Sheroe List

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

For his book “100 Greatest African Americans,” Dr. Molefi Asante used five factors for his selection criteria:

As Christian women who are black, how can we develop criteria for a Christian womanhood that includes the racial part of us without compromising biblical mandates? I would love your feedback to help me solidify a new theory, one that I have been developing for years.

Afrocentrism

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Dr. Molefi Asante

“You’re Afrocentric,” people often say to me, referring to my hair or the way I often dress. This is because I’ve worn my hair in its natural state for the past 17 years and don African clothes. Hair and clothes are just outward expressions, though, and don’t necessarily reflect a person’s worldview. Afrocentrism or Afrocentricity is much more than hair and clothes. This theory explores African identity from the perspective of African people throughout the world. Afrocentrism, developed by scholar Molefi Kete Asante, Ph.D. (though many more before him advanced the concept), more than two decades ago, also seeks to look at the world by emphasizing the contributions of people of African descent. If you practice Afrocentrism you are an Afrocentrist and your view is Afrocentric.

This concept has gone from the classroom and into everyday life, as seen in the comments toward me. As this concept has spread many have rejected it because of the view that Afrocentrists seek to displace other views in favor of Afrocentrism. Dr. Asante says that his goal is to have Afrocentrism as one view among many. The goal of Afrocentrism is not to displace but to come along side other worldviews to offer an alternative view, one through the eyes of people who have often been marginalized and made to embrace other cultures (i.e., European) without regard to their own (http://tinyurl.com/conpew). This theory, like feminism and just about any other worldview, has extremists. The extreme Afrocentrist may believe in black supremacy and seek to replace all other worldviews.

So some women who call themselves strong black women consider themselves Afrocentric. And though I’m recovering from my strong black woman status, I consider myself, for the most part, an Afrocentrist. Beyond my clothes and hair, my personal goal is for people to see, hear and understand all of me, not just the Christian me, but the black me and the woman me. I have to be on guard so that Afrocentrism doesn’t become extreme in me and I forget that Christ has called me to be a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). In a non-biblical way, people can reconcile by seeing each other and not trying to be the other. But higher than that is the way of Christ, where true reconciliation is with God the Father through a relationship with Jesus Christ. As I seek to have people understand me, the first way I need to promote is the way of Christ.

Feminism vs. Womanism

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Many black women have rejected the term feminist because of the history of racial exclusion of nonwhites to the feminist movement. Before women received the right to vote (and black men had the right), white feminist and conservative suffragist leader Carrie Chapman Catt said: “[T]here is but one way to avert the danger. Cut off the vote of the slums and give it to [White] women.” Catt continued that white men should recognize “the usefulness of woman suffrage as a counterbalance to the foreign vote, and as a means of legally preserving White supremacy in the South.” This was during the first wave of feminism (early 1800s-1950s). The second wave of feminism (mid-1960s-present) has had a similar emphasis on race. Because recent feminism has focused greatly on the liberation of middle class white women from white male patriarchy, some black women have not felt that this movement is for them.

This type of emphasis is what led writer Alice Walker to develop the term womanist, and many black women, including some of us who are Christian, have embraced this label. Walker defines womanist as “[a] black feminist or feminist of color. . .who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually. Appreciates and prefers women’s culture. . .[and who] sometimes loves individual men, sexually and/or nonsexually. Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. . .Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender” (from Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens). Do you consider yourself a feminist? If not, do you think womanist is a suitable alternative to feminist? As a Christian, do you think that you should call yourself a feminist or womanist? Why or why not? I am really looking forward to hearing from you.

The List Deconstructed

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

As we examine each item on “The List” that makes women fit to fill the job of a self-assured black woman, I want us to keep in mind what’s trying to be achieved. The aim for me is being assured about a self that is confident because God made her a woman and black and gives her the strength to handle her business the way He wants. I want to get away from defining success as first, promoting my racial identity; second, exalting my womanhood; and third, by attaining social status. The boast should never be in something created but only in the Someone who created.

For the next few weeks, the plan is to reassess whether or not we should be on The List. You can start now by telling me your thoughts. Do you think you should be on The List? Why or why not? If not, what new list can you create? As usual, I look forward to hearing your views.

Remember “The List”?

• Self-reliant
• Controlling
• Reliable
• Career-focused
• Feminist
• Sharp-tongued
• Mothering
• Afrocentric

Racial Pride

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Yesterday was incredibly awesome. I was awestruck at his elegance, engaged by his grace and her grace and those beautiful children; they were lovely. It was another proud moment for me and most black folks who are fed up with modern-day minstrel shows in the form of ghetto shenanigans perpetuated as representing all of black America. I was proud to see a black American, President Barack Obama, in all his intellectual splendor, not just being a black face filling a space, but one qualified to be there. As I watched the inauguration, I had to ask myself, “What is this racial pride? Is it a boast in a racial competition or is it a declaration of I, too, am America?” (See below). As I pondered I realized that it was a little of both.

As a recovering strong black woman, I have my “How ya like me now!” racial moments. I want white people to envy black success and to feel ashamed for ever doubting our capability to achieve in high places. But as I move closer to Christian righteousness as it relates to race I more often declare, I, too, am America, though I am the darker sister. Acts 17:26 says that from the blood of one man God made every nation of men, and Psalm 139:14 says I am fearfully and wonderfully made. So based on Acts, white, Asian, Latin and Native American women and men are also fearfully and wonderfully made. With this in mind I will seek to be proud of others’ moments of success, not because they’re black but because they are some of God’s creations, brothers and sisters in humanity. Privileging race because of race slaps God in the face and disregards his intentionality of creating us all different. My move closer to Christian righteousness doesn’t always feel right but it is right. The walk is surely one of faith but one I am willing to take.

I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–

I, too, am America.

Musings of a (Recovering) Strong Black Woman

Tag Archives: Race

Sheroe List

Afrocentrism

Feminism vs. Womanism

The List Deconstructed

Racial Pride