Founded in 1991, the OWWA aims to promote the oral and written literature of African women, and address issues concerning publishing, censorship and human progress.
[2] Board members have included J. E. Franklin, Cheryll Y. Greene, Rashidah Ismaili, Louise Meriwether, Maya Angelou, Rosamond S. King, Margaret Busby, Gabrielle Civil, Alexis De Veaux, LaTasha N. Diggs, Zetta Elliott, Donette Francis, Paula Giddings, Renée Larrier, Tess Onwueme, Coumba Touré, Maryse Condé, Nancy Morejón, and Sapphire.
[7] Cortex's statement of welcome announced the ambition of the event: Black women writers from around the globe have been struggling against poverty, racism, exploitation, gender oppression, censorship and other human rights violations.
[9][10] Participants, who came from more than a dozen countries, included Angela Davis, Angelique Nixon, Akachi Ezeigbo, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Camille Dungy, Eintou Pearl Springer, Évelyne Trouillot, Gina Athena Ulysse, Lola Shoneyin, Monica Arac de Nyeko, Natalia Molebatsi, Véronique Tadjo, Virginia Phiri, Wana Udobang, Wangui wa Goro, Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, and others.
[11][12] The organization has also created an ongoing series of videotaped conversations with creative women, and launched a literary literacy project to connect young students to writers.