The African American woman - Essay Example

The African American woman The African American woman has gone through various revolutions, to redefine her role. It has not been easy for a black woman to survive in the American environment, considering all the challenges that she has had to go through. The story of the black woman is best told in the article “The Rise of Feminism, and the Growth of Black American Women Literature” which talks about the challenges that a black woman has gone through and the developments that have taken place so far.

Literature has been one of the ways through which the issue of African American has been addressed. Several authors, both male and female have come up with literature that highlights the plight of black women. The literature focuses on some of the strengths of the black woman and how that can work at eliminating the stigma, she has faced over the years. Being black and a woman at the same time in America was considered a tragedy that most women had to counter. The women fell so helplessly, especially in the hand of their white bosses.

Their black male counterparts cannot defend them, as they risk being killed. For some time, the African American woman accepted her fate as an instrument of slavery. Older women in the black society advised their young girls to be ready for what they believed was a lifetime of slavery. It seemed like there was little that could be done to save the black woman, whose fate lied with her white boss. Since then, efforts have been implemented to give the black woman voice that will lift her self-esteem.

Despite numerous literatures that were written for the black woman, most of them were never accepted and only resurfaced years later. The 19th and the 20th centuries have been especially challenging for the black woman, who could not understand the freedom that comes with the abolishment of the slave trade. It should be noted that the torture received by the black woman did not only originate from her white boss but also her frustrated husband. In most cases, when the black man felt disappointed and misused by the white boss, he would release the treatment on the woman, who had nowhere else to release but to stomach it.

Despite the challenges that the African American woman has to face on a daily basis, it gets better by day. Many black women have risen to defy culture and race by working hard to occupy prominent seats in the public and private sector. The women who have managed to scale the ladders of the status class are not letting their counterparts down. Currently, several kinds of literature empower women into greatness. The United States also has various organizations that are dedicated to supporting the African American woman and girl.

Many black women who never saw the need for taking their children to school are taking up the challenge just to ensure their girls are empowered. The African American woman has stood to defend her rights through feminism movements. The battle has not been easy to fight, but the black woman is determined to fight through until when she is recognized and appreciated. It may take time for the wounds of slavery to heal, but with the current momentum, the future black woman will have a face and a legacy to be proud of and enjoy.

Works cited Padhi, Prasanta Kumar. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science. The Rise of Feminism and the Growth of Black American Women Literature. Department of English, Orissa Engineering College. Web.