I wish I knew how to upload music into a post then I could give a sample of this song ‘brown skin’ by India Arie. Although every novel we’ve read during this course has not been about African-American women, many were. Starting from the first novel written by a black woman The Bondwoman’s Narrative to Their Eyes Were Watching God published just before World War II, I have been able to see parts of the US from a black woman’s perspective through literature. The different language used, imagery, environments, and capabilities of the author showed me where we have progressed as a culture and were we have remained stagnant. Whenever I reflect on the history of blacks in America, I always find it necessary to reflect on myself and where I am today as a young black woman born and raised in the US. I reflect on what my culture has done so that I can attend school and have rights and I see if I am holding myself up to the same standards my great grandparents would have. It is difficult to recognize that even though there is still racism and gender discrimination alive and spreading in our country, we do have opportunity to succeed. Therefore if I am not doing my best to break barriers set against me I am a failure of my own doing. Its not easy, we continue to struggle but I love who I am, I am not ashamed of my blackness because being black is a beautiful thing.
American Women Writers 