Feminism and Racism in African American Literature
Throughout literature, feminism and racism have played crucial roles in the lives of the characters and plotlines in stories and novels. Audiences are captivated by the drama a character must face in order to succeed in life or society. This struggle to overcome personal discrimination and adversity has transcended centuries and genres of literature. African American literature is no exception. Authors of African American literature would base the events that were taking place in the world around them and incorporate them into their novels. Often times this was the only voice African Americans had in society.
The treatment of African Americans in America was filled with brutality and hate. However, they have also suffered by the attempts of white slave owners to try and erase not only the history of African Americans, but their heritage as well. While a Haitian can trace his or her roots to those of a great African king, many African Americans can only trace their history to a simple bill of sale (Thornton 733). Although this demonstrates the dramatic impact slavery has had on African Americans, none have continued to face the effects more than African American women. During the times of slavery, the order of importance in American society was clearly mapped out. First came white males, next white women, then black males, and finally black women. Both white and black women faced the struggle of feminism, however, nothing can compare to the treatment African American women faced from not only white males, but black males as well. They ranked on the bottom step of society's social ladder, and often times lived extremely hard lives. They would suffer the same harsh and unbearable treatment from black men, as they would white. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual assault were all a part of the everyday lives of African American women during the age of slavery. Zora Neale Hurston had a passion for writing about the destructive nature of love. She often
The treatment of African Americans in America was filled with brutality and hate. However, they have also suffered by the attempts of white slave owners to try and erase not only the history of African Americans, but their heritage as well. While a Haitian can trace his or her roots to those of a great African king, many African Americans can only trace their history to a simple bill of sale (Thornton 733). Although this demonstrates the dramatic impact slavery has had on African Americans, none have continued to face the effects more than African American women. During the times of slavery, the order of importance in American society was clearly mapped out. First came white males, next white women, then black males, and finally black women. Both white and black women faced the struggle of feminism, however, nothing can compare to the treatment African American women faced from not only white males, but black males as well. They ranked on the bottom step of society's social ladder, and often times lived extremely hard lives. They would suffer the same harsh and unbearable treatment from black men, as they would white. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual assault were all a part of the everyday lives of African American women during the age of slavery. Zora Neale Hurston had a passion for writing about the destructive nature of love. She often
Cited: Delbanco, Andrew. "The Political Incorrectness of Zora Neale Hurston." Thej Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 18. (Winter, 1997-1998), pp. 103-108. Jordan, Jennifer. "Feminist Fantasies: Zora Neale Hurston 's Their Eyes Were Watching God." Tulsa Studies in Women 's Literature, Vol. 7, No. 1. (Spring, 1988), pp. 105-117. Thornton, Jerome E. "The Paradoxical Journey of the African American in African American Fiction." New Literary History, Vol. 21, No. 3, New Historicisms, New Histories, and Others. (Spring, 1990), pp. 733-745.