Black feminist pioneer Dorothy Pitman Hughes dies at 84

NEW YORK -- Dorothy Pitman Hughes, a leader in the struggle for racial and gender equality here in New York City and around the nation, has died at the age of 84. She was a woman who was way ahead of her time, and her legacy is all around us.

She was a force in so many areas: a feminist, community activist, child welfare advocate, and pioneering business woman.

Pitman Hughes was a leader in a time of change, and an advocate for a world that was to become.

"I knew that Dorothy was absolutely fearless. It was always clear that if she was running the revolution you wanted to go to it," Gloria Steinem said.

Pitman Hughes co-founded Ms. magazine with Steinem, who said she was a powerhouse in New York City, creating the first multi-racial non-sexist child care center. Steinem added, "She was a genius street organizer of all the merchants along 125th Street."

Pitman Hughes founded the first battered women's shelter, a New York agency for child development, and she took here message to the nation.

"She would talk about the difficult issues of the things like racism in the woman's movement," University of Pittsburgh Professor Laura Lovett said.

Lovett said Pitman Hughes and Steinem traveled 200 days out of a year, always sharing the stage.

"Having difficult conversations around race, along with having a visible, paired friendship, was going to be a way of thinking about how to make this larger project," Lovett said.

Janelle Monae portrayed Pitman Hughes on the big screen in a film about Steinem's life.

Pitman Hughes and Steinem teamed up for an iconic photo, now in the National Portrait Gallery's Smithsonian collection.

"We did a version of the same photograph as old ladies, and she was still telling me how to make a fist," Steinem said.

Pitman Hughes was born in Lumkin, Georgia, which dedicated a plaque in her honor to highlight her extraordinary life. On her 82nd birthday, she Zoomed with Steinem and reflected on her life.

"No, we are not afraid to move ourselves in the direction of caring about people. I would think that anything you want to do, call me, we'll get it done," Pitman Hughes said.

"Forever," Steinem added.

Pitman Hughes is survived by her three daughters, and, of course, by a legacy that started a movement that continues to this day.