Womanism

"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Prespective for Women of African Descent"

"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent" is an essay based on Africana Womanism and how it compares to white feminism. The essay was written by Clenora Hudson-Weems, an African American writer and literary critic. She was born in Oxford, Mississippi and she was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I will compare Africana Womanism and Feminism and discuss the definition of the two the topics. Also I will discuss the important historical figures that are womanists. I think the issue is important because the common misconception is that a womanist and a feminist are the same thing but they are totally different. A womanist is more family oriented and feminists are dealing with the empowerment of themselves.

Clenora Hudson-Weems wrote "Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent" and it was about womanism. Another word for womanism is feminism, and feminism is defined as the empowerment of woman. In the era of women's rights, women were not treated as equals, especially black women. Colored women could not get any equality or any empowerment unless they live in a community which they can establish their own racial and cultural integrity. White women and Africana both have the same amount of rights but white women had better accommodations as far as restrooms, water fountains, swimming pools, and everything else that is segregated. I think that Africana women were oppressed more than white women. I believe that black women should be treated just as equally as white women. Africana women are fighting for civil rights and women's rights. Africana women have been more concerned for the whole Africana community. Their main priority is "...race empowerment, with class and gender following..."(Weems, 80). Womanism was important in the Africana community because the Africana women was trying empower not just themselves but empower the whole Africana community. For example, Harriet Tubman (Underground Railroad conductor), "risked her life time and again in freeing Africana men, women, and children in slavery, thereby establishing her commitment to racial parity"(Weems, 80).

The crucial role of an Africana woman is that many Africana academicians accepted the idea of female empowerment so that the level of struggle or concerns of Africana women are noticeable. Many people think because a woman is a feminist, that she is oppressed with gender issues, but an Africana woman are traditionally family centered. For example, Ruth Momparti witnessed the decomposing bodies of child victims of the apartheid. Most Africana women are mostly family oriented. The role of an Africana feminist is the exact opposite of white feminists. White liberal feminists started the Women's Suffrage Movement, which was a movement