, OPEN STATEMENT MADE BY THE CHURCH WITH, AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF AMAZING AND HOPEFUL, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO THINK IF WE'RE CHRISTIANS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO EMBRACE EVERYONE, THAT WE'LL BE COMPASSION NATIONALITY, WE'LL BE UNDERSTANDING, AND SO I THINK THIS PARTICULAR POPE HAS ACTUALLY MADE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT.

>> BUT HE'S MOVING SO SLOWLY.

THE POPE IS LIKE A WORLDWIDE INSTITUTION, SO THEY'VE GIVEN US MCCARRICK.

THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN US MANY MORE OF HE'S TRYING TO MAKE A STATEMENT BY GIVING US A HIGH PRIEST FROM THE NATION'S CAPITOL BUT ONE WONDERS WHETHER THE CHURCH CAN BREAK ITS VERY SLOW WAY TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT'S A PROBLEM OR NOT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.

FROM THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND A HORRIFIC, LITTLE-KNOWN ASPECT OF FIRST WAVE SUFFRAGIST HISTORY: THE RACISM WHITE WOMEN EXHIBITED TOWARD THEIR BLACK COUNTERPARTS IN THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE.

CALL IT EXPLICIT INSENSITIVITY BY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

CALL IT SUSAN B. ANTHONY, ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND OTHER WHITE SUFFRAGISTS ACTING AS PRODUCTS OF THEIR OWN RACIST TIMES.

BUT BLACK SUFFRAGISTS WHO FOUGHT EQUALLY HARD FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE SUFFERED THE DEMORALIZING EFFECT OF RACISM FROM THE WHITE WOMEN RUNNING THE MOVEMENT.

FOR ONE, BLACK WOMEN HAD TO FORM THEIR OWN SUFFRAGE LEAGUE, WHICH MARCHED AT THE BACK OF PARADES ORGANIZED TO PRESS FOR RATIFICATION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT INSTEAD OF WITH THEIR STATE DELEGATIONS AS DID WHITE SUFFRAGISTS.

WHEN THE BLACK SUFFRAGIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER MARY CHURCH TERRELL PETITIONED HER WHITE SISTERS FOR HELP, THEY RESPONDED THAT THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF BLACK WOMEN WAS A RACE PROBLEM, NOT A GENDER PROBLEM, AND BEYOND THE MOVEMENT'S WRIT.

>> WHEN I LOCK AT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE WOMEN'S MARCH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AT LEAST THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE INSTATED BY THE OLDER PILL WHO ACTUALLY STARTED THE MARCH IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT THE YOUNG WOMEN ARE MORE OF COLOR THAN WHITE.

AND THEN I THINK ABOUT THIS EXAMPLE IN HISTORY.

DO WHITE FEMINISTS STILL OWE BLACK FEMINISTS SOMETHING?

WHATEVER THAT MAY BE FOR THE SINS OF THEIR GREAT GRANDMOTHERS >> NO, NO.

NO, NO.

NO DEBTS HERE.

WHAT THESE WOMEN WERE QUOTING IS THE RACISM OF THEIR TIME.

BEAR IN MIND THAT MANY OF THESE SUFFREGETTE LEADER HAD BEEN LEADERS IN THE ABOLITION MOVEMENT.

THE FIRST ABOLITIONISTS WERE WHITE WOMEN.

THEN WHEN WE GOT AS LATE AS THE 20TH CENTURY AND STILL NO MOVEMENT ON HALF THE POPULATION, THEY TOOK A VERY STRATEGIC AND UNPRINCIPLED POSITION, AND ONE WONDERS -- >> WHICH, SPELL IT OUT.

>> AND THEN UNPRINCIPLED POSITION WAS, LIKE, ALL OF THIS, ALL OF THIS DESEGREGATION THAT WE'VE BEEN FOR TAKES A BACK SEAT , AND I MEAN LITERALLY A BACK SEAT.

WE WAITED TOO LONG, AND ESSENTIALLY, THEY MADE A STRATEGIC POSITION.

A STRATEGIC POSITION SURROUNDED BY AVERAGE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY THAT SAID BLACKS WERE INFERIOR ANYWAY.

WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE AND THEY'VE TAKEN CARE OF EVERYBODY BUT US.

WE ARE THE MAJORITY AND WE ARE CLAIMING OUR RIGHTS.

AND IN DOING SO, THEY LOST THE RESPECT OF THE BLACK SUFFRAGETTE S AND WHAT IT TAKES IT DO TWO THING AT ONE TIME.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE WOMEN WERE -- THOUGHT THEY COULD NOT DO, DEAL WITH RACISM AND SEXISM AT THE SAME TIME.

>> WOULD THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED, DO YOU THINK, IF THEY TRIED TO DO BOTH BACK IN THE 19-TEENS?

>> I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A RISK THEY'D HAVE HAD TO TAKE, AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOVEMENT TONIGHT TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY AND TRYING TO -- YOU'RE TIRED OF WAITING, THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAD THE TIME AND SPACE TO TRY TO WORK OUT ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT, BUT I TELL YOU THIS.

I SALUTE THE BLACK WOMEN FOR HAVING THE PERSISTENCE AND THE DEDICATION TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT NOT ONLY FOR THEIR RIGHTS, BUT THEIR FAMILY'S RIGHTS.

>> YOU KNOW, JILL DAVORE WROTE A GREAT BOOK CALLED THESE TRUTHS ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PROMISES OF OUR FOUNDERS.

WE HOLD THESE TRUTH, AND THOSE TRUTHS ARE LIBERTY, EQUALITY, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WERE NOT DELIVERING AT ALL IN A SOCIETY THAT HAD RACISM TONIGHT DIDN'T ALLOW WOMEN BASIC RIGHTS.

IN THE 1960S, THERE IS A CONGRESSMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO KILL THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

HE WAS A JIM CROW DEMOCRAT FROM VIRGINIA.

AND HE SAID I KNOW WHAT I'LL DO.

I'LL PUT WOMEN IN THERE.

AND SO HE PUT WOMEN IN THE BILL AND THE ONLY REASON THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL IN THE 60S HAD COVERED WOMEN IS BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A POISON PILL.

SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS IN THIS TENSION, HIS NAME WAS CONGRESSMAN HOWARD SMITH.

AND HE WAS IN THE EIGHTH DISTRICT WHERE MY HUSBAND NOW SERVES.

HIS SON ACTUALLY WROTE US A LETTER AND TOLD US ABOUT THIS.

I SAID, HE'S OFTEN REFERRED TO WITH US A GREAT FEMINIST FOR HAVING INCLUDED WOMEN, BUT HERE'S THE STORY.

AND JILL LAPORE HAS IT IN HER BOOK, TOO.

>> IT'S SAD TO LOOK BACK AT THIS , KIND OF THE STRATEGIC DECISION THAT WERE MADE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT RACISM JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET WOMEN THE VOTE SO THAT THEN YOU CAN END TEMPERANCE THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE STR ATEGERY BEING.

AGAIN, PULL BACK TO 2018, 2019, AND I LOOK AT THE WOMEN'S MARCH TODAY.

I SEE, UNFORTUNATELY, ANTISEMITISM AMONG THE LEADERS.

AND WHILE WE HAVE A MORE DIVERSE WOMEN'S LEADER -- MOVEMENT IN SEE PEOPLE'S PREJUDICES STILL COME OUT.

>> THAT ANTISEMITISM IS ONE PERSON.

>> TWO.

>> TWO?

>> BEFORE THIS, -- >> THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE LEADERS OF THIS MOVEMENT.

IN FACT, THIS MOVEMENT, WE NEVER HEARD THE NAMES OF THESE PEOPLE.

HAD IT BEEN THE ONES WHO STEPPED UP AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE STEPPED UP AGAINST IT.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A NEW WOMEN'S MARCH WAS CALLED A MONTH OR SO AGO, THEY SAID THEY'RE NOT DOCK THIS NATIONALLY.

WE'RE DOING THIS IN OUR STATES SO WE ARE NOT CONTAMINATED WITH THIS ANTISEMITISM.

>> WHICH FANTASTIC, DELEGATE NORTON.

I'M GLAD AT THE STATED LEVEL PEOPLE PUSH BACK AGAINST THE ANTISEMITISM.

I WHAT'S GOING TO CONTEST THERE ISN'T THAT AMONG THE LEADERSHIP.

>> AND IT'S TWO OUT OF FIVE.

THOUGHT TWO OUT OUT OF 100 MILLION.

>> BUT THIS IS NOT LIKE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHERE YOU REALLY DID HAVE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOMINATED AND BECAME YOUR LEADERS.

THESE ARE FIVE WOMEN THAT STEPPED UP.

THERE'S THIS THING THAT SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IF IT I WERE TO ASK YOU TO NAME EVEN ONE OF THOSE LEADERS, YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T, BECAUSE NOBODY EVER HEARD OF THEM.

IT'S TRUE THEY STARTED EVERY OTHER GROUP OF WOMEN, WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WANT TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.

SO IT KIND OF -- >> AND WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT IT, IT'S A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT.

>> WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

MY LARGER POINT IS THAT THROUGHOUT HISTORY, PREJUDICE IS AN INDIVIDUAL'S WILLS WILL BUBBLE UP.

IN 100 YEARS PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK NOW AT THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AND POINTED THAT OUT.

HOPEFULLY WE'RE ADDRESSING IT, DEALING WITH IT, ASK THEN PUSH IT ASIDE AND NOT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AND BEING THE SAME PEOPLE WE WERE 100 YEARS AGO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

BEHIND THE HEADLINE.

WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES: WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

WE INTERVIEWED TWO VERY PROMINENT AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, RBARA LEE AND KAREN BASS, WHO VE SECURED THEIR OWN SPOTS IN E HISTORY BOOKS.

>> AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IS ALWAYS A VERY POSITIVE THING, AND IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT UP THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT BLACK AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO U.S. HISTORY.

I DO LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN IT'S NOT REALLY NEEDED, BECAUSE AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD BE COMPLETELY INCORPORATED INTO U.S. HISTORY, BUT WE HAVEN'T ACHIEVED THAT DAY YET.

>> REPRESENTATIVE BASS CHAIRS THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.

BASS BELIEVES THERE'S NO AMERICAN HISTORY WITHOUT BLACK HISTORY AND SHE SEES IT AS A LEVEL HISTORY WITH NOTABLES SUCH AS STACY ABRAMS WE CAN BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO DELIVER THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, WE ALSO POINTS TO PERSONAL SHEROS.

>> MY ROLE MODELS?

OH MANY PEOPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE WOMAN WHO WAS IN CONGRESS BEFORE ME, CONGRESSWOMAN DIANE WATSON IS ABSOLUTELY A ROLE MODEL.

SHE IS A PERSON THAT RECRUITED ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE THE FIRST TIME AND ALSO TO RUN FOR HER SIGHT AND SHE DECIDED TO RETIRE.

AND I CALL ON HER RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A WOMAN REACHING BACK TO A YOUNGER WOMAN AND SAYING, COME ONBOARD.

ONE THAT I ALWAYS LOOK TO IS HARRIET TUBMAN, AN ENCLAVED WOMAN WHO DEVOTED HER LIFE TO INDUSTRYING ON AFRICANS WHO WERE ENSLAVED.

AND SHE WAS A SOLDIER.

AND I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP ROLE IN HISTORY.

>> BASS MADE HISTORY HERSELF AS A LEADER BREAKING BARRIERS.

>> WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE , MY LAST TERM I WAS ELECTED SPEAKER, AND I REMEMBER THAT RACE AND IT WAS VERY EXCITING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING WAS WHEN THEY DID THE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE HADN'T BEEN AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SPEAKER ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND SO MY ELECTION TO THE SPEAKERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA WAS THE FIRST TIME AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN HAD BEEN ELECTED SPEAKER OF ANY LEGISLATIVE BODY.

>> REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA LEE, FORMER CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, CREDITS HER POLITICAL CAREER TO A PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORIC FIGURE.

>> MY ENTREE UNTIL POLITICS REALLY WAS START.

FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN, WOMAN ELECTED TO CONGRESS WHO ALSO RAN FOR PRESIDENT, AND THAT WAS CONGRESSWOMAN SHIRLEY CHISOLM.

AND SHE HE KNOW SCOURGED ME TO RUN, ENCOURAGED MY TO REGISTER TO VOTE, FIRST OF ALL, AND GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

AND FAST FORWARD TO WHEN I WAS ELECTED IN 1998.

I WAS THE 20TH AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN ONLY SINCE 1789 TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

>> LEE ALSO SEES HER MOTHER AS A ROLE MODEL AND A WOMAN WORTHY OF NOTE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.

>> MY MOTHER, MY LATE MOTHER, SHE WAS A PHENOMENAL WOMAN.

SHE BROKE MANY GLASS CEILINGS.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 12 STUDENTS TO INTEGRATE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO.

SHE WAS I THINK THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN CIVILIAN WHO WORKED AT FORT BLISS, AND SHE CALLED MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE DOWN TO HER UNIVERSITY AT 1 POINT AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE OF ONE WOMAN COULDN'T JOIN THE SORORITY BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE COLOR ISSUE AND MY MOTHER SAID I'M NOT GOING TO JOIN IF THEY CAN'T JOIN.

SO MARY McLEOD BETHUNE CAME DOWN AND BROKE THAT UP.

>> LEE BELIEVES IT'S CRITICAL TO TELL THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE U.S. >> YOU LOOK AT FANNY LUHAMER AND SOJOURNER TRUTH, IDA B WELLS AND DOROTHY HEIGHTS AND SHIRLEY CHISOLM AND ALL THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US.

WHAT THEY DID JUST TO PAVE THE WAY.

THEY STRUGGLE AND I KNEW MANY OF THEM.

AND THEY HAD A HARD TIME, BUT THEY DIDN'T LOOK BACK, AND SHE KEPT GOING.

AND I THINK THE INSPIRATION THAT I GET FROM THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME AND THE GRATITUDE I HAVE FOR THEM KEEPS ME HUMBLE IN ONE RESPECT, BECAUSE AS HARD AS IT'S BEEN FOR MYSELF, I MEAN, IN NO WAY DID I EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED.

>> LEE SAYS THIS HISTORY IS EMPOWERING FOR YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN.

SHE SHARES AT HIS WITH FRESHMAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO CALL HER THEIR BIG SISTER SUCH AS IONA PRESLEY OF MASSACHUSETTS.

>> I WAS SHOWING IONA PRESLEY A PHOTO OF MYSELF AND THE HONORABLE SHIRLEY CHISOLM IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN SHIRLEY CHISOLM CAME OUT TO HELP ME IN MY FIRST ELECTION FOR THE ASSEMBLY.

IONA IS SO PROUD AND HAPPY THAT SHE HAS SHIRLEY CHISOLM'S OFFICE I HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE THAT WITH I, ON NA TO LET HER KNOW THAT I KNOW WHAT SHE FEELS AND HOW SHE'S FEELING AND THE INVASION THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED FROM JUST BEING IN SHIRLEY CHISOLM'S OFFICE.

>> SO PATRICE, THE WOMEN, THE BLACK WOMEN YOU KNOW WHO ARE INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND MAKING HISTORY, ARE THEY GETTING ENOUGH NATIONAL ATTENTION, DO YOU THINK >> I THINK SO.

I MEAN, MY HERO, ONE OF THEM, IS DOCTOR CONDOLEZZA RICE AND EVERYBODY WANTS HER TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT EVERY ELECTION CYCLE.

AND SO I THINK THE POINT MADE THAT WE SHOULDN'T JUST HAVE ONE MONTH DEAD I COULD I HAD TO LEARNING ABOUT OUR BLACK SHEROS OR BLACK HEROS IN GENERAL.

IT SHOULD BE WOVEN THROUGHOUT TEACHING AND CIVICS AND U.S. HISTORY.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT.

>> ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF BLACK HISTORY TO GET IT WRITTEN, TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I MEAN, TO REMIND PEOPLE TO USE A PERIOD IN TIME EVERY YEAR TO REMIND PEOPLE AND TO HOPE ONE DAY THAT THE BARBARA LEES.

WORLD ARE WRITTEN AND THE CONGRESSWOMAN NORTONS ARE WRITTEN INTO HISTORY, AS WOMEN THEY SHOULD BE IT >> I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THE MONTH AND I AGREE WITH THE MONTH.

I CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT PEOPLE LIKE SARA BOONE, WHO WAS AN I KNOW VENTER IN THE EARLY 1900S.

SHE CREATE THE IRONING BOARD AND A LOT OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE FOLKS.

>> OR THE WOMEN WHO CODED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO.

EXACTLY.

THE WOMEN WHO SENT THE FIRST SPACESHIP, U.S. SHIP INTO SPACE.

THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN AND BE WEAVE HE KNOW INTO OUR U.S. CIVICS HISTORY.

>> I'M GLAD THAT YOU FEATURED BLACK HISTORY MONTH WOMEN.

BY THE WAY, THE GROWTH IN WOMEN IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, AND BOTH OF THESE WOMEN HAD BEEN CHAIRS OF OUR CAUCUS.

THE GROWTH OF WOMEN AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN -- SORRY, AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS SAYS EVERYTHING ABOUT HOW AFRICAN-AMERICANS PERCEIVE LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE FOR FRONT OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WOMEN CAN DO AND THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN WHO REPRESENT DISTRICTS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT FAITH IN WHAT WOMEN CAN DO.

>> DO YOU THINK WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN, CONSERVATIVE BLACK WOMEN HAVE GOTTEN ENOUGH CREDIT AND ATTENTION IN THE HISTORY BOOKS?

>> I THINK MORE ATTENTION COULD BE GIVEN THERE.

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT K PULSE JAMES AND TAKING THE HELMET AT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND HER POSITION THERE IS -- IT RESONATES BACK OUT TO ALL OF AMERICA IN TERMS OF AN IMAGE OF A PERSON WHO CAN LEAD, A PERSON WITH, YOU KNOW, A STELLAR BACKGROUND ACROSS MULTIPLE SECTORS WHOSE DYNAMIC AND WHO HAS HAD AN IMPACT.

SO AS YOU SAID, WE'RE AT A POINT NOW IN HISTORY WHERE THESE THINGS ARE BEING WOVEN IN, MORE INTO THE DAILY NEWS CYCLE AND JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY CONVERSATION ABOUT WHO'S DOING WHAT.

I JUST SAY WE NEED MORE WOMEN.

THOSE WHO WRITE HISTORY ARE THE WINNERS, AND WE'VE GOT TO WIN MORE ELECTIONS.

>> WELL, BUT GIVEN HOW LONG -- I MEAN, SHIRLEY CHISOLM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT WAS MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO NOW.

HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE UNTIL HER ACHIEVEMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN THROUGH ALL OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY BOOKS?

>> RIGHT.

WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL -- >> SORRY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRAY.

WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK, TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

FOR A TRANSCRIPT OR TO SEE AN ONLINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE OF TO THE CONTRARY, PLEASE VISIT OUR PBS WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TO THE CONTRARY.