Dana R. Mitchell, a 47-year-old minister at Destiny World Church outside of Atlanta, poses with a King James version of the minister’s manual and a 9mm handgun. She’s among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. Mitchell said she had been in a household with firearms. “I wasn’t a stranger to them but I always had that fear.” That changed after she was invited her to the range with some other women, she kept seeing news reports of violence and a friend had her purse stolen while pumping gas. “I woke up one day watching TV and I said, you have to get over this,” she said. She’s now more aware of her surroundings and is learning how to prepare herself in case she becomes a potential victim. “I don’t want this sweet face to fool you."
Alicia Kelley poses for a portrait in Decatur, Ga., while checking the chamber on her handgun. Kelley is a 36-year-old banker who lives in Buford, Ga. She’s among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own firearms. "I fell in love with shooting at the range,” she says. When she and her husband bought a home, they decided to buy a firearm for protection. “As times have changed, it’s good to have home protection,” she said of violence and the tension in today’s unpredictable political climate. “It’s so unpredictable. People used to hide behind the computer but now they’re coming out. You don’t know who you’re going to run into. Nowadays people are acting before they’re thinking."
Corelle Owens poses for a portrait in Decatur, Ga., while holding a Glock in 40 S&W. Owens is a 45-year-old resident of Mableton, Ga., and flight attendant. She’s among the ranks of the nation’s black women who are learning how to use a firearm, deciding to go to the range and learn how to shoot after her car, phone, tablet, and wallet were stolen in March. She’s thinking of purchasing a revolver, considering it an ideal firearm for home protection. Thieves, she said, "they’re armed too so what are you going to do if you don’t have a gun?” She’s intent on perfecting her skills and learning as much as she can on the safest ways to handle a firearm. “I work in a job where safety is paramount and I want to do it the right way."
Daphne Jordan poses with her Walther PK380 handgun in Decatur, Ga. She’s among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. Jordan, a 44-year-old clinical field specialist at a biotech firm, said she hadn’t grown up around firearms. "It was somewhat viewed as taboo, as bad,” she said. In high school, she joined the ROTC rifle team and was one of its best shooters. But once she graduated, she forgot about it and didn’t pick it up again until years later. In 2015, she came home to discover she had been burglarized. “I just felt violated.” She decided to learn how to shoot again and how to protect herself. But she didn’t want to do it alone. So she became a certified firearms instructor and began teaching other women at the range. She enjoys the camaraderie and helping to empower other women. “It’s not second nature, and that’s something I’m changing,” she said.
Dr. Janella Thomas-Burse, a 53-year-old gynecologist, poses with her SCCY 9mm handgun. She’s among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. She only recently purchased a firearm, deciding to get one for self-protection. “It just seemed like it was a no-no and so dangerous,” she said of owning one. “I like it but I don’t get that adrenaline rush like a lot of folks. I’m still working with the comfort level."
Laura Manning poses with her Springfield Armory handgun in Decatur, Ga. Manning, a 50-year-old payroll specialist in Atlanta, is among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. An empty nester who is the mother of three children, she said she decided she needed to take responsibility for her own safety. "What’s going to happen if something goes bump in the night? I need to protect myself,” she said.
Lois Woods, an investigator with a career in law enforcement, poses for a portrait in Decatur, Ga., holding her Glock firearm. Woods is a firearms instructor and among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. She decided to become an instructor after going through the academy and encountering an instructor whose approach did more to instill fear than inspire her to be a good shooter. She now teaches at a range in metro Atlanta. It used to be rare to see a black woman at the range, she said. “When they come in and I’m walking out and they see my shirt, they look at me with amazement,” Woods said. Self-protection is the overwhelming reason she hears most women cite for learning how to shoot. “The fear of being a victim outweighs everything else,” Woods says. (AP Photo/Lisa Marie Pane)
Markysha Clarke poses for a portrait in Decatur, Ga., with her Taurus PT111 handgun. Clarke, a 40-year-old marketing specialist for a bank. Clarke is among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. She started taking classes but each time, “the nervous jitters” would creep in. Then about a month ago, she decided to buy a firearm for protection. She worries about remaining safe should she ever be stopped by a police officer. “As a black person in America, this is a major problem,” she said. “You hope and pray you’re following all the rules and that officer stopping you is following all the rules and doesn’t have an agenda."
Stayce Robinson poses for a portrait in Decatur, Ga., with her AR-15. Robinson, 49, from Douglasville, Ga., is an entrepreneur and tax analyst for a software company. She also is among the ranks of the nation’s black women who own a firearm. Robinson grew up around firearms because her grandparents were business owners and had them for protection. She got her first firearm at 18. "I’ve never been scared of guns. I respect their power,” she said. “It actually got me dates.” Her first gun was a .380 caliber pistol. She’s also owned a revolver, a .38 caliber and a 9mm. Her gun collection kept getting bigger, she said. This past Christmas, her husband bought her an AR-15. “It’s the best gift ever,” she said. She worries about the violence in the world, from home invasions to politically-inspired violence. “If I’m placed in the position to have to use a gun, I won’t hesitate.”
