Being African American Women Essay

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In America, being a woman is one issue, but being a black woman in American tend to have its own set of problems. Race and gender makes a difference in society, from getting a job to being harassed in a retail store. From 1619, women, especially black women have been discriminated against. Each gender and race has its own stereotypes and controlling images associated with it. Black women experience a double whammy compared to other women of different races in America. This paper will be examining the idea of being an African American woman in American. It will discuss how gender and race correlate and how it contributes to socialization in society. As a black woman it is important to understand the sociological aspects if being black and female in order to prevail in the American Society.…show more content…
They were used to farm crops such as tobacco. African women were given roles such as “Mammies”, which were faithful obedient, black generally overweight, domestic servant who loves, nurtures, and cares for her white children and family better than her own (Race, Ethnicity, and Gender 6a). Some African women slaves were also exploited and raped by their owners. According to pbs.org, “Throughout the period of slavery in America, white society believed black women to be innately lustful beings (Hallam, Jennifer,The Slave Experience: Women, Men, and Gender, Pbs.org). Which meant they used black slaves for sexual beings. White owners felt like because they owned the slaves they had the right do whatever they chose to do with women slaves. Progressing on, black women played a huge significant role in the civil rights movement, but did not receive much recognition because to most the focus was not about gender, but race. An article written by Tiffany D. Joseph, titled, “Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement: 1960-1970”,
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