Written by Frewini H
“How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.” ― Anais Nin
Black women’s rhetoric is a bold announcement of historical, social and personal consciousness. Through their words, actions and lived experiences black women break down barriers, open doors and create change. We will explore the ways black women rhetors embody their words, and create meanings beyond the barriers that they may have faced. The tradition of black women’s rhetoric comes from blues to jazz, speech to poetry. We have settled on hip-hop as a rhetorical form because of the impact of these women on our lives. We’ve learned from them. Let us pay homage.
Phenomenal women in hip hop such as artists like Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu were lucky enough to flourish into such inspirational artists that they changed the music world in each of their respective manners. This would not have been possible without the evolution of females in music before them such as Bessie Smith, Ruth Brown, and more. These three ladies were able to step out due to the previous foundation laid from generations before and not only so through the evolution of female artists but also female rhetors such as Angela Davis.
Whether these three ladies realize it or not, Davis is responsible for the fact that they are realized of their creative genius now rather than decades later and are even able to continue to build and change as time goes on. Davis’ rhetoric many-times is meant to be exclamatory and different and cause people to think and want to change which can be seen through the body of work of each of these ladies.
This connections seems easy enough to follow once you understand the evolution of Davis as an educator and feminist. Davis was a former professor in the History of Consciousness and the Feminist Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Davis did not just speak or write about what she believed in, she taught it! To continue to teach the importance of your voice and rhetoric has been a central theme seen through all works of Davis and continues to be seen in women in music today like Lauryn, Missy, and Erykah.
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