| This thesis focuses on the ways in which lyrical contributions made by India.Arie, Lauryn Hill, and Me'Shell Ndégeócello reflect what Alice Walker describes as the ethics of womanism. Using the themes of resistance, love and pedagogy, I assert that these vocalists engage in cultural discourse, illuminating the negotiation of racial and genderized representations in U.S. society. Through investigation of their lyrics, this thesis provides examples of womanist assertions representing (1) commitment to struggle/resistance against oppression in U.S. culture, (2) an ethic of transformational loving that fosters self-love extending to all humanity, (3) pedagogical insights for generating and validating multiple experiences and ways of knowing in the classroom. Tying the historical reliance of African-American culture to oral traditions, I assert that music is a lasting temperature gauge of U.S. society and as such a vital resource sustaining black expression, cultural rituals, and cultural nuances of communication. Through lyrics these African-American female vocalists articulate their messages and demonstrate agency in negotiating their lives and the patriarchal industry in which they craft their art. |
