I found our discussion on black maternal identity on the notion that whether we belong to our parents or do they belongs to us to be very interesting. In my opinion I believe its a combination of both. As children our parents care for us and teach us values that they believe and essentially we as children cannot survive without someone providing for us. So in that sense I believe we belong to our parents but as you grow up and become your own person you begin to break away. While you become more independent your parents get older and will eventually need you in some way to help them and your roles will switch.

The Passing Down of Pain

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/23/debate-stirs-viral-video-trinidadian-mother-disciplining-daughter/

There has been a viral video going around of a Trinidadian mother punishing her daughter for posting an inappropriate photo on a social network. I've found in my personal life that the pain that black mothers experience often gets passed down to their daughters in one way or another. In Beloved, Sethe feels her mother's pain, and Sethe's children feel hers. I feel like the mother in the video was acting out some previous pain she had experienced by choosing to discipline her daughter in this way.

While we were in class, I found it very interesting to hear the mother to daughter dynamic for the women in the class.  With that being said, I instantly knew what my final post would be.  This spoken word piece embodies the mother daughter dynamic to me perfectly.  I believe many of you would agree after watching.  It is a POWERFUL piece, so proceed with caution lol.

In class the question was asked, Do mothers own their children or do children own their mothers? I believe that mothers own their children and children own their mothers. In Beloved both Sethe and Beloved claim each other. Mothers own their children because, they simple give birth to them and raise them. Children also give their mothers a since of freedom, and power. Children own their mothers because they have the power to make their mothers do anything to make sure they never have to live the way they did ow make the same mistakes.

"Thick Black Love"

"It ain't my job to know what's worse. It is my job to know what is and to them away from what I know is terrible I did that" (P. 194).

In my opinion, I believe it is wrong to kill your children, but a mother will do anything for their child, even if it results in death. I think this is a form of "thick black love" and Sethe did what she felt was right for child, so she did not have to go through the oppression, abuse, and torture that was involved in being a slave. Sethe felt as if she was going to do what it took to be the best mother, she thought she could be with for her children. Her aspect of protecting her children might of been un-ruling, but that is all she knew since she did not have a strong relationship with her biological mother. She did not have a relationship with her mother, which lead to her not being attached to hers. African American women have a different way on doing things for their children or reflecting what they learned and using that method with their children, which either helps or hurts them.

Maternal/Child Claiming

I believe that everyone has a different outlook on this subject. I grew up in the church and from my understanding we are all God's property. I own not my mother nor does she own me. Yes we introduce each other as "my mother" or "my daughter" but in actuality we are all God's children. I apologize, but then again I don't, for bringing in my religious view about the topic but as discussed in class I had no relationship with my biological mother and the mother that raised me was unaffectionate so all I really had we my religion and The Lord.

Do Mothers Own Their Children?

My answer to that question is no.  I believe the children own the parents. From a biblical prospective, children are only given to parents temporarily.  Psalms 127:3 teaches that "children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."  Parents have an obligation to raise their children in a manner parallel to biblical standards—and ultimately in a way that gives us back to Christ. Our parents raise us, teach us, and nurture us. As we get older, we move on and we move away. We are then in a sense given back to the world to discover things on our own and to become our own missionary.

Maternal Curse?

"Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all." Sethe says this to Paul D when he tells her that her love is too thick. I feel like black mothers try to prevent their children, especially their daughters, from experiencing the hardships that they experienced growing up. My mother tells me all the time, "I don't want you to be like me. I want you to be better." While this is sweet and all, the "thick love" that black mothers have toward their children is not always good. This "thick love," also known as tough love can harm the mother-child relationship. An example of this could be Sethe and her children. Sethe's two sons left her. Her relationship with Denver was only going ok because they were all each other had. Sethe's choice to love her child enough  to kill her haunted her. When Beloved arrived her thick love flipped on her.










My personal story is that I always told my mom that I would be a totally different mother than my mother. I wanted my children to know that I love them and I was going to show and tell them all the time. I was going to be the kind of mother who didn't yell too much, but made sure that my children respected me and did what they were supposed to do. This seemed to be the perfect mother. When I had my daughter, I just couldn't get enough of her. I wanted to hold her all the time, but my mother would tell me to put her down because she would expect for someone to hold her all the time. Is that so bad? Now that my daughter is almost 2 years old, she's learning new things and her mind is wandering. I find myself yelling and "being mean" toward my daughter when she's being hard headed. It's hard not to because that's what my mother did toward me. I tend to feel bad afterward, but at the same time I look at how I show my daughter more affection than my mom does.










Black mothers often imitate how their mothers raised them. A quote from class that stood out to me was, "The black mother is a lost child." I feel like this is true because not many black mothers got to experience true "motherly love." The love that they experienced was that "thick love" that Sethe had toward their children. They try to prepare their children for what is possible to happen, but they don't know if it can or will happen. This "thick love" seems to be passed down from generation to generation, but when will it stop? If we can't find a way to balance love and affection with preparing our children to be great adults, then our plan will continue to fail. Times seem to be getting worse, and instead of our daughters becoming queens and doing something with their lives, they will continue to make our community looks bad. Is thick love a maternal curse? Or will it some day benefit us and our community?


Here is a video about what it can do to us.
http://youtu.be/_AdRs5fEy-k

Thick Love

In our class discussion about Black Maternal Identity we discussed "thick love". Within "thick love" African-American mothers choose and are sometimes forced by circumstance to love their children without as much visible and tangible affection. This may or may not include the way that they talk to their children, the way that they participate with their children, and the way that they simply tell their children, "I love you". "thick love" is something that almost all black children experience at the hands of the oppression that their mothers and grandmothers have faced for generation upon generation. A very famous poem that I thought fit this theme is "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes in which the speaker, a Black mother explains her hardships and expectations for her son because of them.


Mother To Son by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down on the steps

’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now—

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

When it comes to Denver she faces many absurdities in her life such as when she the boy in her class told her her mom Seth went to prison for murder. This caused her to question her mother and grandma but when they spoke she was so afraid of the answer she went deaf. I believe this the consequence of her decision to ask about what boy had told her.

Miss Independent

In the novel, it is clear that Sethe takes on and embraces her independence as a woman and mother.  It is common for Black woman to take on the responsibility and embody what it means to be independent.  Although her living conditions are not ideal, because of the ghost, Sethe chooses to remain where she is and raise her children the best she can.  Unfortunately, it becomes somewhat of a burden because she is alone and accepts the life which has been presented to her.  I think it honorable and worth mentioning when Black women opt to take on all of the responsibilities in the household, however, at the same time it can hinder them.

Denver

Denver shows throughout the story that she is a lonely soul. She wants more then anything to have someone for herself which is why she tries to connect to Beloved, Sethe's dead daughter. Denver is almost fearful to step outside of 124 because she knows that she will not be bale to handle the outside world that she hears many stories about. In a sense Denver carries the attitude in which she does not belong to either worlds presented in the story; the normal world with Paul D and Sethe nor the supernatural world that Beloved speaks of from time to time. Denver is trying to find herself and also learn how balance her anger  from her feelings of being alone!

A life. Could be

"They were not holding hands, but their shadows were. Sethe looked to her left and all three of them were gliding over the dust holding hands. Maybe he was right. A Life."

In this particular scene of the book, Sethe, Denver, and Paul D are walking through the carnival exploring the outdoors and life outside of 124, something that they have not done in a very long time. Through Sethe's eyes this is such a fun and invigorating experience. She sees Paul D interacting with everyone, making the crowds laugh, and living through his absurd experiences, smiling nonetheless. In this instance we see Paul D acting through the Black Feminist Existential component of "exposing the oppressor". He's being happy and living his life in opposition of the many attempts of whites to suppress that want and human need.

Later on in the story, Paul D and Sethe have an argument because of Denver's asking him when he would be leaving. This conversation goes awry and is a conversation that is often had in Black homes as the absence of biological fathers and lovers often bring the presence of another man, who serves as lover to the mother but misplaces the child. This situation reminded me of my own life experience in which my mother entertained suitors and even my own father and I felt misplaced. We had lived as "just us" for so long and the presence of any man into our dynamic was not a pleasant one for me. In black women's trying to reinstate their womanhood after the seeming "staples" of situations happens to them (having children out of wedlock, becoming "babymothers", implementing Other Mothering in their eldest children) the transition and "snatching" of authority from their girl children is a difficult and sometimes impossible transition.

Last class we were given a character out of beloved and were told to look at three different themes i guess you can say and see how the character acted in those themes. My group had Denver and i noticed we had a recurring theme of Denver always did something because she felt lonely. She never wanted to be alone. She hated being alone. Thats why she allowed beloved to choke her mother and not say anything because she didn't want her to kick beloved out because she would then be alone again or so she thought. This made me think how many women, black women at that feel alone all the time and allow thins to keep going that they know are wrong because they don't want to be alone? According to google black men are the most common to cheat and black women have a high chance in being in an abusive relationship. Is this because they are scared to be alone so they allow themselves to be hurt. why is it so common for black women? i think its because a lot of black women have a little Denver in them. They allow themselves to go through things that isn't right because they don't want to be alone. They are trying to fill avoid that can only truly be filled by love.

Denver

The entire novel, Beloved, is absurd. A story of a mother killing her own baby. The baby haunting their home, and then the baby possibly comes to life in human form. My group had to analyze Denver. At the beginning of Beloved, Denver shows absurdity because she finds comfort in the baby ghost. Although, it is absurd for Denver to find comfort in the ghost, she has no choice because no one comes to visit her and Sethe, and the ghost is the only "thing" that keeps her company. When Beloved comes, it's no wonder she takes so well her to her. This ghost is an actual human.
A choice that Denver makes in Beloved is when she decides not to tell Sethe that it was Beloved who choked her. Denver doesn't tell Sethe because she wants Beloved to stay. Denver seems to think her existence doesn't matter without Beloved.This could also be bizarre, or absurd. Beloved seems to be Denver's responsibility. Denver takes on the role of Beloved's mother by protecting her and taking care of her.

Confide in Who?

"Saying more might push them both to a place they couldn't get back from."

Paul D was vulnerable, and confide in Sethe, which is a gender role in this particular piece. He faced physical and a brutal past, which enabled him to alienate his emotions and not truly find himself. He continued to doubt fundamental aspects of his identity and a lack of manhood. This is an example of change between gender roles, because Sethe is the dominant figure amongst Paul D, but is suffering from her past as well. They try to avoid their past stories and brutal memories. They were both scared to open up, but managed to do so and fall in love. They spoke up about their past and confided in each other to become comfortable and safe around each other.

Ain't I A Woman?

One of the main themes of Black Feminist Existentialism is the notion that black women are denied humanity, primarily through their denial of motherhood. The white negation of these seemingly humane and fundamental ways in which all women exist is profound and falls right into the theme of absurdity.

This can be seen in Toni Morrison's Beloved as Sethe recalls to Paul D., she feels compelled to repeat to him that they "took [her] milk". He finds power in the fact that they whipped her during her pregnancy, "They beat you and you was pregnant?" , but she repeats to him, screaming this time, "And they took my milk!".

The pain that a mother must feel, being robbed of her ability to nurture her baby with something as essential as her breast milk is absolutely ABSURD. Before, during, and after slavery, Black women have been denied this right to humanity and simultaneously denied connections with the world around them. One of the most famous resistances of this is the "Ain't I a Woman?" speech given by Sojourner Truth in 1851 at a Woman's Convention in Akron, Ohio.

"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say. "

Sethe's decisions

“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”  

This quote is significant to me and relates to the story beloved, because many of slaves as well as Sethe believe that by killing their children is actually freeing them from oppression, hatred and any type of obstacles they may encounter in life. The life that she may live can possibly be uncertain for her children, but she did not take the time out to think nor realize any other choice besides killing them. This is a form of absurdity in my opinion, because it was foolish of herself to want to even think about killing her child. Even though, she did this act she was still unable to leave the past in the past and it began to haunt her. So, was killing her children an actual thought out act that made a difference or completely absurd.

Kristin Williams

I noticed that in Beloved Sethe killed her daughter and thought that the ghost was her so thats why she didn't want it to leave her. She was very hurt when Paul D ran the ghost out the house. She felt like she got a second chance when Beloved came because she was just like her daughter.  This shows me how hurt and sad that Sethe was about killing her daughter and if she could she would take it back, but i notice now in time most girls kill their children during abortions all the time . Especially black girls. Why is this? why aren't they hurt and sad that they killed their child like Sethe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIYQ_ggMWLQ&feature=player_embedded

During the 1800's it was absurd for women to live alone hence Paul D's concern about Sethe and Denver living alone without a man in the house. This  Now days not having a man in the house hold is normal. Sethe's hoe was haunted by a ghost that did not leave until a man came into the picture. I feel that this is saying y our home will be out of order until you find a man to put it in order. This could be interpreted in two ways, the first way is that your significant other has not matured into a man yet but he is still a boy, and your home wont be in order until he grows up. The second way is that a woman can not live in peace without a man by her side everything will be in chaos until she finds one.

One of the themes in Beloved is the Supernatural. The supernatural plays quite a large role in this story bringing up old memories and even impacting the present. One ghost who plays a large role in the story is the baby that Beloved lost. When reading this story I got chills when Beloved described how her environment had been before she came. She described it as it being a cluttered dark and hot place. I had seen the movie before however it was when I was younger so in reading this novel now its like I can better comprehend exactly what is going on!

Brittany Dozier

Margaret Garner

The painting above is entitled, "The Modern Medea." Medea was a woman in Greek mythology who killed her own children. "The Modern Medea" is a painting by Thomas Satterwhite Noble. The lady who inspired this painting, and Beloved, is Margaret Garner. Margaret Garner was a slave who escaped to Cincinnati. Garner and her family were found by slave catchers, and she killed her 2 year old daughter to prevent her from having to go back into slavery. Margaret's plan was to kill her other children and herself, but she was stopped before this could happen. Margaret's case was so spectacular because she, and her family, were considered as Mulattos. Margaret was forced back into slavery with her husband and their youngest child. Margaret moved from place to place because of her owner, but then was sent on a boat to Arkansas. It is believed that Margaret was happy when the boat hit another and her daughter drowned. Margaret also tried to drown herself, but was unsuccessful.
To me, this story and the story of Beloved could be absurd because a mother is willing to kill her children and herself. In today's society it is absurd because murder is wrong, but Margaret, and Sethe, believe that they are helping their dead children to be free.

The Walking Dead

The Theme of the walking dead is prevalent throughout Beloved which can be seen in the ghost of 124 and the arrival of Beloved after the ghost has been chased away. The idea that Beloved is the walking dead is inferred by the fact that she has the same name as Sethe's dead baby, she was in a dark place when she was small and was surrounded with dead people, and she has outburst of anger like the ghost of 124. But the idea of the walking dead also includes Sethe and Paul D because at times they are so crippled by their memories of slavery that they cut themselves off from the world. which reminds me of a quote "Living to being in the world." Sethe and Paul D are allowing their existence in an anti-black world become a determinism instead of a condition.

Beloved- The theme of absurdity

Throughout the novel "Beloved," Toni Morrison implies a significant theme of "absurdity." Although this theme is evident among the actions of more than one character in the novel, Sethe's character portrays the highest level of absurdity (in my opinion) among them all. Sethe's "happiness" is a reflection of absurd occurrences throughout the duration of the story. In Sethe's case "currently," absurdity and happiness are a collective piece that is inseparable. It seems that Sethe is "comfortable" with the unfamiliar and the unusual. Rather than attempting to correct or organize her living arrangements in regard to every bizarre occurrence taking place in her life, Sethe appears to be strangely complacent with the way things are not expressing any desire to experience positivity and peace. For Sethe, it appears that the absence of normality is not just reality, but it is a distinctive indication that her life is "seemingly in order" through her currently "restricted lens."

 

This quote proves to me all the knowledge that we have gained as women through experience has gotten us where we are today.  We've defeated forces by gaining knowledge and learning tactics. Observational knowledge and self examination are the two that stick out to me. I believe you can learn a lot about yourself as well as others by observing oneself.   

In class my group had a discussion about the theme of Knowledge Variation found in Patricia Collins The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought. I found it interesting how we all agreed that a majority of schools are more white empowered and do not benefit the black race. I made the statement that I feel as if Black schools (HBCUs) have conformed to what is more acceptable at a white university. Some would not agree with this statement however I believe that this the truth 100%!

-Brittany Dozier

Ethics of caring

In Patricia Hill Collins' "Black Feminist Thought", one topic named is "Ethic of caring." Collins says that the ethic of caring suggests thst personal expressiveness, emotions and empathy are control to the knowledge-validation process. I feel as if this relates to the fact that black women gain knowledge from personal experiences. When black women experience things, they most likely respond to it with a natural reaction. This is how they express themselves. When they express themselves, it shows their feelings and how much they care.

The video is a parody of the stereotypes associated with sexual assault. This video was made by All Indian Backhod. This video takes an sarcastic approach in letting women and the world know rape is not the victims fault but the  attacker, it also lets women know that your husband can be  your attacker as well. I feel that this is a very powerful video and everyone should see it, in order to end some of the stereotypes surrounding rape.

Angela Bassett-Get Used to It!

This is a very interesting clip on Angela Bassett talking about the "Black Ice" and responsibility of African-American women in Hollywood and the progress made thus far. Actresses such as Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, Taraji P Henson and Jada Pinkett-Smith prove Black Women can do more than just play the role the sex symbol; they can lead and inspire all women to achieve more.
http://youtu.be/BvZ5hWfB2O4

I feel the meaning of this quote is that as Black women we know where we came from and what it took to get to where we are today. From being raped as slaves and women suffrage to finally have equal rights. It's already hard to be Black, hard to be a woman, but to be a Black woman is something to be proud of and never forget or let anyone take away either of the two.

Honorable Mention

Jennifer Lopez isn't a black woman, but I wanted to give her new video an honorable mention because she uses it as a platform to address the objectification of women in music videos, and flips the script by objectifying men in comical ways to show how ridiculous the concept is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4oiEhf9M04

Bill O' Reilly vs. Beyonce'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s1UO8slHfY
The above video is an interview that Bill O' Reilly recently did with David Letterman. O' Reilly has been on a smear campaign against Beyonce' recently for releasing a song entitled "Partition". Here is the "Partition" music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ12_E5R3qc
Beyonce' has been lauded by many for the feminist stances she has taken explicitly and implicitly in her latest album, in which she is constantly asserting her own sexuality and womanhood.  In the Bill O' Reilly interview, notice how when David Letterman brings up Miley Cyrus's overtly sexual behavior, 'O Reilly glosses over it. Also, Letterman spends his time focusing on how Beyoncé is not the only one creating sexually explicit music, which is a distractive stance that I would expect another white male to take. 'O Reilly's responses just become increasingly disgusting as he brings up figures (who knows where he got them from) about black unwed mothers, and refers to an anonymous group of assumed black individuals as "thugs". I believe a black feminist would've given much different reasons as to why what Beyonce' has been doing is both perfectly acceptable and also is behavior worthy of praise. When Patricia Hill Collins talks about black women's resistance, "Partition" is an example, however unorthodox some may view it to be. Beyonce' is resisting the idea that a man should be the one to define a woman's sexual desires and behaviors. There are very few people in the entire world who can command such a huge audience as Beyonce', and I believe that poses a threat to close-minded patriarchal white males such as Bill 'O Reilly.

Intersectionality

"Solidarity is for white women when pink hair, tattoos, and piercings are "quirky" or "art" on a white woman but "ghetto" on a black one.


An interesting topic that I believe was relevant to Audre Lorde’s and the Pearl Cleage piece was intersectionality. Intersectionality to me, is when something is played on both sides, rather it is gender, race and social class. Also, it can be multiple forms of discrimination. As far as this quote being an example of intersectionality is quite evident and still common in today’s society. There are agreements among whites where they are able to do things out of the norm and not stereotyped for these particular actions. Ironically, African American women are belittle or interrogated in this patriarchal male society. It is unfair how intersectionality is a similar, prominent factor in multiple communities, but viewed differently

Aisha Al-Adawiya - The Black Female Muslim Experience in America

                In the video below, Aisha Al-Adawiya speaks about her enlightenment and experience as a woman in Islam. I chose this video specifically because, as she says in her explanation, there are misconceptions about how "Islam treats women" that often come from people other than those women themselves. This video and others like it give Al-Adawiya's experience validation, as talked about in Patricia Hill Collins' article , "The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought". Collins declares, "..this business of living makes women use their minds in ways that men don't even have to think about." This is true as many men of Black Islam are applauded for finding "enlightenment" and respected for staying and standing firm in those beliefs. I want to validate Aisha's life experience by sharing her testimony with the class, working in the interdependency prompted by Audre Lorde, though I am of Christian faith, I do believe her experience should be held at high esteem and accounted for.

Anita Hill

http://knowledgeequalsblackpower.tumblr.com/post/80019470607/createdfromclay-teesa-3-13-14-anita-hill

I found this Tumblr post that reminded me of "Black Ice". Anita Hill was explaining to John Stewart what is was like to face members of the Senate during her sexual harassment case against Clarence Thomas.

"Black Ice"

The need to assimilate and accommodate for white people to fit in is definitely a double edged sword.  In some regard, one opts to "sell out", and others stand their ground.  When gauging Audre Lorde's quote, "The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." Is there anyway to break down institutions that have been in place your years?  I say a Booker T. Washington-ish approach is okay because at the end of the day, some progress is still progress.

"Black Ice"

I have experienced situations before in which I would consider myself treading on "black ice". Once as a middle schooler at a predominantly white middle school a white classmate referred to another black student that was not present as a "nigger". He looked at me and I said "I don't care" because I felt like that was more socially acceptable to say. Sometimes as a mixed race individual the pressure to fit in with one group becomes so great that you make decisions that you look back on in disgust.

Black Ice

There are many ways to link Black Women's Ways of Knowing to Pearl Cleage's Black Ice. I noticed a lot of signified knowledge which how I broke it down is pretty much twisting words. The part that stood out to me was on page 388 where she states " A free woman is one who can fully conceive and consciously execute all the moments of her life." In class we were relating Black Ice to Audre Lorde's Theory and I related that statement to a statement in Lorde's passage that reads, "For women, the need and desire to nurture each other is not pathological but redemptive, and within that knowledge our real power is rediscovered." The relation I comprehended was that a women can conceive and execute the fact that she feels that need to nurture and protect as she was once nurtured. This is an example of signified knowledge and Observational knowledge.

Black Ice

In Black Ice, the part that stood out most to me was when Joyce skidded on the black ice. This part stuck out to me because she tells herself to remain calm and collected, and this situation is brought up again, but in a different way. Just when Joyce was presenting her idea, she skidded on another patch of black ice; this time it wasn't a physical patch of ice. Just like black ice, the congressman threw something at her that attacked and she didn't see coming. Unlike skidding on the black ice, she became frustrated.
Something else that stood out to me was Joyce's idea and how she was trying to help women gain KNOWLEDGE about their sexual practices. It's as if the congressman was blocking women from gaining the proper knowledge and material that they needed to protect themselves and to be safe.

Black ice

In Pearl Cleage's Black Ice, the title stands for all of the obstacles a person may face on their journey to success. Black ice is defined as " a thin sheet of ice on a road surface, usually caused by freezing mist and creating hazardous driving conditions." (dictionary.com) The black ice in this story is the man she is having a meeting with waiting to turn down her offer.  This story shows that no matter what may come your way, you can not let it stop you, even if you slip on a patch of black ice.

Interdependency

In Audre Lorde's essay "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House", she speaks at length about the importance of inter-dependency amongst women. Namingly white feminists and black feminists,

"Interdependency between women is the way to freedom which allows the I to be, not in order to be used, but in order to be creative. This is a difference between the passive be and the active being."

I think that this quote is one that Black women should always have in the back of their minds because we always will and should work together in spite of our differences to for the betterment of our race and the human race in general. I came across the photo below on Twitter and was inspired to no end.



(left to right) Audre Lorde, Lucille Clifton, Alice Walker, and June Jordan all stand together in recitation. =]

Self Exploration

As we talk about  the Black Womens Ways of Knowing it makes me think deeper about myself. Since I have came to A&T all I have done is self explore myself mentally and physically. Growing up I have always lived in the suburbs I have always went to white private schools and I have never had to go without. Coming to A&T has caused me to explore a different side of me. We discussed self exploration through analyzing others. I relate my personal experience to Black Ice. You have this woman who is trying to create this proposal and is presenting it to the Senator and yet they are clashing because of the difference in  their classes. She is trying to help lower class women by teaching them and educating them  on sexual safety and what you should and should not do. And yet the senator does not feel that this is necessary, he sees it as a waste of time. Saying why close the door when the cow has already escaped. This is how I felt coming to this university. I did not feel as if I fit in or could relate to the people who came here but as I have learned more about myself I have learned that I am not the same person I was before attending a HBCU. I am in love with my race and my history and almost feel bad that I missed out on these things growing up.

Brittany Dozier

Black Women's Ways of knowing ...

In "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House," Audre Lorde states " In our world, divide and conquer must become define and empower." I believe this quote is significant to the title because rather than having hopes of "dominating," Lorde suggest taking a step toward a means of general improvement. When something is "dismantled," it is destroyed or caused to come to an end. In considering the title "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House," I think Lorde is addressing a bigger issue than "you can't beat the master at his on game." I believe Lorde is suggesting to her audience that it is necessary to access "new tactics, weapons, strategies etc." in order to successfully dismantle the house (foundation) of the master. Rather than declaring it to be impossible, I think Lorde is saying "why fight fire with fire when one can simply throw water on it and put it out?" This is a different scope of viewing Lorde's initial intent, but it is something new that I have gathered after going back and reviewing the text. In my opinion, Lorde is not saying the master's house cannot be dismantled; instead, she is suggesting that the dismantling must be executed with newly accessible equipment that will be effective in the deconstruction of dominating factors that have caused a negative impact within society.

Women's Ways Of Knowing!!

"The test of whether or not you can hold a job should not be in an arrangement of your chromosomes." -Nuria Ano

      This particular quote interests me and shows an example of Pearl Cleage, "Black Ice" because of the male superiority in the work force and the belittlement of women in Corporate America. In "Black Ice" Joyce was prepared for a meeting and had a confident going into the meeting until she was intimidate by Congressman Busbee. He questioned her on several topics that she discussed to challenge and gave her a hard time about her concern about helping young women's lives. Joyce became frustrated because of him undermining her abilities in the workplace. I believe he gave her a hard time because of  her sexuality and did not take into consideration her overall point. Women in today's society are tested, either because of their race, gender, or sexuality and not held accountable for their value of their work. The stereotypes of women and the oppression they may go through in the work force is a prime example of "Black Ice".

Black Womens Ways of Knowing

In Pearl Cage's Black Ice the title stood out to me.  On page 386 Joyce said she had suddenly skidded on a patch of black ice.  She stated that this was not a time to be careless, but it was a time to review the events of the day and figure out what went wrong.  I thought of congressman Busbee as black ice. At the conclusion of her proposal she was ridiculed by Congressman Busbee. She did not see this coming.  I felt as though his interrogation sort of steered her into a different direction ending in the result of her disposing of her last proposal. It somewhat intimidated her .  She answered the questions as confidently as she could, but by the end of the story her final goal was not reached. I felt like this was the time for her to "review the events of the day and figure out what went wrong."

                                             
 "Self - Exploration"

When I was a graduate student I took a dissertation seminar course. We had to read each others research proposals and give feedback during a classroom session. My proposal dealt with my research on enslaved black women. After my session was over, a fellow classmate thanked me for introducing him to "a group of women that he knew nothing about". At first I was a bit surprised; I didn't think that I discussed any unknown women or unfamiliar information. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my own way of knowing was unique. I had to ask myself how could he, how would he, WHEN would he have learned about black women? My fellow classmate was a white male who had been educated within America's educational institutions and under America's white, patriarchal-centered curriculum, and so had I. We had all come through the same system and learned through the same lens. Once I was honest with myself, the truth was, I had not known about these women either until I attended an HBU. So, as I think about the importance of my work, I remember  this conversation, I look in the mirror at myself and I understand...I am important, I am visible, I am real, I am here...

Black Women's ways of knowing

As we began to discuss the topic of "black women's ways of know," I suggested that black women have ways of knowing things through observed knowledge. Observed knowledge is knowledge that is learned or obtained through the act of watching/listening to others and one's surroundings. For example, I believe black women during slavery represent this form of knowledge perfectly. Through each generation, slave women watched their daughters, granddaughters etc. grow up under a form of bondage that they were "use to." On the other hand, the generations that were growing up were "privileged" so to speak to watch the sufferings of the older women who lived before them. In the process, they were able to carefully observe their master, mistress, and their children which allowed them to gain knowledge as it relates to how they operated and how they handled their slaves under specific circumstances. Nevertheless, black women have obtained in intensive amount of knowledge through diligent observations.

Self-Exploration

In class on Wednesday we talked about self-exploration and how black women learn from experience. I agree. I myself being young black woman have learned a lot about myself through the things that i have experienced while in college. Some things that I have learned about myself are that I have a passion for African American culture, I love helping people even when I don't  know how to help myself. I also learnef to speak up for myself and say something when I am not being treated how i should. I asked my mother and my grandmother how and when they found who they truly were and they both said that they learned about themselves through the situations they experienced and the people they surrounded themselves with abd how they handled certain things.

From our list in class I would like to talk more about observational learning. There is a saying "young lady's should be seen and not herd" "unknown I believe this statement was said not to just get little girls to sit still and be quiet but to teach them how to observe their surroundings. When a person sits down and observes their surroundings they can learn a lot, they can learn what right fro wrong, they can even tell what type of people are surrounding them who is real and who is fake. Observational learning is as simple as watching being quite and watching others and your surroundings.

When reading the poem "The poem we have to write before thirty, because people will ask or I don't have a five year plan' by Jessica Care Moore I automatically could relate. I identified this poem as knowing through self-exploration because she spoke about different things that she could possibly do within the next five years but still never came to a conclusion. Everyone goes through that process when they are in school and have to decide whether or not they want to go to college or do something else after graduation. Not only do you debate about school but then you debate about what you want to study. I know from personal experience that throughout high school I changed my major of choice five times before I came to the conclusion of wanting to be a psychologist. Going through different experiences will cause you to change your opinion on future choices! 

Brittany Dozier

Black Women Ways Of Knowing

http://video.pbs.org/video/2181639247/

This was a form of signifying and subjective knowledge, where slaves would tell messages through spirituals. It was a spoken language that displayed codes for slaves to speak to one another, without the slave masters actually knowing what was going on. These spirituals would sound like one thing, but mean something else.

A scholar was quoted in The Legacy of Slavery " the slave woman was first a full time worker for her owner and only incidentally a wife, mother and home maker." This lead me to believe that the idea of slave women were seen as un gendered because they were forced to embody the qualities of masculinity and femininity. The black woman was seen more as an asset to bring wealth and pleasure to her master. Thats why i think gender roles are a social construct invented to put one gender above the other. This can be seen in Egyptian culture which started as a matriarch with women as the ultimate being then they made the switch to patriarch with put men as the head. The switch can be seen in the Summerion creation when Marduk killed the great mother. I thought it was ironic that he was born from wisdom which imply s that he was superior to her. But when it comes to sexuality i believe its a innate feeling a person is born with . If you are more masculine or feminine is not determine by male or female or your reproductive organs.

As we made our list in class on Wednesday for "Black Women's Ways of Knowing" I could not help but think about this spoken word piece.  In the context of the list, I feel that she is Signifying, and I think the poem is a result of Self-Exploration.  This poem is powerful. What makes it even more dope is the fact that the guy it is about was in the audience and she stares him down as she performs.  Nevertheless, I hope everyone enjoys the piece.

Black womans body as a site of new beginnings

  Throughout the novel Corregidora  the author refers to the womb as the start or the beginning, Ursa even refers to it as her birthmark. Ursa resents her husband and the doctor for taking away her ability to make generations which her mother and grandmother always told her was most important thing she could do to carry on their story. I found the novel to be very interesting because it brought up ideas like what makes you a woman? Is Ursa less of a woman because she is baron?

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In Bell Hooks Selling Hot Pussy it is discussed that the black woman's body is a source of advertisement. It is used to draw in people and helps to sell products. For example, Beyonce and Kim Kardashian are two celebrities whos bodies are glorified! Kim Kardashian is known for her big butt and Beyonce is known for her wonderful curves. It is all about getting the consumers and "selling the product."

Brittany Dozier

Black Women Today

I chose this picture of Nicki Minaj because she is a major icon in today's society. She uses her body to sell her music. Her music is catching, but what is most talked about is her body. In Selling Hot Pussy, bell hooks uses examples of how black women use their bodies to sell to consumers. Another reason why I chose Nicki Minaj is because she is one of the black icons today who conforms to the ideal "black" look for women. Meaning they are light skin, with long hair, typically blonde, and smaller features.

AAWW Post #3

Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts. -Nikki Giovanni

I chose this quote because it reminds me of "Corregidora." The main character "Ursa" in this story experiences a traumatic event that is very life changing for her as an individual and as a woman. She becomes barren, and her inability to bare children causes conflict with the desires of her ancestors who expect her to "birth out" a new generation to carry on the legacy of those who once lived. The quote is prevalent to the story because Ursa is placed in a position where she must "give a response to the error" she has encountered.

Wale Ft. Nicki Minaj & Juicy J -Clappers (Official Video)

While reading Hooks' "Selling Hot Pussy" I couldn't help but pay close attention to her School Daze reference with EU's "Doin' the Butt":

"The popular song, 'Doin' the Butt, fosters the promotion of a hot new dance favoring those who could most protrude their buttocks with pride and glee...the black butts on display are unruly and outrageous. They are not the still bodies of the female slave made to appear as mannequin.'"

This reference spoke to me the most because EU was one of the first go-go bands to come out and their presence evolved music in Washington, DC forever. To think that the Black Woman's Body As a Site of Exhibition birthed the culture that I was born in and have forever loved has given me more than enough to think about. Wale, an extremely famous rapper from DC who has brought attention home, sampled "Doin' the Butt" in "Clappers" as a kind of tribute to EU and all that they did for go-go back home.

What I found most interesting about this video is the disparity between seeing black girls "Doin The Butt" and the "Other" doing this dance. It reminded me of our in class conversation on Wednesday about putting Black fantasies on other bodies, i.e. Miley Cyrus. I counted 5 times that African-American women were featured in this video and 18 times that the Other women of color were featured, excluding Nicki, as she is a feature on the song.

So, as I contemplated what I'd post this week, all I could think of was the hook from Kendrick Lamar's song "Opposite's Attract (Tomorrow Without Her)."  In the hook, Lamar says, "We hurt people that love us, and love people that hurt us."  From this I began to think about Johnson beating his wife.  She hadn't known of the day he had; however, because she hurt him, he hurt her.  Although there are a few parts of the song that can relate to both texts we discussed this week, I feel that Lamar's hook definitely brought it all together.

Black Woman's Body as a Site of Vulnerability

Vulnerability is defined as the inability to withstand the effects of a hostile environment. This bring to mind the inability to bear child. Due to whatever circumstances, whether it be extreme or mild, when a women lose the ability to bear child they become vulnerable in a sense.  Their body can not withstand/withhold bearing a child.  The ability to bear child is what makes a woman a woman, and to have that taken away can make one feel less of a woman..... hence the word vulnerability.

In the story "Like A Winding Sheet" Johnson allows the pressures of his daily routine to get the best of him. He can not comprehend that women can be the "BOSS" and he constantly throughout the day gets upset. He allows his stress to build up causing him to crack as soon as his wife makes a joking remark. This is the perfect example of how men feel when they are emasculated or have to follow the lead of a woman. Some men can handle it but others do not handle it as well. In today's society women are "suppose" to follow the lead of their man. This is especially the case when it comes to black women. The black woman is stereotyped to follow her mans lead so when they do not the man typically feels like they are not being respected.

--Brittany Dozier

The Black woman's Body a site of release

The story "Like a Winding Sheet" and this clip demonstrate the theme The black woman's body a site of release. Johnson is a black man in the 1940's working in a factory surrounded by women, when most men are out fighting the war, while Ike is a singer/manager in the 1960-1970. What both these men have in common are the stress of their jobs and everyone else around them. On top of being upset and stressed out by the rest of the world but they feel as though their wives are mocking them as well. A person can only take so much ridicule before they blow up. Striking their wives allowed them to release all of the built up anger they felt inside.

In class we talked about the idea of black love from this excerpt of "Corregidora":

"You haven't seen the scar." He said he hadn't looked. "You can feel it," I said... "You can feel it, can't you?" He said yes. I thought he was going to take his hand away, but he waited for me to. "

I believe black love is extraordinary because when you face oppression and hatred with someone and feel the same pains, it builds a bond that is compared to none. I chose to post this song by the rap group Goodie Mob called "Beautiful Skin" because I heard it a bunch when I was younger. It gives a man's stance on the idea of black love and the beauty in loving a black woman. This idea was instilled in me at an early age so black love has always been more than just love to me.

Vulnerability and Black Love

During the discussion in class on Wednesday, we talked about different themes that are found in Corregidora. Under the theme "Recovery-trauma", we listed: scar-story, sterilization, doctor, barren/surrogate, and vulnerable. Beside vulnerable, we placed black love. After listening to the different comments on the scar, I became interested in the scar, vulnerability, black love and how they all come together in the story.
In my opinion, the scar could represent all the pain that she was going through. Asking him to feel the scar could mean asking him to not only look at all the pain that she has gone through, but to feel it. When he wants to remove his hand, but doesn't could be because he cares for her. This is the same with love, but it is especially present in black love.
African Americans go through a lot, and can tend to have a wall built up that is hard for someone to break. People can see their pain, see the things that they go through and have sympathy, but they never truly know until they experience. It is believed that the black woman is angry and bitter, and this could cause difficulty when trying to date one. The same goes with black men. When the walls that are built up for protection from more hurt and pain are knocked down, it means a lot. In the story, she is opening up to him. In a way he opens up to her by keeping his hand on the scar and not moving. If he would've removed his hand from the scar, it would've shown that he wasn't ready to be there for her, and she probably would've felt as if he rejected her in a way. People believe that love is hard to find, but once each person is willing to open up to the other, it can and work out.

Black Woman's Bodies as a site of...

"The womb is the center of a woman's being."


      I believe this quote is very powerful, because the virginity of a women to me, is a sense of her identity. Another form of her femininity and every woman should take pride in themselves. It also can distinguish a sort of character about a woman's being, depending on how she uses it or the way that it has been taken advantage of. Overall, the most important feature I see of a woman's being is that it is the start of child birth.
      In regards to this quote, I felt was quite interesting was the novel "Incidents by a Slave Girl", by Harriet Jacobs, which was about a Caucasian slave master that took advantage of a woman's being as well as her womb. Her name was Linda Brent and she was nothing more than a sexual desire and an experiment for her slave master, Dr. Flint. He pressures her into having sex with him numerous times and she fights it. Instead of being raped by Dr. Flint, she preferably starts sleeping with her neighbor, Mr. Sands. She hoped that Dr. flint would sell her to Mr. Sands in disgust, but she hated that she had to use her sexuality and pray that she receives what she wants. She realize that being a slave girl and a free woman were not on the same standards of morality. She had to forcefully use her woman's being to stray away from her being taken advantage of. The womb is the center of a woman's being an quite in fact very powerful.

Evidence

The story of Corregidora has many themes, one of them being the removal and permanence of evidence. Ursa's great grandmother, grandmother, and mother continuously expressed to her the need to continue on generations, as they were to be her forms of evidence. Ursa, is now barren and does not have this traditional evidence to give. However, she does harbor the spirit of the matriarchs before her and the evidence of their abuse "...even though they'd burned everything to play like it didn't ever happen" (pg. 9).

In the above clip from the movie "Crash" (2004), Thandie Newton's character, the wife of an African-American television director, is essentially molested by a white police officer who has pulled them over.  To spite she and her husband her for objecting to his treatment, the police officer fondles and touches her extremely inappropriately on her legs, thighs, breasts, butt, and vagina.

The pain on her husband's face is her evidence. The shameful feelings that he cannot protect himself nor her is evidence. The fear in her eyes as his hands travel up her dress is evidence. This black woman's body, is now a site of evidence. And even though the officer and his partner will drive away, "only issuing a warning", they are metaphorically "burning everything to play like it didn't ever happen".

Black Women's Bodies as a Site of...

"The sexual history of the United States began at the historical moment when European men met African women in the "Heart of Darkness"-Mother Africa

The African culture was another distraction to Europeans that were unaware of the rhythmic dances and spirituals. The gyrating movement of the "crotch dance" was a celebration of birth for Africans, but as far as Europeans, they were only able to noticed the sexual connotations of the females. The sweat dripping off their bodies is an example of how they were notice for the dancing, rather then the literary meaning of the actual work of art. European men were fascinated by the African women's body and viewed their unusual figures as a sexual interest to them. This was only the beginning of how women were taken advantage of and were sexual desires to European men. The "Heart of Darkness", I believe was a metaphor for African women's' culture and color that started a disturbing movement by force

The black woman as a site of power

I was going to post a clip from the movie The Butler where the main character Cecile's mother played by Mariah Carey gets raped by one of the "masters" in a shed by the cotton fields. Cecile ask his father what was he going to do about, when Cecile's father yelled "hey" to the white man, he responded by pulling out his gun and shooting Cecile's father in the head in front of everyone working the field. As Cecile cried over his dad's dead body an older white lady comes running into the fields and approaches Cecile and says "Stop crying, I'm going to make you a house nigga." Cecil's mother ends up traumatized by the whole ordeal and never speaks again.
This clip shows how the masters used the women to emasculate the men who could not protect their women because they knew they would be beaten or even killed. Black men watched their mothers, daughters and sisters get raped and beaten and had no power to do anything, which lead black women to be strong and independent as they are today.

Black Woman's Body in the Site of...

I chose to post this picture because it is a picture of Sara Baartman. I thought about her because we discussed "gazing" in class and how they whites were amazed at the way that the African women's bodies were. Sara Baartman was sent around for the world people to gaze at her and her uniquely built body. She had an abnormally large bottom and abnormally large genitals. Baartman was treated like an act in a clown or something useless in a museum, and I think this really relates to why black/African women were sexually abused. It amazed the white man that someone could be shaped this way. 

There is no slave after all like a wife

I choose this picture from the film "12 years a slave" because it shows the slave masters wife and his mistress. After reading Hearts of Darkness I thought it was ironic that the slaves masters wife would punish the mistress more cruelly for the transgressions of her husband. Omolade mentioned in her article that they were sisters in bondage. They were both taught to submit to the Husband/Master in all things. All  woman were slaves under patriarchy but the black woman was seen as someone with no human right to control her own body.

Black Women's Bodies as the Site Of...

...being wrong. Black women have fought extremely hard to be accepted in today's society and yet we still aren't fully accepted. In 'Poem about My Rights', Ms. Jordan talks about how a Black woman could be raped and the rapist still wouldn't be charged. She depicts how Black women are resented by all types of people in society, including family, for many different reasons. The wrongness depicted in the poem reminds me of the racial identities in 'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison and how the Shirley Temple cup determined what and who was right and wrong. In the end of Jordan's poem she comes to the realization that it doesn't matter what people say or how the feel about you, it doesn't mean its true. You are right as long as you think, feel and know you are.

‘The Double Lives of Black Women in America’ Jasmine Moore

‘The Double Lives of Black Women in America’  

This excerpt from Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America discusses the stereotypes that black females face today. It expresses all the gifts that women have to share we with the world, yet no one ever appreciates them or recognizes how it is being a women in today's society.  Women have risen above oppression, but are still living double lives. Because of the prevalence of all the stereotypes and all of the sexual misconceptions, black women feel peer pressured to keep the stereotypes and myths alive. These myths and stereotypes starts to become internalized and we become confused to who we are, what we are, or who we believe we can be.



Jasmine Moore

The Black Woman's Body as a Site of...

"...mothers and grandmothers (fathers and grandfathers also) were unmoved by romance or youthful passion and clamped down on their daughters' sexual desires for any but the most stable mates with the firmness of an iron chastity belt." -Barbara Omolade

I thought this quote from "Hearts of Darkness" was very relevant to the unit we're discussing. I've also found this to be true in many households of family and friends even today, including my own. Sex or anything with sexual implications was considered taboo, and to speak on it was forbidden. As a child I wondered how in the world, if we couldn't turn to our elders for information out of simple curiosity, would we ever begin to be functioning adults with healthy relationships? I really do believe the sexual oppression of black females left a heavy stigma in the African-American woman's psyche of promiscuity, lust and desire. And with the Afro-Christian values going hand and hand with this idea of sexual conservatism among young black women, it makes for a even heavier burden. I don't believe that modesty is harmful, but the lack of information and curiosity left unanswered about sex and our bodies can leave young black women looking for answers in all the wrong places.

Shug Avery: Escaping the Rural South

In our reading of the Hearts of Darkness, Omolade describes the Black woman at the beginning of the 20th century being independent, and defying "the restrictions on their womanhood and sexuality" in many ways. From Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple we see this particular face of Black womanhood through Shug Avery who is rumored to have children that she does not take care of with different fathers, who sings and dances "sexually" (for the time period), is lusted after by many men, and seems not to care that the men are drooling so. I think the directors of The Color Purple captured Walker's characterization of her perfectly as she represents exactly the woman Omolade describes,



"These black women lived lives of explicit sexuality and erotic excitement with both men and women. As they broke away from the traditional paternal restraints within the black community, they were castigated for seeming to reflect the truth of the white man's views of black women as whorish and loose. But these 'wild women' did not care, modeling for Southern rural black women a city life full of flashy clothes, fast cars, and access to sophisticated men."



This is dead on as in Walker's later novel, The Temple of My Familiar it is revealed that Miss Celie and Shug Avery live together until their death and make a life with one another as women of this time often abandoned their situations and lived with one another. In the film as well as in the clip, Miss Celie, the "Southern rural black woman" admires and reveres her. Miss Avery is no doubt flashy and is seen as degenerate, especially by her father, who is a pastor at the church  "just down the road" (Lol) from the Juke Joint.

Post #1 (Black Women's Bodies as a Site of...)

I used this quote because it reflects on and contradicts "to an extent" Barbara Omalade's story "Hearts of Darkness." "As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books..." (Maya Angelou). This sentence stands out to me in particular because white women did actually carry a sense of loneliness and rejection. Although white women were not slaves to the degree of black women or the black population, white women did suffer through a form of bondage. White women had to conscientiously tolerate the actions of their husbands in regards to them having forced and/or consensual sex/relationships with their slave women. "White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women worked for them" (Maya Angelou). Although this line is true, I believe the statements made can be viewed from a different scope as it relates to the black woman's prospective. Yes, black women worked for white women, and black men "in some cases" desired white women, but the idea that white men adored them can evoke an in-depth discussion considering the reality of how they were initially treated and disrespected. White men viewed black women in a light that was never shined upon on white women. It may be a "stretch" to present this accusation, but it was almost as if white men simply "tolerated" their wive's "white women" in order to deny their private passion/desire for black women. In closing, I would like to add the statement "Black women's bodies as a site of an outlet to reality/sanity!"

Who Is Sara Baartman? Every black woman should know her name

I found this video to be appropriate for this section because it reminds us that the black woman's body has always been a sexual tool that has never been valued to its fullest! Sara Baartman was the first public representation of the demoralization of the black woman's body!! 

-Brittany Dozier

Black women in today’s society are portrayed in both a positive and negative light.  There are three ways you see a black woman in today’s society, she is either being praised for he good looks, wit, strength, and intellect, or being ridiculed by it. You also see black women in music videos, TV, shows or movies being exploited or acting “ratchet” or in an irrational manor. For example in the show Scandal, Olivia Pope who is played by Kerry Washington is portrayed as an intelligent strong black woman who knows how to make things happen no matter how ethical or unethical it may be.  On one episode in particular Olivia Pope’s father emphasizes the fact that even though she has accomplished so much she is just the president’s mistress and not the first lady. There are also reality shows such as Real Housewives of Atlanta, Love and Hip Hop and Scrubbing in, that show the accomplishments of the black women on the show then in the next scene they are arguing or even fighting.   Society is constantly pointing out the flaws of  the black woman even while they are praising her for all the good she has done. 


Ke'Wana Miller

The Cultural Representation of Black Women Today

As we think about the cultural representation of black women in American today, there are many complexities to analyze. Representations in media, film, literature, politics, etc. all provide certain suggestions as to who black women are. Black women have had to work extensively to redefine themselves in a more positive light, yet there is still more work that needs to be done. Ultimately, liberation from years of racial and gendered oppression rests in the freedom to just "be"...to be smart, funny, happy, mad, sexy, strong, or weak...just to be human. A passage from “ A Black Feminist Statement” embodies this very thing:

"Above all else … black women are inherently valuable, our liberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else’s but because of our need as human persons for autonomy.”

-The Combahee River Collective

“The first difference which strikes us is that of colour. Whether the black of the negro resides in the reticular membrane between the skin and scarf-skin, or in the scarf-skin itself; whether it proceeds from the colour of the blood, the colour of the bile, or from that of some other secretion, the difference is fixed in nature, and is as real as if its seat and cause were better known to us. And is this difference of no importance? Is it not the foundation of a greater or less share of beauty in the two races? Are not the fine mixtures of red and white, the expressions of every passion by greater or less suffusions of colour in the one, preferable to that eternal monotony, which reigns in the countenances, that immoveable veil of black which covers all the emotions of the other race? Add to these, flowing hair, a more elegant symmetry of form, their own judgment in favour of the whites, declared by their preference of them, as uniformly as is the preference of the Oranootan for the black women over those of his own species. The circumstance of superior beauty, is thought worthy attention in the propagation of our horses, dogs, and other domestic animals; why not in that of man?”

—

http://mason.gmu.edu/~zschrag/hist120spring05/jeffersonquery14.htm I believe this quote form Thomas Jefferson’s “Notes on the State of Virginia: Query 14” is a direct reflection of the cultural representation of Black women. In this quote, Jefferson is speaking on both Black men and women; however, I think it speaks volumes when gauging the cultural representation of Black women. Kashian Scrivens