The theory of an African American male feminist is a relatively new concept that is rapidly growing. Alexander Crummell, who was an advocate of black feminism stated, “For, humble and benighted as she is, the black woman of the South is one of the queens of womanhood. If there is any other woman on this earth who in native aboriginal qualities is her superior, I know not where she is to be found.” Before I discuss the importance, relevance and substance of what it is to be not only a successful male feminist but a universally accepted male feminist, I will first lay the foundation of what a feminist is from the ground up. In this paper I will construct an analysis of African American male feminist thought using pieces of literature such as Fredrick Douglass’s “The Rights of Women”, Alexander Crummell’s “The Black Woman of the South: Her Neglects Her Needs” and Langston Hughes’s “Madam Poems” along with some other works to support my response. Exploring the theory of the early and modern feminist as well as the changes that took place that created the black feminist or the black womanist and lead up to the male feminist. References to Greek organizations, landmark judicial cases and powerful black women who are relevant to today’s society play into the idea of what it is to be an African-American male feminist from the past to the present will also be discussed.
Feminism is defined as the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes or the organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interest (Merriam-Webster). Although a modern term, feminist have been around for years. The Women’s Rights Movement started on July 13, 1848 in upstate New York. While having tea with her friends, Elizabeth Cady Stanton s...
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...testify 52 years ago | At the Dark End of the Street." At the Dark End of the Street. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. .
This website provides some detail on a landmark case in the state of Florida surrounding Betty Jean Owens and the rape that took place on Florida A&M campus. This website was helpful to me because I got the opportunity to read about a case that I never knew about.
"Women, Race and Class by Angela Y. Davis." Feminist Reprise. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. .
Feminist Reprise is a website that offers an explanation to the book Women, Race and Class by Angela Y. Davis. This website gave insight and went into specific details about why Davis wrote the book and her feelings on it.
Glenda Gilmore’s book Gender & Jim Crow shows a different point of view from a majority of history of the south and proves many convictions that are not often stated. Her stance from the African American point of view shows how harsh relations were at this time, as well as how hard they tried for equity in society. Gilmore’s portrayal of the Progressive Era is very straightforward and precise, by placing educated African American women at the center of Southern political history, instead of merely in the background.
Women, Race and Class is the prolific analysis of the women's rights movement in the United States as observed by celebrated author, scholar, academic and political activist. Angela Y. Davis, Ph.D. The book is written in the same spirit as Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. Davis does not merely recount the glorious deeds of history. traditional feminist icons, but rather tells the story of women's liberation from the perspective of former black slaves and wage laborers. Essential to this approach is the salient omnipresent concept known as intersectionality.
Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee. Women's voices, feminist visions: classic and contemporary readings. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
The. Bhavani, Kum-Kum. “Complexity, Activism, Optimism: An Interview with Angela Y. Davis.” Palgrave Macmillan Journal. Feminist Review - The. 1989.
When people think about organizations, leaders, activist, and world changers often times they do not correlate these titles and positions with women, let alone black women. When we think of social resistance movements and the leaders who operate the movements we often think of men. Many people in society think that a man is needed to construct, lead and run a social movement so that it can be affected enough to make a significant change. Stereotypical gender roles are the reason that many of us do not often think of women when we think about social resistance movements. However, African American women played a vital role in their organizations, they were powerful activist and they were adamant about addressing the many issues that black women face in society.
Feminism, in its simplest definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Webster) Feminists fight for equality for women to men socially, politically, and economically. At the peak of feminist discourse is equality for men and women in education and in employment. However, feminism also focuses on more than issues regarding the rights of women in relation to men. Issues of gender equality and women’s right to control their sexuality are also at the core of feminist theory. A key argument made by many feminists is how women have very little control over their sexuality, mainly being defined and controlled by men. T...
Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee. Women's Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
In her essay entitled “Reflections on the Role of Black Women in the Community of Slaves,” Angela Davis sought to dispel many of the myths surrounding the roles of black women during slave times and that of the black matriarchal figure. Davis challenged the idea of a black matriarch, stating that “…the slave system did not — and could not — engender and recognize a matriarchal family structure. Inherent in the very concept of the matriarchy is power” (Davis 201). Under the circumstances of slavery, the figure known as a “black matriarch” could not possibly exist, because someone who was oppressed by slavery could not hold any true power.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism is a major part of the short story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, which is a story that portrays women’s lack of freedom in the 1800s. Women had no rights, and had to cater to all of their husband’s needs. The main character in “The Story of an Hour” is a woman who suffers from heart trouble, named Mrs. Mallard. When Mrs. Mallard was told about her husband’s death, she was initially emotional, but because of her husband’s death, she reaped freedom and became swept away with joy.
Mandell, Nancy (5th ed.). Feminist Issues: Race, Class, and Sexuality (87-109). Toronto: Pearson Canada, Inc. Rice, Carla. The Species of a Species.
Multiracial Feminism: Recasting the Chronology of Second Wave Feminism introduces ideas by Becky Thompson that contradict the “traditional” teachings of the Second Wave of feminism. She points out that the version of Second Wave feminism that gets told centers around white, middle class, US based women and the central problem being focused on and rallied against is sexism. This history of the Second Wave does not take into consideration feminist movements happening in other countries. Nor does it take into consideration the feminist activism that women of color were behind, that centered not only on sexism, but also racism, and classism as central problems as well. This is where the rise of multiracial feminism is put to the foreground and
Considerable research has been done on the novels written by black women writers. Writers like Betty Overton (1970), Elwanda Ingram (1980), Karen Gaston (1981), deals with the theme of self discovery in the novels of African-American women writers. On the other hand, Sandra waters Holt (1989), Eunsook Koo (1993), and Claudia Tate (1995) has discussed issues of racial conflict, class and gender using feminist literary theories. Moreover, writers such as Robert Nelson and Lori Stephens (2003), Lea Johanna D. Friedly (2007), Christian J. Faxnum O’ Leary (2008) and Mr. Deborah and Andrea Wolf (2010) have talked about issues relating both racial and theoretical concepts. Andrea O’ Reilly (2004), and Gloria Thomas Pillow (2010), examine motherhood as a patriarchal institution and define the responsibility of a mother dividing it into four interrelated tasks...
In the book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center written by bell hooks, an African-American author, social activist and feminist first published in 1984 the author explains what she believes are the core principles of feminism. Throughout the book the author examines the early feminist theory and goes on to criticize it saying that it did not aim for a systematic change also that the movement has the potential to improve the lives of both men and women immensely. In the book the author investigates the performance of African-American women in the movement and what is needed to drive the movement towards ending oppression of all kinds.
Feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. It began as an organized activity on behalf of women?s rights and interests. This concept was developed to help women earn a place in a predominantly male society. Unfortunately over the years, the intentions of feminism have become distorted, not only by anti-feminists, but also by the feminists themselves. The principle of equality for women and men has turned into a fight in which feminists wish to be better than men. Feminism has been twisted and misunderstood so much that it has become a harmful idea.
To quote the great, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.” Feminism. The ideology of women having an equal stand with men. The rise of feminism, in the 18th century, lead to a new form of criticism: feminist criticism. This type of criticism developed with the three waves of feminism.