March 10 marks the National Day of Rest for Black Women, a time to honor the legacy of Harriet Tubman and the ongoing fight for rest as a fundamental right. This day invites Black women to pause, reflect, and reclaim rest as an act of self-care and resistance. Below, we share the essence of this observance, along with historical images and resources.

Today, we acknowledge the National Day of Rest for Black Women in honor of Harriet Tubman, whose legacy of bravery and activism has influenced Black women throughout history. Today, we call on Black women everywhere to pause for a moment and mindfully reflect on rest as its own power and act of resistance.

Rest is not a reward—it’s a human right. Let this be a reminder to take time to Rest. Reflect. Realign. Reconnect.

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Photo Credits

• Natalie Cole, 1973.
• Freda Payne, 1975.
• Eartha Kitt.
• Mahalia Jackson.
• Mahalia Jackson. Photographs by Isaac Sutton.
• Maya Angelou. Photograph by G. Marshall Wilson.
• Patti Labelle. Photograph by Todd Charles Duncan.
• Judy Pace, 1971. Photograph by Leroy Patton.

Johnson Publishing Company Archive. Courtesy J. Paul Getty Trust and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Made possible by the Ford Foundation, J. Paul Getty Trust, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Smithsonian Institution.

Sources

• National Museum of African American History and Culture: The National Day of Rest for Black Women
• The Black Woman’s Rest Revolution