Black Feminism In The United Statesorigins, Development, And Impact

Since the era of slavery, black women in the United States have been oppressed by thesocial hierarchy in which they were at the very bottom. The wide scope ofoppressors white men, white women and black men as well and the history associatedwith them have forced black women to develop distinct perspectives on social reality andtheir own status.In an effort to meet the needs of black women who felt being sexually oppressed inthe black liberation movement and racially discriminated in the women s movement in the1960s and1970s, black feminism was formed as a strong reaction against racism inwhite-led feminism and sexism in male-led black liberation. By delving into the realities ofblack women s experiences, needs, and aspirations, black feminists forged a wide range ofblack feminist theories, and spearheaded a series of social activism through theestablishing of independent black feminist organizations. Black feminism has played amajor role in reshaping our understanding of race and women through an intersectionalanalysis race, gender, class, and sexuality and have opened up a new path for theirstruggle for equality and rights in the United States.As a comprehensive research on American black feminism, this essay seeks to inquireinto the origins and developments of African American feminist movement and its essentialtheories and further to explore its historical legacies by synthesizing and analyzing relevanthistorical documents and existing academic literature. With its focus on black feminism,the thesis aims to gain some insights into feminisms on the initiative of minority women,which are of great importance to the understanding of the complexity of American culture.