At the height of the civil rights movement, Malcolm X once said, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman.” This powerful statement seems to constantly permeate my thoughts. The question of Why? appears to routinely pop up in my head, throughout instances where acts of violence against Black women perpetually result in Black women receiving little to no justice, times where my own Black features have been ridiculed and mocked, and when hearing statistics in regards to the pay disparity between Black women and their non-black counterparts bring me to contemplate why Black women are constantly at the forefront of oppression. Black women across the world are commonly discriminated against not only by society but also within their own communities. Apart from experiencing racism, Black women’s intellectual capabilities tend to be consistently doubted, undermining their confidence and instilling a belief that success is not attainable to young Black girls. The experiences of Black women are extrinsically shaped and influenced by their unique identities. Throughout my experience as a Black woman in America, many times have I felt the sentiments of hate, loneliness, and disrespect… The impact of my own experience and the significance of Malcom X’s words, fuels this research and the need to answer this complex and nuanced question.

I remember first learning about slavery in my middle school history class. Most of the curriculum stuck to a passive retelling of the traumatic event. Although the lack of consent in regards to slavery and the lack of autonomy was established, the extent of slavery’s cruelty and brutality towards Black women was not heavily emphasized. It was not until high school, where I learned on my own accord some of the more stomach churning details. Enslaved African women were often subjected to a range of traumatic experiences. Sexual Exploitation of Black Women from the Years 1619-2020 by Doctor Domonique Wilson, discusses the sexual exploitation of enslaved women. Black enslaved women were often subjected to invasive physical exams to ensure reproduction abilities, raped for personal and economic reasons, and made to undergo insanely experimental gynecological procedures (Wilson 2). In the school years, where the contextual history of slavery was so called “taught”- not once was the Black Female experience ever discussed. Whether the erasure of their experience was done intentionally or not, does not dismiss the deeply rooted inequalities established due to Black women’s historical oppression.

The impact of the long lasting legacy of slavery influences the current issues Black women face today. The violent history inflicted upon Black women has a link to the disproportionate violence Black women currently face. We see it all the time, news of Black women dying at the hands of their partners and or society, repeatedly without any sort of consequence. According to the cross sectional study of race inequalities in homicide rates by researchers at Columbia University, “Black women were generally 6 times more likely to be murdered than their White peers” (Waller et al). Black women’s connection to violence through slavery has resulted in a generational cycle that sends Black women into continual oppression. Furthermore, the study mentions most of the geographical areas with the greatest racial disparity in homicides rates are correlated to areas with populations that have endured high levels of lynching or slavery (Waller et al 9). The study observes and emphasizes that Black women are susceptible to higher levels of violence. I argue that these levels of violence inflicted upon Black women are inherently a product of the impacts of slavery. The legacies of slavery prohibits the advancement of Black women and therefore contributes to Black women’s treatment in today’s society. So in a way, I guess I have partly answered the question of Why?

The erasure of Black women from cultural discourse significantly contributes to the erasure Black women face in modern society. During the uproar of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, many people of color, specifically Black people, were subjected to violence and discrimination by police/state forces. The movement gained publicity as the nation was under scrutiny due to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a young black man who was killed while jogging, and the murder of George Floyd. The two injustices gathered support and attention across the globe, rightfully so. But why was Breonna Taylor’s murder not gathering up the same levels of attention, despite dying at the hands of the same police brutality? Social Justice movements often centralize their efforts and message surrounding the oppression of Black men rather than the Black population as a whole. Society’s acknowledgment of the victims and the injustices which they’ve suffered, abetted an environment where retribution and punishments were served to the perpetrators of Arbery and Floyd’s crimes. It is 2024, and to this day, the police officer who wrongfully entered Breonna Taylor’s home , and shot her dead, is still not convicted for his deadly criminal mistake.

The erasure of Black women within social justice movements creates an environment where Black women’s needs and struggles are not considered. Stewart Coles and Josh Pasek revisit the term intersectional invisibility. Intersectional invisibility refers to the concept that individuals who belong to multiple marginalized groups face a unique form of erasure. Therefore, when experiences and intersecting identities are disregarded, the voices of said marginalized groups tend to be silenced and or ignored (Coles & Pasek 3). The erasure of Black women’s experiences contributes to the oppression of Black women. As a distinct group, voices of marginalized communities should be uplifted and embraced rather than silenced. Lack of representation in media, erasure of cultural and social contributions, and lack of recognition for achievements, are all instrumental to the current portrayal and struggle Black women face in America. The lack of visibility- not only within social movements, but also within media allows for Black women’s unique issues to be swept under the rug, reinforcing a system that does not care for the success of Black women.

The limited representation of Black women in the media tends to reinforce racial stereotypes, which consequently leads to their negative treatment by society. In my mind, when I think of a prominent Black protagonist, in the media I often think of Ms. Olivia Pope, the protagonist in Shonda Rhimes’ hit show, Scandal. Olivia Pope is portrayed as a D.C fixer, an overachiever who uses her intelligence to manipulate others to her and her firm’s advantage. Along with being sought after due to her skills in controlling crises, she is also the mistress to the current president of the United States. Throughout the show, we often see times where Pope’s intelligence is slighted and denounced because of her relationship with the president. I often rewatch shows, and most of the time each rewatching reveals something new. Throughout my rewatches I’ve observed Olivia Pope’s character tends to reinforce certain Black women stereotypes . In America, societal stereotypes tend to categorize Black women into three categories: Mammies, Jezebel, and Sapphire, derived from the Jim Crow era. Mammies are often referred to as caregivers, Jezebel as promiscuous and sexual beings, and Sapphire as angry and combative. The caricatures below were all taken from the website of the Jim Crow Museum to provide a visual representation of the portrayal of these stereotypes. Although Olivia Pope’s character does not physically or explicitly reinforce these stereotypes, the character’s traits and behavior implicitly represents certain stereotypes rooted in racism.

Images Source: https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu

Throughout the series, Pope’s romantic relationship with the president (Fitz) evoked both the mammy and the jezebel stereotype. Pope’s deep infatuation with the President led to moments in the show where the President’s interest and his reputation came before Pope’s own. This trope, reinforced throughout the show more often than not, portrays Olivia dealing with challenges and occurrences where she puts her own needs on the backburner to service others. This not only reinforces the mammy stereotype but also creates the idea that Black women are constrained to the role of serving others. Olivia’s character reinforces the jezebel stereotype, due to her active engagement with sexual activity. I am a firm believer of doing what you want with your own body and that applies to its depiction in the media as well. However the latter does not negate the hypersexuality depicted by Olivia in the show. Throughout the series Olivia has many sexual partners and her promiscuity is depicted with her being engaged with multiple men at the same time. The notion of her knowingly sleeping with a married man already paints her in a bad light and continues to promote the idea that Black women are insatiable sexual beings.

In retrospect, when I first watched this show I was excited by the fact there was a successful Black lead. Here was a protagonist that shared some of the same traits as me, and I was committed to watching her story progress. However, as I grew older I felt angered over this popular misinterpretation of Black women. Black women already have a limited amount of representation in the media. The limited exposure Black women get, should not be riddled with racist and microaggressive innuendos. Since most of the time, people are being exposed to a “certain type” of Black women in the media, there is the false notion that the portrayal of Black women equates to Black women in real life. It can be difficult to attribute Black women with positive traits and respect, when all the media which presents Black women says otherwise. The negative portrayal of Black women in the media has a negative impact on the manner in which society treats Black women, further proving Malcom X’s point, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black women”. The limited representation of Black women in the media is often characterized by stereotypes rooted in racist views, which contribute to society’s treatment and social oppression of Black women.

Black women’s unique experience with intersectionality often creates distinctive challenges that hinder Black women from attaining success in post-secondary education.

When I received my acceptance letter to Boston University, I was overcome with emotion. I felt excited, proud, and rewarded even, as if all my hard work in the last four years had finally paid off. However, once reality settled in I realized that I was going to leave my incredibly diverse community to go to a predominantly white institution. According to Boston University’s class profile, the class of 2027 had a nine percent enrollment rate for students who identified as Black. This is an experience which is not uncommon to Black girls who pursue higher education, as most universities have a majority white student body. My college experience is most likely different from my non-black peers solely due to the way my identities influence my decisions, beliefs, and behavior. The concept of intersectionality created by legal scholar, Kimberele Crenshaw, describes how the systems of oppression create distinct experiences and opportunities (Crenshaw). The lives of many Black women are influenced by both racism and sexism, creating distinct obstacles that impede Black women from attaining relative success. In higher education, systemic racism has affected Black women’s ability in attaining post secondary degrees. All my life education has been preached to me as a vehicle for social mobility. My parents always said, “La educación es lo más importante. Cuando entras a un cuarto una Licenciada, todo el mundo inmediatamente te considera con respecto” (Education is the most important thing. When you walk into a room, everyone immediately regards you with respect) . However, how can one attain a degree in institutions where more times than not, women of color lack community and encounter microaggressive and racist behavior? The intersection of race and gender creates unique battles in education, impeding the upward mobility of Black women in the social hierarchy, and serves to offer another answer to our question of Why?.

In the introduction of this essay, and throughout my whole life , I have asked myself why Black women are the face of so much oppression. Throughout the essay, I’ve explored multiple issues that contribute to the unjust treatment of Black women by society. In my research I’ve found that most of the current issues Black women in America face today are influenced by the same issues enslaved women faced in their time. The traumatic experience of slavery and its legacies have intertwined so deeply among the institutions of America, that Black women today are affected by generational disparities related to violence, education, and erasure. Despite Black women often being mistreated and put on the backburner of society, we have accomplished so much, defying the odds and establishing our seat at the table. Black women today and in history have broken through the limitations set upon them and are currently still fighting to break the generational curses slavery has imposed upon the Black female population.

Works Cited