Every society has myths that either makes the society famous for being archaic or heroic in a supernatural way. Whether folklore or tradition, many myths become so entrenched in society that they are hard to distinguish from reality. What’s more is people unknowingly perpetuate myths, and, unfortunately, continue a cycle of abuse in the process.

This is the opening line from my book’s chapter on the history of the strong black woman. I consider patriarchal and matriarchal societal norms in the United States and abroad as contributing factors to her development. I touched upon a few of these on Monday in my poem I Remember Her. To leave you with something new for the book, let me engage you with some questions instead of giving you the entire chapter: How have black women being the victim of patriarchal and matriarchal norms helped to define you or people you know? If you think these norms have caused you and others to continue a cycle of abuse, how so? I’ll start by leaving you with a quote from a reader, my sister, the Rev. Sharon D. Moore: “[O]ur destiny is far beyond our collective experiences.” Now, what do you think?

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith