Afro-American Women

Paper Summary:

This paper focuses on the issue of African-American women and feminism, from the 1960s to the present, while focusing on the views and opinions of various authors such as Patricia Hill Collins. Collins, a powerful voice in matters of black feminist epistemology, contends that because black women have access to both the Afro-centric and feminist standpoints, then, for a full analysis, both traditions should be represented through an "alternative epistemology." Collins also states that the key dimension of an Afro-centric feminist epistemology is the black woman's centrality in families and community organizations.
The writer of this paper discusses the issues that pertained to many African-American women in the 1960s and 1970s, who felt that the objectives and practices of feminism pertained mainly to white women. In the early 1970s, black feminists challenged this situation, questioning the assumption that white feminists spoke for all women and demanded -and eventually were given- women's studies programs on the experiences, culture and literature of black women. At that time, the activist black women who made the demands were denounced for espousing black nationalism, nonetheless, appropriate courses on "women of color" were eventually added to the women's studies' curriculum, which are detailed in this paper. This paper examines the progress and empowerment of African-American women over the years who are now able to lead in ways they had never thought possible, prior to 1960.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Main Body of the Paper: Literature Review
Epistemology
Conclusion
References
References Not Included in the Body of the Paper

From the Paper:

"In her book, Collins suggests that the Black feminist thought processes speaks to "the importance that knowledge plays in empowering oppressed people." Moreover, Black feminist thought offers a "fundamental paradigmatic shift in how we think about oppression," though the process of reconceptualizing "the social relations of domination and resistance." Black feminist thought also empowers "subordinate groups" by infusing them with "new knowledge" that helps them define the reality of their own existence. What is impressive about Collins - besides the fact that clearly she's brilliant, alert to what real Black women are doing and feeling - is that she is fair-minded when it comes to her scholarship, and generally eschews long and emotional harangues about the white culture, and about white feminist epistemology that has in the past stood in the way of African-American feminists reaching out to the world with their vision."

More papers on Afro-American Women:

• Essay # 40674 : "Afro-American Women and Competitive Sports"
• Poem Review # 108809 : "Celebration of Womanhood in "Phenomenal Woman"
• Research Paper # 25882 : "Afrocentrism, Feminism & Poverty in the Black Community"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: