Society 's Influence On African American Women

Being an African-American female I have been faced with many obstacles in life. These obstacles have consisted of being faced with stereotypes because of my gender and race. Despite these challenges I have learned to always embrace my ethnicity and culture, and use these stereotypes as motivation to not only better myself as a person, but to prove those who doubted me wrong.

The aim of the thesis is to analyze and discuss the African American women`s quest for voice, acceptance and fulfilment. The analysis will be based on three selected novels, namely, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Color Purple and Beloved. Since their authors - Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker all - experienced some difficulties in their life related to the subject matter of the thesis, their biographies will be sketched, too. The analysis focuses especially on three women who are the protagonists of the selected novels. Their personal and social problems will be juxtaposed within the context of the criticism selected for the purpose of this thesis.

By 1815, slavery within America was already institutionalised affecting the majority of African Americans; by 1860, there were 3.5 to 4.4 million enslaved African Americans as a result of the Atlantic Slave Trade in comparison to the 488,000–500,000 free African Americans. The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) freed all enslaved African Americans; nonetheless, African Americans were still considered inferior. Especially African American women who were treated significantly worse- sexually exploited, rejected by various southern suffragette groups as well as the National Woman Suffrage Association which opposed the 15th Amendment, enabling African American men to vote, fearing the setback it could cause women in obtaining the vote. Historian Deborah Gray White highlighted the status of being an African American woman stating that being "Black in a white society, slave in a free society, woman in a society ruled by men, female slaves had the least formal power and were perhaps the most vulnerable group of antebellum America." From 1815 to 1917, the lives of white women improved economically, socially and politically. Nevertheless, the improvement of African American women could be questioned. Therefore, this essay will focus on how the lives of African American women from 1815 to 1917 were marked by continuity rather than a period of change and improvement.

African-American women have often been an overlooked group with the larger context of American Society. Historically, oppression has been meted out to the African-American woman in two ways. Historically, everything afforded to African-American, from educational and employment opportunities to health care have been sub-par. As women they have been relegated even further in a patriarchal society that has always, invariably, held men in higher regard.

From Africa to America, African American women have embraced the spirit of creativity and survival. For years the black woman has been the backbone of our culture. It was our faith and positive spirits that played a great part in surviving slavery and being treated as second class citizens during the Civil Rights Movement. Now as we enter the 21st century, it is time to exert our strengths at a new level. The African American woman's role is to grow and prosper in business, support and be active in her community, maintain a strong family foundation, be spiritually grounded and to emend our health.

African American women advocate for social change in the Progressive Era by forming and participating in an organization that advocates for women suffrage, racial violence, and improvement of social conditions.

African-American ladies played significant bolster parts amid the Colonial time frame by giving help to the volunteer army. Their help included parts, for example, moving into the "huge house" to bolster the slave owner’s significant other when he left to serve in the volunteer army, dealing with wounds, and working close by the men in building fortresses for security from both the Indians and the British.

Angelia Emily Grimké, a sister, a wife, a women’s right advocate, and a women who fought tirelessly against slavery. Grimké held her composure in hostile crowds, even as stones were casted out, and harsh words cut into the dust filled air. This strong independent woman fought for those who could not fight for themselves. She lived in a time when women were encouraged to keep their heads low and their opinions kept to themselves. Grimké worked along with her sister to fight for rights that at the time did not come easily. In today’s world, the thought of women and the African American race having little input in the government or day to day living is disturbing. Americans take great pride in having a voice and the ability they have to use that voice at any time of any day. Unfortunately these times were not always easy to come by. People like Angelia Grimké paved the way for those rights and the overall rights of equality. She accomplished this by expressing her opinion and beliefs to those who were not always willing to agree. Grimké and many like her fought the hard fight and did not give in when they were outnumbered. Grimké came from a slave owning family in the south; therefore, she saw firsthand the effects of slavery. Into Grimké’s adult life, she moved north and further developed her beliefs through her relationship with God and devotion to her Bible, as well as, historical documents like the Constitution. These developed beliefs seen in her published

The following paper will be written to address the experiences that black women have within the United States of America. It will include statistical data that further explores the differences that not only blacks have within the United States, but that black women face as an unspoken minority. The beginning paragraphs will provide information about the history of the United States, liberation theology, black liberation theology, and more specifically womanist theology in reference to black women’s experiences. The applicability to the United States will be stated throughout the essay and further summarized in the closing paragraphs. The concept for this essay will be in regards to black women needing to remain supportive to each other, aware of the history of the United States and its design to not be made for them, and provide the role that liberation theology can have for their adaptability to the country.

The majority of African American women have a college level education and work in white collar jobs, “over 64% of African American women … are white collar workers” (Deshay). while news and other media sources would try to tell you otherwise. This means that the majority works in high level jobs, for example CEOs, doctors and professers. Another key point to this is the fact that African American women are an important section of business owners that created their business on their own, “97% of African American women who owned businesses were sole proprietors” (Holmes). This means that African American women own their own businesses. This shows through the challenges, that African American women work to get to their white-collar jobs and businesses. In addition to this, there have been a lot of female African American celebrities and politicians. For instance, Shirley Chisholm was the first African American lady to be elected into the United States congress. Condoleezza Rice was the United States Secretary of State in 2005 – 2009. Another example is well known celebrity Beyoncé. These women have shown that African American women can and have held power and become role models. This juxtaposes how life was in the 1930s, where these magnificent ladies wouldn’t have had the chance to mold the

The subpopulation of the southeastern United States that I am identifying is the African-American Woman. I chose this topic because it relates to me the most being that I am an African American woman. The five most important health concerns for the African- American Woman subpopulation are breast cancer, High blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, and mental health issues (depression). African-American woman have the most, and most of the time the largest, differences in health risks when compared to other minority groups. African-American woman have the most disease, disability, and early death as well. A lot of these early deaths are caused by such late detection of the many diseases

I am taking some classes that will eventually qualify me to major in Astro - Physics, or Chemical engineering, I also want to work with NASA and train as an astronaut. It was amazing to know that Dr. Mae C. Jemison who happens to be the youngest of three children born to a middle class African American family, Charlie Jemison, a maintenance worker and his wife, Dorothy, a teacher. Dr. Mae C. Jemison was the first black woman

experienced social disparity based on sex, race, and social class. Stereotypes and generalizations typically amass most African American women in the same social class, furthermore, the women receive inequity taking into account these same stereotypes and generalizations (Exkano, 2013). Khosrovani and Ward (2011) examined the inequalities that African American women still face when seeking to expand their careers in a prevalent European American organization. African American women must overcome hurdles

The United States prides itself on being a land of opportunities, and in many ways it is. We look at countries like South Africa, which not long ago was segregated through the laws of Apartheid, and we are glad that we are so much further along than the land of Mandela. However, every now and then we need to stop and ask ourselves just how far along we really are, and we have to wonder if many of the once oppressed countries we helped free are not passing us up in the area of civil rights and opportunity.

African Americans have been through so much since being uprooted from their home in Africa. Most people do not understand what happened to African Americans and they understand what they had to go through to be where they are today. It went from being kings in the comfort of their home to being thrown on a boat packed like sardines to be forced to work in the fields. The trip was a massacre itself because many did not make it due to the treatment from others. African Americans have always been treated like outsiders and it took many people to sway the perception of others to be where they are today. Through all the ups and downs African Americans persevered and made it out the struggle. African Americans has always been treated badly all groups of people and they always looked down on African Americans. Throughout the history involving African American, it showed the constant inferiority treatment. African Americans were slaves years ago, people still look at blacks as less important than other people. Slavery has a huge impact on our society today because people are still bias and unfair towards African Americans, most African Americans are still living in poverty and don’t have proper education beyond high school which is why they don’t have the equal opportunity for jobs. African Americans still continue to sit in the shadow behind white people.