Asia Coney: Role in the Million Woman March

Overview

Asia Coney is an African American community activist best known as the co-founder and national co-chair of the Million Woman March, a mass gathering of Black women held on October 25, 1997, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Alongside her colleague Phile Chionesu, Coney conceived and organized the march as a grassroots, independent effort to address the social, economic, and political concerns of African American women. The event drew an estimated 500,000 to 2 million participants, making it one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history. Coney’s role was central to the march’s planning, messaging, and execution, and she emerged as a prominent voice advocating for the self-determination and unity of Black women.

History / Background

Asia Coney was a Philadelphia-based community activist and former welfare recipient who had long been involved in local efforts to support Black women and families. In the mid-1990s, she and Phile Chionesu, a fellow Philadelphia activist, began discussing the need for a large-scale, independent gathering of Black women that would focus on healing, empowerment, and collective action. The two women were motivated by a desire to create a space that was not defined by mainstream civil rights organizations or political parties, but rather by the lived experiences of everyday Black women. They envisioned a march that would address issues such as economic self-sufficiency, education, health care, criminal justice reform, and the strengthening of Black families and communities.

In early 1997, Coney and Chionesu formally announced plans for the Million Woman March, setting the date for October 25 of that year. The organizing effort was largely conducted from Coney’s home in Philadelphia, relying on a network of volunteers, word-of-mouth promotion, and the emerging use of the internet and fax machines to spread the call. The march was intentionally independent of established civil rights organizations, a decision that underscored the grassroots, woman-centered philosophy of its founders. Coney’s background as a working-class mother and her deep roots in Philadelphia’s Black community lent authenticity and urgency to the mobilization effort.

Importance and Impact

Asia Coney’s role in the Million Woman March was pivotal. As national co-chair, she helped shape the march’s platform, which centered on the themes of “Repentance, Resurrection, and Restoration.” The event called for Black women to take personal and collective responsibility for addressing issues such as poverty, addiction, domestic violence, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Coney’s speeches emphasized the power of Black women as agents of change within their families and communities, and she consistently highlighted the importance of economic independence through entrepreneurship and cooperative economics.

The march itself drew participants from across the United States and beyond, with estimates of the crowd ranging from 500,000 to over 2 million. It filled the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, creating a sea of women that stretched for blocks. The event featured speeches, musical performances, and testimonials from everyday women, rather than relying on celebrity speakers. This approach reflected Coney’s belief that the march should amplify the voices of ordinary Black women. The success of the march demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing and inspired subsequent gatherings, including the Million Youth March and the Millions More Movement.

Why It Matters

Asia Coney’s role in the Million Woman March matters because it exemplifies how individuals outside traditional power structures can mobilize massive numbers of people around a shared vision of justice and empowerment. The march challenged the notion that only established leaders or organizations could effect large-scale social change. Coney’s emphasis on the intersection of race, gender, and class prefigured later movements such as Black Lives Matter and the Women’s March, which also centered the experiences of marginalized groups. Her work continues to be studied as a model of grassroots, community-driven activism that prioritizes the needs and voices of those most affected by systemic inequality.

Common Misconceptions