March marks Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on and praise the significant contributions women have made to American history. This month serves as an opportunity to honor the groundbreaking achievements of women, both past and present.
Jan West ’73, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rice, is the assistant director of multicultural community relations in the Office of Public Affairs. She has worked at the university for more than three decades, and she sat down with Rice News to discuss a variety of topics.
Q: Will you share what Women’s History Month means to you personally?
A: Women’s History Month represents another opportunity for me to learn about, to reflect upon and to show gratitude to a significant part of the population whose accomplishments and ideas frequently go unnoticed and are notacknowledged.
Q: Why do you think it’s important to recognize women’s contributions to history, both during Women’s History Month and year-round?
A: Women often have the unique role of shaping the lives and thinking of future generations in ways that men do not. They often are the primary caregivers of their children and the children of others. Individuals are better equipped to nurture and support others when they are self-confident and feel valued. Women’s History Month celebrations play an important role in seeing that this encouragement happens.
Q: What women have significantly impacted your life or career?
A: My paternal and maternal grandmothers significantly impacted my career and personal life. I consider these two women as one team that invested in me and shared the best of their personalities.
Vivan Diamond, my maternal grandmother, was the shining star in my life. She only had a fifth grade education but inspired me to be a voracious reader.
She was an early childhood educator when that title barely existed … at least not in my neighborhood. We often went on nature walks because she could not drive.
She taught me set theory — “Jan, please sort the washcloths by color and then count the number in each group.” When I was 3, she unknowingly made me bilingual and gave me an appreciation for learning different languages — she spoke French and Creole with her best friend when gossiping and did not realize that I understood every word.
She helped to finance a vacation to Disneyland when I was 6. I saw mountains and the deserts, met people from other cultures and went to many places that a little Black girl from Port Arthur, Texas, could only think about going in the early 1950s. She bought three-fourths of a piano (in conjunction with the other grandmother,) paid for the lessons and then came up with extra money for dancing lessons. To this day, I love the arts.
Her biggest sacrifice and contribution were when she took on a job as a housekeeper to help my parents pay for my Rice education. She was a senior citizen by this point.
My paternal grandmother, Madie Tackwood, contributed in different but significant ways. She showed me how to plan and organize events and projects. She was deeply religious, but she knew how to forgive.
One of these women helped me learn traits that taught me hope in turbulent times, and the other taught me comfort and compassion for the failings of myself and others. Both knew what it was like to be maligned and mistreated in a society that did not always value them, but they never allowed me to use this as an excuse for not doing my best and upholding others.
Some years ago, I came across a newspaper article that had a picture of my grandmother and her sister at a meeting of the local chapter of the National Association of Colored Women. This organization supported women’s suffrage and other ways of combating sexism and racism. The group’s motto was “lifting as we climb” and was a call to its members to uplift and support others, especially those facing similar challenges as they reached for progress and success.
I had great parents, but the foundations provided by this team of grandmothers made an indelible impression on my life.
On May 8, I will receive the Rice Laureates Award for Meritorious Service. Thank you, grandmothers!
Q: Which historical women’s figures do you feel are often overlooked, and why should we pay more attention to their contributions?
A: Everyday Black women are often overlooked — my ancestors and others who were often denigrated and stereotyped but still raised their families, put food on the table, buried their sons too early, tried to keep hope alive and lifted others as they climbed … and they were often overlooked.
Their very survival and the survival of their families are a testament to their strength, intelligence, creativity and resilience. There is a tendency to forget that these women of history are not privileged, unique or “special.” It is often that their stories are not told.
During COVID-19, when people were pretty much restricted to home, on evenings and weekends I watched a lot of documentaries about women of color. I knew a lot about Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mary McLeod Bethune, Zora Neale Hurston, Shirley Chisholm and others thanks to the grandmother who taught me to read and love reading; but there were many others that I learned about, who started out as everyday people with a desire to survive, take care of their families and build their communities and ended up changing the world. When their stories are told, their stories empower others.
Q: What is the most important lesson we can learn from the women in history who have paved the way for future generations?
A: Be tough and never give up — but in the most compassionate, empathetic way possible, we should bring others along to experience their success as well.
Q: What role do you think education plays in shaping awareness of women’s history and contributions?
A: Educational settings can provide programs and projects, which expand awareness of the contributions of women. Educational settings can model by example those gender equity practices that make others aware of the accomplishments of women.
Q: How do you see the future of women’s rights evolving, and what steps should be taken to ensure progress continues?
A: Prior to January 2025, I may have had a different response. At this point, I see the need to stand up for what has been accomplished, and to be resilient is paramount, especially for women of color.
Q: What are some key areas where women’s voices still need more representation, in history and in present-day society?
A: Some women will need to see others in nontraditional roles they never imagined possible for themselves. Mentors and role models who look like them help with that.
Q: As a woman, what challenges or successes have shaped your own journey and career?
A: As a Black female growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, I faced many barriers to developing self-confidence and self-worth. Even my dad, who was very proud of me and my academic accomplishments, surprised me with his beliefs that a college education was enough and that certain careers were not meant for women. However,
I was blessed to have been successful in achieving a college education with distinction at Rice. Though I still met challenges, this degree at least got my foot in the door and provided me with the confidence to take risks.
Q: How can women support each other more effectively in both professional and personal spaces?
A: Women can support each other by serving as mentors and by supporting each other’s ideas or at least making sure that their voices are heard in work settings. I am not unique, unfortunately, of expressing an idea in a work setting and having it ignored only to have the same idea expressed moments later by a male colleague who is then applauded for his remarks. When female colleagues reaffirm you in a work setting, it is empowering.
Q: What advice would you give to young women today who want to make their mark in history?
A: I would advise them to know their history. Many women who have come before them can serve as models for problem-solving, resiliency and hope.
Q: How can men be allies in recognizing and supporting women’s achievements during Women’s History Month and beyond?
A: Men can serve as mentors and can provide access to opportunity in both the professional and private lives of women. I thank and give credit to both James Bernard Giles, director of admission at Rice in 1969, and Alan Grob, professor of English at Rice, who relentlessly pursued me to come to Rice. Both acknowledged my achievements by recommending me for future opportunities.