Ain't I A Woman: Black Women and Feminism

In this chapter, hooks examines the impact of slavery on the political and social status of Black women. Sexual violence targeting Black women did not end with slavery. Contemporary media continues to portray Black women as sexually promiscuous, which is consistent with the fundamentalist perception of women as sinful temptresses. Lack of attention to the rape of Black women is consistent with the perception that Black women are sexually permissive, which hooks traces back to slavery: “The designation of all black women as sexually depraved, immoral, and loose had its roots in the slave system” (52). White media portrayed Black men and women as innately immoral, and many believed that Black women were deserving of the abuse they experienced due to their moral status.

During Reconstruction (the post-Civil War period), Black women pushed back against these stereotypes by dressing well and emulating white women, but they were physically and verbally assaulted by people who wanted them to remain subjugated. Sexual violence against Black women was so common that activists published articles to draw attention to the matter. Their outrage was ignored by the white public, who internalized stereotypes about Black women. hooks explains that the prevalence of bias against Black women and the pervasiveness of sexual assault reveal the continued devaluation of Black women’s identities.