The evolution of appreciating Black Beauty
By: Kayla Davis
Before Slavery
Before American Slavery, African women were mostly seen as powerful, and dominant protecters who had much value in evolving and protecting the various African kingdoms around the Continent. African women were also treated with much respect and widely recognized for their physical and cultural beauty from those around them.
During Slavery
During Slavery many things changed for African women. They were brainwashed by their white masters to basically hate themselves and feel worthless. The slavery time period involved racial context that forced African American women to rethink what it meant to be a woman. Even though African American women contributed hugely in raising their masters families their "owners" still refered to them as "animals" and other derrogative terms in order to tear them down when trying to describe them and their physical appearance.
Slave owners would bash African women of their distinctive features such as theit noses, ears, lips, saying that they're "too big and monkey like". Also, antagonizing them for their usually short and course hair.
Jim Crow Era
The Jim crow time period had some of the worst representations of Black women. whites created many pictures, drawings, posters, and other forms of "art" (as they called) portraying Black women as rude, loud, malicious, stubborn, and overbearing. They also compared African American women's bodies to huge animal figures trying to deteriorate their confidence, but by this time as upsetting as those posters were the confidence of black beauty was starting to sky rocket.
1990's - now
Now, when we think of confidence in black women, we automatically think of the term "Black girl Magic". Despite the timeline of our confidence and what others used to say about African American women's appearance such as their hair, facial features, and physical build we never let them truly tear us down. We appreciate having distinct levels of melanin, hair textures, style, and a gracing aura.