Just in time for Black History month, black and white and colored photographs of African American women are canvassed across the white washed walls of the 2,000-square foot Skylight Gallery in Bedford Stuyvesant.  The exhibition entitled Her Word as Witness: Portraits of Women Writers of the African Diaspora, features 35 portraits of African-American women who are considered among the most influential writers of this era.

“Black women have not always been revered,” said filmmaker Dominga Martin, who is featured in the exhibit. “We have been shunned by society and are still trying to make our presence known.”

Inspired by women of color who have impacted her life as an artist, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, a Brooklyn-based photographer who has been working on the project since 2008, focused on the literacy of women writers, including Sonia Sanchez, Demetria Lucas, and Martin. The show, which opened in December, is the photographer’s third solo exhibit.

Martin, an award winning writer, producer, director and co-founder of CrèmeMagazine.com, says she found her voice when she was 16-years-old.

“I remember raising my hand saying I don’t know how to write,” she said.  It wasn’t until she attended a historically Black college, Clark Atlanta University, that she considered pursuing writing as a career.

Since then she has directed two short films, appeared in the Roxbury film festival, created a music video with R&B artists Floacist and Musiq Soulchild, and has also freelanced for magazines including VIBE and UPSCALE, Men’s Fitness online and Blackfilm.com.

As a writer, one of the main goals of Martin’s work is to inspire younger generations.  “I want young kids, especially young Black kids in the hood to know that their voice is important and they matter,” she said, adding that she feels honored to be featured in the gallery during Black History month.

Che Baraka a curator who has worked at the Skylight Gallery for 30 years, believes that young people today are more focused on pop culture than Black history.  “It’s important for them to understand how rich the Black culture really is,” he said.  “More and more women are shedding layers to African-American history.”

This exhibit certainly fits that notion by putting women, who often go unnoticed, in the spotlight, according to gallery manager Jackie Woods. “As women, we are not portrayed as frequently as men are when it comes to our history,” she said.  Woods believes this exhibit allows African-American women to appreciate their differences and embrace their Blackness.  Gallery visitors seem to appreciate the sentiment.

“It’s really an eye opener that there are so many Black women in New York who have made great strides,” said Shelly Woodward, a resident of Bedford Stuyvesant as she walked through the exhibit.

The exhibition will be showcased at Restoration Plaza’s Skylight Gallery until March 31. It is scheduled to travel to other venues in New York City and throughout the United States in coming months.