scholarly journals ‘For better or for worse, there is history, there is the book and then there's the movie’: Foregrounding and Marginalizing African American Women in the Film Hidden Figures (2016)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. WLS77-WLS105
Author(s):  
Timo Frühwirth ◽  
Philipp Bechtold ◽  
Elisabeth Güner ◽  
Marie-Theres Krutner
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Black Female ◽  
Background Information ◽  
African American Girls ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Female Protagonists ◽  
Nonfiction Book ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

This paper critically examines the representation of gender and race in the biographical drama film Hidden Figures (2016), directed by Theodore Melfi. The film is based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s nonfiction book of the same title, which spotlights previously hidden figures in US history: the black female mathematicians who worked in the early US space program. The movie was released to critical acclaim and embraced by audiences as empowering African American girls. At the same time, the film was criticized for including a ‘white savior’ scene in which the black female protagonists are marginalized. After providing background information on Shetterly’s book and the film’s critical reception, this paper conducts a close formal analysis of a pivotal sequence in the film, which is compared to the events told in the nonfiction book. To shed light on the power structures that the film sequence projects, the results of this analysis are, subsequently, related to critical theoretical approaches to Hollywood cinema, as well as to Sara Ahmed’s concept of ‘affective economies.’ In conclusion, we argue that Hollywood filmmakers’ expectations about the desires of ‘mainstream’ audiences work to perpetuate the repression of previously repressed herstory on the ‘silver screen.’

Value Creating Education Philosophy and the Womanist Discourses of African American Women Educators

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (SI) ◽  
pp. 102-113
Author(s):  
Paula Estrada Jones
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Women Educators ◽  
African American Women ◽  
American Women ◽  
The Public ◽  
Education Philosophy ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
Helping Others

The paper documents the initiative of two African American women educators who have utilized these theoretical approaches to solve the educational challenges in their respective communities. Marva Collins and Corla Hawkins decided to build schools in their own communities after realizing that the public schools were not equipped to educate minorities. The story of these two women demonstrates that individuals can address systemic injustices in their communities. Collins and Hawkins were not wealthy. What they possessed was a passion for helping others. Their example can inspire more individuals to take steps using liberating philosophies, like value-creating education and womanist approaches in education, to transform the state of education in their communities.        

Giving Our Daughters What We Never Received

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila R. Grigsby
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Teen Pregnancy ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Perceived Behavioral Control ◽  
African American Girls ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
African American Mothers

African American girls experience disparate rates of pregnancy and acquisition of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, when compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Among African American girls, current pregnancy rates are equal to the national crisis levels of teen pregnancy reported in 1990. This qualitative elicitation study was conducted to gain insight into the ways in which African American mothers and their daughters, between the ages of 9 and 14, communicate about sexual health. Early sexual health communication between mothers and daughters is known to enhance the sexual health outcomes of girls. A series of four focus groups and three in-depth interviews were conducted between July and September 2014. The theory of planned behavior was the organizing framework. Theoretical constructs that guided this study were attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. Results showed that what African American women share with their daughters about sexual health stems from their personal faith, values, and experiences. Findings from this study can inform interventions to provide support for this understudied population. Moreover, there are implications for health-care providers, particularly school nurses, who are in an ideal position to help increase mothers’ self-efficacy to engage in sexual health conversations with their young daughters.

The Half-Century Magazine

2020 ◽  
pp. 62-78
Author(s):  
Robert E. Weems
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Racial Identity ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Personal Care Products ◽  
Black Female ◽  
Business Enterprise ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Half Century ◽  
Female Employee ◽  
Commercial Environment

In 1916, Anthony Overton established the Half-Century Magazine as a venue to more effectively market Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Company products. To deflect charges of shameless self-promotion, Overton put forward a female employee as the owner, editor, and public face of this women-oriented periodical. Overton’s skullduggery included submitting anonymous editorials and publishing articles under a pseudonym (McAdoo Baker) to convey his beliefs regarding business enterprise, racial identity, and personal conduct. Above and beyond Overton’s deception, the Half-Century created a commercial environment where black female readers were not exposed to racially insulting personal care products ads. This advertising policy, along with Half-Century’s sponsorship of a contest extolling the beauty of African American women, enhanced Overton-Hygienic’s position in the marketplace.

Recovering the Black Female Body: Self Representations by African American Women

2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Debra Walker King ◽  
Michael Bennett ◽  
Vanessa Dickerson
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Black Female ◽  
American Women ◽  
Body Self

Next Steps

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeannette Brown
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Role Model ◽  
African American Girls ◽  
Civil Rights Era ◽  
Good Education ◽  
American Women ◽  
Young Girls

This book covers the stories of African American women chemists who entered the field before the civil rights era or shortly thereafter. The women in this book were swimming against the tide. They chose to enter a career in which they were among the first persons of their gender and race. There are many young American women currently active in the profession of chemistry. Young girls are still interested in becoming scientists; however, they still have to fight to make sure they receive a good education in science. This need for good education is discussed in a book titled, Swimming against the Tide: African American Girls and Science Education, by Dr. Sandra L Hanson. Dr. Hanson studied young African American girls in high school and their attitudes toward science, which has traditionally been a male profession. One of Dr. Hanson’s conclusions is that these young girls had never seen a role model, African American women chemists, either in books or in person. She also discovered that the young women were still interested in science, even though they received little encouragement from their teachers. Dr. Hanson found that the parents of the girls encouraged their interest in science, with mothers being their biggest cheerleaders. Dr. Hanson would like to see more science teachers encourage young African American girls to study science. One of the women in this book, Allene Johnson, served as a high school chemistry teacher and made a career both of mentoring science teachers and of encouraging African Americans, both male and female, to enter careers in chemistry. Most of the other women in this book also have mentored women who wanted to become chemists either in academia or in industry. What resources are available to young people if they are interested in chemistry as a career? There are many organizations that are focused on careers in chemistry. The major one is the American Chemical Society (ACS). However, one should first consider this question: What is chemistry? Chemistry is a varied profession.

Culturally Adapted Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Panic Episodes and Depression in an African American Woman: A Clinical Case Illustration

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-58
Author(s):  
Donya D. Wallace ◽  
Ryan G. Carlson ◽  
Jonathan H. Ohrt
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽  
African American Women ◽  
African American Woman ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
American Woman ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Case Illustration ◽  
American Women ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

African American women experience multiple factors that increase their risks of developing mental health disturbances, particularly depression and panic episodes. Effective treatment of these disorders requires adaptation of evidence-based treatments to demonstrate cultural competency. Adapting theoretical approaches to meet the cultural needs of African American female clients by incorporating their preferred coping methods into treatment is one example of genuine regard and culturally responsive clinical practice. In this paper, we provide a review of relevant literature describing unique considerations for working with African American women, as well as a case illustration to highlight the implementation of culturally adapting cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the treatment of panic episodes and depression with an African American woman. A session-by-session protocol outlines how to adapt CBT to meet the client’s coping preferences of spirituality, family, and community.

African American Adolescent Girls’ Beliefs About Skin Tone and Colorism

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 169-194
Author(s):  
Jasmine A. Abrams ◽  
Faye Z. Belgrave ◽  
Chelsea D. Williams ◽  
Morgan L. Maxwell
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Lower Class ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Skin Tone ◽  
African American Girls ◽  
Dark Skin ◽  
American Women ◽  
African American Adolescent ◽  
Light Skin

Colorism is a pervasive system of inequality shown to negatively affect psychosocial and economic outcomes among African American adults. Among African American women and girls in particular, the social and psychological implications of colorist practices can be severe. The present study aimed to better understand African American girls’ understanding of this phenomenon during adolescence. Using a phenomenological approach, interviews and focus groups were conducted with African American girls ( N = 30) in order to determine which colorist messages are perceived and potentially internalized as communal beliefs. Iterative coding and subsequent thematic analysis revealed three primary themes and four subthemes: (a) Skin tone and attractiveness (Subthemes: Light skin as beautiful; Dark skin as unattractive), (b) Skin tone and social standing and education level (Subthemes: Dark skin as lower class; Light skin as higher class), and (c) Skin tone and personality/behavioral traits. Findings revealed that African American girls reported contemporary colorism biases similar to those found among African American women, suggesting temporal and generational continuity.

scholarly journals Norms And Environment Of Gender, Sex, And Love: Black Female Protagonists In Toni Morrison's Sula

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-92
Author(s):  
BHUPENDRA NANDLAL KESUR ◽  
ASHOK P. KHAIRNAR
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Gender Roles ◽  
Toni Morrison ◽  
African American Woman ◽  
American Woman ◽  
Black Female ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Female Protagonists ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The present paper discusses the great African American woman novelist Toni Morrison and her novel Sula. This work is an expression of Morrison's concern for the degradation of women in society. It is about two female protagonists who have been born and brought up according to norms and an environment of gender, sex and love that shape their personalities. The female protagonists Sula and Nel represent two different opinions and attitudes toward gender roles, sex and love. Nel follows the conventional norms of society; while Sula throughout her life rejects the traditional notions of feminine ‘responsibility’ and refuses to see women as only wives and mothers. This paper also explains how these norms and environment of gender, sex and love destroy the relationship between not only men and women but also women themselves.

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