Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination

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Nonviolence for a change, training 2009
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Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination
by Patricia Hill Collins,
Black feminist thought $emonstrates Black "omen(s emerging po"er as agents of
kno"le$ge# B) portra)ing African%American "omen as self%$efine$, selt%reliant
in$ivi$uals confronting race, gen$er, an$ class oppression, Afrocentric feminist
thought speaks to the importance that oppression, Afrocentric feminist thought
speaks to the importance that kno"le$ge pla)s in empo"ering oppresse$ people#
*ne $istinguishing feature of Black feminist thought is its insistence that +oth the
change$ consciousness of in$ivi$uals an$ the social transformation of political an$
economic institutions constitute essential ingre$ients for social change# Ne"
kno"le$ge is important for +oth $imensions ot change#
,no"le$ge is a vitall) important part of the social relations of $omination an$
resistance# B) o+-ectif)ing African%American "omen an$ recasting our experiences
to serve the interests of elite "hite men, much of the .urocentric masculinist
"orl$vie" fosters Black "omen(s su+or$ination# But placing Black "omen(s
experiences at the center of anal)sis offers fresh insights on the prevailing concepts,
para$igms, an$ epistemologies of this "orl$vie" an$ on its feminist an$ Afrocentric
criti/ues# 0ie"ing the "orl$ through a +oth!an$ conceptual lens of the simultaneit) of
race, class, an$ gen$er oppression an$ of the nee$ for a humanist vision of
communit) creates ne" possi+ilities for an empo"ering Afrocentric feminist
kno"le$ge# Man) Black feminist intellectuals have long thought a+out the "orl$ in
this "a) +ecause this is the "a) "e experience the "orl$#
Afrocentric feminist thought offers t"o significant contri+utions to"ar$ turthering our
un$erstan$ing of the important connections among kno"le$ge, consciousness, an$
the politics of empo"erment# First, Black feminist thought fosters a fun$amental
para$igmatic shift in ho" "e think a+out oppression# B) em+racing a para$igm of
race, class, an$ gen$er as interlocking s)stems of oppression, Black feminist thought
reconceptuali1es the social relations of $ommation an$ resistance# 2econ$, Black
feminist thought a$$resses ongoing epistemological $e+ates in feminist theor) an$ in
the sociolog) of kno"le$ge concerning "a)s of assessing 3truth#3 *ffering
su+or$inate groups ne" kno"le$ge a+out their o"n experiences can +e
empo"ering# But revealing ne" "a)s of kno"ing that allo" su+or$inate groups to
$efine their o"n realit) has far greater implications#
Reconceptualizing Race, Class, and Gender as Interlocking Systems of
Oppression
34hat 5 reall) feel is ra$ical is tr)ing to make coalitions "ith people "ho are $ifferent
from )ou,3 maintains Bar+ara 2mith# 35 feel it is ra$ical to +e $ealing "ith race an$
sex an$ class an$ sexual i$entit) all at one time# 5 think that is
reall) ra$ical +ecause it has never +een $one +efore#3 Black feminist thought fosters
a fun$amental para$igmatic shift that re-ects a$$itive approaches to
oppression# 5nstea$ of starting "ith gen$er an$ then a$$ing in other varia+les such
as age, sexual orientation, race, social class, an$ religion, Black feminist thought
sees these $istinctive s)stems of oppression as +emg part of one overarching
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Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination
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structure of $omination# 0ie"ing relations of $omination for Black "omen for an)
given sociohistorical context as +eing structure$ via a s)stem of interlocking race,
class, an$ gen$er oppression expan$s the focus of anal)sis from merel) $escri+ing
the similarities an$ $ifferences $istinguishing these s)stems of oppression an$
focuses greater attention on ho" the) interconnect# Assummg that each s)stem
nee$s the others in or$er to function creates a $istinct theoretical stance that
stimulates the rethinking of +asic social science concepts#
Afrocentric feminist notions of famil) reflect this reconceptuali1ation process# Black
"omen(s experiences as +loo$mothers, othermothers, an$ communit) othermothers
reveal that the m)thical norm of a heterosexual, marrie$ couple, nuclear famil) "ith a
non"orking spouse an$ a hus+an$ earning a 3famil) "age3 is far from +eing natural,
universal an$ preferre$ +ut instea$ is $eepl) em+e$$e$ in specific race an$ class
formations# 7lacmg African%American "omen in the center of anal)sis not onl)
reveals much%nee$e$ information a+out Black "omen(s experiences +ut also
/uestions .urocentric masculinist perspectives on famil)
Black "omen(s experiences an$ the Afrocentric feminist thought rearticulating them
also challenge prevailing $efinitions of communit)# Black "omen(s actions in the
struggle or group survival suggest a vision of communit) that stan$s in opposition to
that extant in the $ominant culture# The $efinition of communit) implicit in the market
mo$el sees communit) as ar+itrar) an$ fragile, structure$ fun$amentall) +)
competition an$ $omination# 5n contrast, Afrocentric mo$els of communit) stress
connections, caring, an$ personal accounta+ilit)# As cultural "orkers African%
American "omen have re-ecte$ the generali1e$ i$eolog) of $omination a$vance$ +)
the $ominant group in or$er to conserve Afrocentric conceptuali1ations of
communit)# Denie$ access to the po$ium, Black "omen have +een una+le to spen$
time theori1ing a+out alternative conceptuali1ations of communit)# 5nstea$, through
$ail) actions African%American "omen have create$ alternative communities that
empo"er#
This vision of communit) sustaine$ +) African%American "omen in con-unction "ith
African%American men a$$resses the larger issue of reconceptuali1ing po"er# The
t)pe of Black "omen(s po"er $iscusse$ here $oes resem+le feminist theories of
po"er "hich emphasi1e energ) an$ communit)# 8o"ever, in contrast to this +o$) of
literature "hose cele+ration of "omen(s po"er is often accompanie$ +) a lack of
attention to the importance of po"er as $omination, Black "omen(s experiences as
mothers, communit) othermothers, e$ucators, church lea$ers, la+or union center%
"omen, an$ communit) lea$ers seem to suggest that po"er as energ) can +e
fostere$ +) creative acts of resistance#
The spheres of influence create$ an$ sustaine$ +) African%American "omen are not
meant solel) to provi$e a respite from oppressive situations or a retreat from their
effects# 9ather, these Black female spheres of influence constitute potential
sanctuaries "here in$ivi$ual Black "omen an$ men are nurture$ in or$er to confront
oppressive social institutions# 7o"er from this perspective is a creative po"er use$
for the goo$ of the communit), "hether that communit) is conceptuali1e$ as one(s
famil), church communit), or the next generation of the communit)(s chil$ren# B)
making the communit) stronger, Atrican%American "omen +ecome empo"ere$, an$
that same communit) can serve as a source of support "hen Black "omen
encounter race, gen$er, an$ class oppression# # # #
Approaches that assume that race, gen$er, an$ class are interconnecte$ have
imme$iate practical applications# For example, African%American "omen continue to
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Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination
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+e ina$e/uatel) protecte$ +) Title 055 of the :ivil 9ights Act of ;9<&# The primar)
purpose of the statute is to era$icate all aspects of $iscrimination# But -u$icial
treatment of Black "omen(s emplo)ment $iscrimination claims has encourage$ Black
"omen to i$entif) race or sex as the so%calle$ primar) $iscrimination# 3To resolve the
ine/uities that confront Black "omen,3 counsels 2car+orough, the courts must first
correctl) conceptuali1e them as (Black "omen,( a $istinct class protecte$ +) Title
055#3 2uch a shift, from protecte$ categories to protecte$ classes of people "hose
Title 055 claims might +e +ase$ on more than t"o $iscriminations, "oul$ "ork to alter
the entire +asis of current anti$iscrimination efforts#
9econceptuali1ing phenomena such as the rapi$ gro"th of female%hea$e$
househol$s in African%American communities "oul$ also +enefit from a race%, class%,
an$ gen$er%inclusive anal)sis# :ase stu$ies of Black "omen hea$ing househol$s
must +e attentive to raciall) segmente$ local la+or markets an$ communit) patterns,
to changes in local political economies specific to a given cit) or region, an$ to
esta+lishe$ racial an$ gen$er i$eolog) for a given location# This approach "oul$ go
far to $econstruct .urocentric, masculinist anal)ses that implicitl) rel) on controlling
images of the matriarch or the "elfare mother as gui$ing conceptual premises# # # #
Black feminist thought that rearticulates experiences such as these fosters an
enhance$ theoretical un$erstan$ing of ho" race, gen$er, an$ class oppression are
part of a single, historicall) create$ s)stem#
The Matrix of omination
A$$itive mo$els of oppression are firml) roote$ in the either!or $ichotomous thinking
of .urocentric, masculinist thought# *ne must +e either Black or "hite in such
thought s)stems%%persons of am+iguous racial an$ ethnic i$entit) constantl) +attle
"ith /uestions such as 3"hat are )our, an)"a)=3 This emphasis on /uantification
an$ categori1ation occurs in con-unction "ith the
+elief that either!or categories must +e ranke$# The search for certaint) of this sort
re/uires that one si$e of a $ichotom) +e privilege$ "hile its other is $enigrate$#
7rivilege +ecomes $efine$ in relation to its other#
9eplacing a$$itive mo$els of oppression "ith interlocking ones creates possi+ilities
for ne" para$igms# The significance of seeing race, class, an$ gen$er as interlocking
s)stems of oppression is that such an approach fosters a para$igmatic shift of
thinking inclusivel) a+out other oppressions, such as age, sexual orientation, religion,
an$ ethnicit)# 9ace, class, an$ gen$er represent the three s)stems of oppression
that most heavil) affect African%American "omen# But these s)stems an$ the
economic, political, an$ i$eological con$itions that support them ma) not +e the most
fun$amental oppressions, an$ the) certainl) affect man) more groups than Black
"omen# *ther people of color, >e"s, the poor "hite "omen, an$ ga)s an$ les+ians
have all ha$ similar i$eological -ustifications offere$ for their su+or$ination# All
categories of humans la+ele$ *thers have +een e/uate$ to one another, to animals,
an$ to nature#
7lacing African%American "omen an$ other exclu$e$ groups in the center of anal)sis
opens up possi+ilities for a +oth!an$ conceptual stance, one in "hich all groups
possess var)ing amounts of penalt) an$ privilege in one historicall) create$ s)stem#
5n this s)stem, for example, "hite "omen are penali1e$ +) their gen$er +ut privilege$
+) their race# Depen$ing on the context, an in$ivi$ual ma) +e an oppressor, a
mem+er of an oppresse$ group, or simultaneousl) oppressor an$ oppresse$#
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Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination
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A$hering to a +oth!an$ conceptual stance $oes not mean that race, class, an$
gen$er oppression are interchangea+le# For example, "hereas race, class, an$
gen$er oppression operate on the social structural level of institutions, gen$er
oppression seems +etter a+le to annex the +asic po"er of the erotic an$ intru$e in
personal relationships via famil) $)namics an$ "ithin in$ivi$ual consciousness# This
ma) +e +ecause racial oppression has fostere$ historicall) concrete communities
among African%Americans an$ other racial!ethnic groups# These communities have
stimulate$ cultures of resistance# 4hile these communities segregate Blacks from
"hites, the) simultaneousl) provi$e counter%institutional +uffers that su+or$inate
groups such as African%Americans use to resist the i$eas an$ institutions of $ominant
groups# 2ocial class ma) +e similarl) structure$# Tra$itionall) conceptuali1e$ as a
relationship of in$ivi$ual emplo)ees to their emplo)ers, social class might +e +etter
vie"e$ as a relationship of communities to capitalist political economies# Moreover,
significant overlap exists +et"een racial an$ social class oppression "hen vie"ing
them through the collective lens of famil) an$ communit)# .xisting communit)
structures provi$e a primar) line of resistance against racial an$ class oppression#
But +ecause gen$er cross%cuts these structures, it fin$s fe"er compara+le
institutional +ases to foster resistance#
.m+racing a +oth!an$ conceptual stance moves us from a$$itive, separate s)stems
approaches to oppression an$ to"ar$ "hat 5 no" see as the more fun$amental issue
of the social relations of $omination# 9ace, class, an$ gen$er constitute axes of
oppression that characteri1e Black "omen(s experiences "ithin a more generali1e$
matrix of $omination# *ther groups ma) encounter $ifferent $imensions of the matrix,
such as sexual orientation, religion, an$ age, +ut the overarching relationship is one
of $omination an$ the t)pes of activism it generates#
+ell hooks la+els this matrix a 3politic of $omination3 an$ $escri+es ho" it operates
along interlocking axes of race, class, an$ gen$er oppression# This politic of
$omination refers to the i$eological groun$ that the) share, "hich is a +elief in
$omination, an$ a +elief in the notions of superior an$ inferior, "hich are components
of all of those s)stems# For me it(s like a house, the) share the foun$ation, +ut the
foun$ation is the i$eological +eliefs aroun$ "hich notions of $omination are
constructe$#
>ohnella Butler claims that ne" metho$ologies gro"ing from this ne" para$igm
"oul$ +e 3non%hierarchical3 an$ "oul$ 3refuse primac) to either race, class, gen$er,
or ethnicit), $eman$ing instea$ a recognition of their matrix%like interaction#3 9ace,
class, an$ gen$er ma) not +e the most fun$amental or important s)stems of
oppression, +ut the) have most profoun$l) affecte$ African%American "omen# *ne
significant $imension of Black feminist thought is its potential to reveal insights a+out
the social relations of $omination organi1e$ along other axes such as religion,
ethnicit), sexual orientation, an$ age# 5nvestigating Black "omen(s particular
experiences thus promises to reveal much a+out the more universal process of
$omination#
Multiple !e"els of omination
5n a$$ition to +eing structure$ along axes such as race, gen$er, an$ social class, the
matrix of $omination is structure$ on several levels# 7eople experience an$ resist
oppression on three levels the level of personal +iograph)? the group or communit)
level of the cultural context create$ +) race, class, an$ gen$er? an$ the s)stemic
level of social institutions# Black feminist thought emphasi1es all three levels as sites
of $omination an$ as potential sites of resistance#
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.ach in$ivi$ual has a uni/ue personal +iograph) ma$e up of concrete experiences,
values, motivations, an$ emotions# No t"o in$ivi$uals occup) the same social space?
thus no t"o +iographies are i$entical# 8uman ties can +e freeing an$ empo"ering, as
is the case "ith Black "omen(s heterosexual love relationships or in the po"er of
motherhoo$ in African%American families an$ communities# 8uman ties can also +e
confining an$ oppressive# 2ituations of $omestic violence an$ a+use or cases in
"hich controlling images foster Black "omen(s internali1e$ oppression represent
$omination on the personal level# The same situation can look /uite $ifferent
$epen$ing on the consciousness one +rings to interpret it#
This level of in$ivi$ual consciousness is a fun$amental area "here ne" kno"le$ge
can generate change# Tra$itional accounts assume that po"er as $omination
operates from the top $o"n +) forcing an$ controlling un"illing victims to +en$ to the
"ill of more po"erful superiors# But these accounts fail to account for /uestions
concerning "h), for example, "omen sta) "ith a+usive men even "ith ample
opportunit) to leave or "h) slaves $i$ not kill their o"ners more often# The
"illingness of the victim to collu$e in her or his o"n victimi1ation +ecomes lost# The)
also fail to account for sustaine$ resistance +) victims, even "hen chances for
victor) appear remote# B) emphasi1ing the po"er of self%$efinition an$ the necessit)
of a free min$, Black feminist thought speaks to the importance African%American
"omen thinkers place on consciousness as a sphere of free$om# Black "omen
intellectuals reali1e that $omination operates not onl) +) structuring po"er from the
top $o"n +ut +) simultaneousl) annexing the po"er as energ) of those on the
+ottom for its o"n en$s# 5n their efforts to rearticulate the stan$point of African%
American "omen as a group, Black feminist thinkers offer in$ivi$ual African%
American "omen the conceptual tools to resist oppression#
The cultural context forme$ +) those experiences an$ i$eas that are share$ "ith
other mem+ers of a group or communit) "hich give meaning to in$ivi$ual
+iographies constitutes a secon$ level at "hich $omination is experience$ an$
resiste$# .ach in$ivi$ual +iograph) is roote$ in several overlapping cultural contexts%%
for example, groups $efine$ +) race, social class, age, gen$er, religion, an$ sexual
orientation# The cultural component contri+utes, among other things, the concepts
use$ in thinking an$ acting, group vali$ation of an in$ivi$ual(s interpretation of
concepts, the 3thought mo$els3 use$ in the ac/uisition of kno"le$ge, an$ stan$ar$s
use$ to evaluate in$ivi$ual thought an$ +ehavior# The most cohesive cultural
contexts are those "ith i$entifia+le histories, geographic locations, an$ social
institutions# For Black "omen African%American communities have provi$e$ the
location for an Afrocentric group perspective to en$ure#
2u+-ugate$ kno"le$ges, such as a Black "omen(s culture of resistance, $evelop in
cultural contexts controlle$ +) oppresse$ groups# Dominant groups aim to replace
su+-ugate$ kno"le$ge "ith their o"n speciali1e$ thought +ecause the) reali1e that
gaining control over this $imension of su+or$inate groups( lives simplifies control#
4hile efforts to influence this $imension of an oppresse$ group(s experiences can +e
partiall) successful, this level is more $ifficult to control than $ominant groups "oul$
have us +elieve# For example, a$hering to externall) $erive$ stan$ar$s of +eaut)
lea$s man) African%American "omen to $islike their skin color or hair texture#
2imilarl), internali1ing .urocentric gen$er i$eolog) lea$s some Black men to a+use
Black "omen# These are cases of the successful infusion of the $ominant group(s
speciali1e$ thought into the ever)$a) cultural context of African%Americans# But the
long%stan$ing existence of a Black "omen(s culture of resistance as expresse$
through Black "omen(s relationships "ith one another, the Black "omen(s +lues
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tra$ition, an$ the voices of contemporar) African%American "omen "riters all attest
to the $ifficult) of eliminating the cultural context as a fun$amental site of resistance#
Domination is also experience$ an$ resiste$ on the thir$ level of social institutions
controlle$ +) the $ominant group namel), schools, churches, the me$ia, an$ other
formal organi1ations# These institutions expose in$ivi$uals to the speciali1e$ thought
representing the $ominant group(s stan$point an$ interests# 4hile such institutions
offer the promise of +oth literac) an$ other skills that can +e use$ for in$ivi$ual
empo"erment an$ social transformation, the) simultaneousl) re/uire $ocilit) an$
passivit)# 2uch institutions "oul$ have us +elieve that the theori1ing of elites
constitutes the "hole of theor)# The existence of African%American "omen thinkers
such as Maria 2te"art, 2o-ourner Truth, @ora Neale 8urston, an$ Fannie Aou 8amer
"ho, though exclu$e$ from an$!or marginali1e$ "ithin such institutions, continue$ to
pro$uce theor) effectivel) opposes this hegemonic vie"# Moreover, the more recent
resurgence of Black feminist thought "ithin these institutions, the case of the
outpouring of contemporar) Black feminist thought in histor) an$ literature, $irectl)
challenges the .urocentric masculinist thought perva$ing these institutions#
Resisting the Matrix of omination
Domination operates +) se$ucing, pressuring, or forcing African%American "omen
an$ mem+ers of su+or$inate$ groups to replace in$ivi$ual an$ cultural "a)s of
kno"ing "ith the $ominant group(s speciali1e$ thought# As a result, suggests Au$re
Aor$e, 3the true focus of revolutionar) change is never merel) the oppressive
situations "hich "e seek to escape, +ut that piece of the oppressor "hich is plante$
$eep "ithin each of us#3 *r as Toni :a$e Bam+ara succinctl) states, 3revolution
+egins "ith the self, in the self#3
Aor$e an$ Bam+ara(s suppositions raise an important issue for Black feminist
intellectuals an$ for all scholars an$ activists "orking for social change# Although
most in$ivi$uals have little $ifficult) i$entif)ing their o"n victimi1ation "ithin some
ma-or s)stem of oppression%%"hether it +e +) race, social class, religion, ph)sical
a+ilit), sexual orientation, ethnicit), age or gen$er%%the) t)picall) fail to see ho" their
thoughts an$ actions uphol$ someone else(s su+or$ination# Thus "hite feminists
routinel) point "ith confi$ence to their oppression as "omen +ut resist seeing ho"
much their "hite skin privileges them# African%Americans "ho possess elo/uent
anal)ses of racism often persist in vie"ing poor "hite "omen as s)m+ols of "hite
po"er# The ra$ical left fares little +etter# 35f onl) people of color an$ "omen coul$ see
their true class interests,3 the) argue, 3class soli$arit) "oul$ eliminate racism an$
sexism#3 5n essence, each group i$entifies the oppression "ith "hich it feels most
comforta+le as +eing fun$amental an$ classifies all others as +eing of lesser
importance# *ppression is fille$ "ith such contra$ictions +ecause these approaches
fail to recogni1e that a matrix of $omination contains fe" pure victims or oppressors#
.ach in$ivi$ual $erives var)ing amounts of penalt) an$ privilege from the multiple
s)stems of oppression "hich frame ever)one(s lives#
A +roa$er focus stresses the interlocking nature of oppressions that are structure$ on
multiple levels, from the in$ivi$ual to the social structural, an$ "hich are part of a
larger matrix of $omination# A$hering to this inclusive mo$el provi$es the conceptual
space nee$e$ for each in$ivi$ual to see that she or he is +oth a mem+er of multiple
$ominant groups an$ a mem+er of multiple su+or$inate groups# 2hifting the anal)sis
to investigating ho" the matrix of $omination is structure$ along certain axes%%race,
gen$er, an$ class +eing the axes of investigation for African%American "omen%%
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reveals that $ifferent s)stems of oppression ma) rel) in var)ing $egrees on s)stemic
versus interpersonal mechanisms of $omination#
.mpo"erment involves re-ecting the $imensions of kno"le$ge, "hether personal,
cultural, or institutional, that perpetuate o+-ectification an$ $ehumani1ation# African%
American "omen an$ other in$ivi$uals in su+or$inate groups +ecome empo"ere$
"hen "e un$erstan$ an$ use those $imensions of our in$ivi$ual, group, an$
$isciplinar) "a)s of kno"ing that foster our humanit) as full) human su+-ects# This is
the case "hen Black "omen value our self%$efinitions, participate in a Black "omen(s
activist tra$ition, invoke an Afrocentric feminist epistemolog) as central to our
"orl$vie", an$ vie" the skills gaine$ in schools as part of a focuse$ e$ucation for
Black communit) $evelopment# :# 4right Mills i$entifies this holistic epistemolog) as
the 3sociological imagination3 an$ i$entifies its task an$ its promise as a "a) of
kno"ing that ena+les in$ivi$uals to grasp the relations +et"een histor) an$
+iograph) "ithin societ)# Bsing one(s stan$point to engage the sociological
imagination can empo"er the in$ivi$ual# 3M) fullest concentration of energ) is
availa+le to me,3 Au$re Aor$e maintains, 3onl) "hen 5 integrate all the parts of "ho 5
am, openl), allo"ing po"er from particular sources of m) living to flo" +ack an$ forth
freel) through all m) $ifferent selves, "ithout the restriction of externall) impose$
$efinition#3
#lack $omen as %gents of &no'ledge
Aiving life as an African%American "oman is a necessar) prere/uisite for pro$ucing
Black feminist thought +ecause "ithin Black "omen(s communities thought is
vali$ate$ an$ pro$uce$ "ith reference to a particular set of historical, material, an$
epistemological con$itions# African%American "omen "ho a$here to the i$ea that
claims a+out Black "omen must +e su+stantiate$ +) Black "omen(s sense of our
o"n experiences an$ "ho anchor our kno"le$ge claims in an Afrocentric feminist
epistemolog) have pro$uce$ a rich tra$ition of Black feminist thought#
Tra$itionall) such "omen "ere +lues singers, poets, auto+iographers, stor)tellers,
an$ orators vali$ate$ +) ever)$a) Black "omen as experts on a Black "omen(s
stan$point# *nl) a fe" unusual African%American feminist scholars have +een a+le to
$ef) .urocentric masculinist epistemologies an$ explicitl) em+race an Afrocentric
feminist epistemolog)# :onsi$er Alice 4alker(s $escription of @ora Neal 8urston
In my mind, Zora Neale Hurston, Billie Holiday, and Bessie Smith form a sort of
unholy trinity. Zora belongs in the tradition of black women singers, rather than
among "the literati." . . . Like Billie and essie she followed her own road, belie!ed in
her own gods "ursued her own dreams, and refused to se"arate herself from
"common" "eo"le.
@ora Neal 8urston is an exception for prior to ;9'0, fe" African%American "omen
earne$ a$vance$ $egrees an$ most of those "ho $i$ complie$ "ith .urocentric
masculinist epistemologies# Although these "omen "orke$ on +ehalf of Black
"omen, the) $i$ so "ithin the confines of pervasive race an$ gen$er oppression#
Black "omen scholars "ere in a position to see the exclusion of African%American
"omen from scholarl) $iscourse, an$ the thematic content of their "ork often
reflecte$ their interest in examining a Black "omen(s stan$point# 8o"ever, their
tenuous status in aca$emic institutions le$ them to a$here to .urocentric masculinist
epistemologies so that their "ork "oul$ +e accepte$ as scholarl)# As a result, "hile
the) pro$uce$ Black feminist thought, those African%American "omen most likel) to
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gain aca$emic cre$entials "ere often least likel) to pro$uce Black feminist thought
that use$ an Afrocentric feminist epistemolog)#
An ongoing tension exists for Black "omen as agents of kno"le$ge, a tension roote$
in the sometimes conflicting $eman$s of Afrocentricit) an$ feminism# Those Black
"omen "ho are feminists are critical of ho" Black culture an$ man) of its tra$itions
oppress "omen# For example, the strong pronatal +eliefs in African%American
communities that foster earl) motherhoo$ among a$olescent girls, the lack of self%
actuali1ation that can accompan) the $ou+le%$a) of pai$ emplo)ment an$ "ork in the
home, an$ the emotional an$ ph)sical a+use that man) Black "omen experience
from their fathers, lovers, an$ hus+an$s all reflect practices oppose$ +) African%
American "omen "ho are feminists# But these same "omen ma) have a parallel
$esire as mem+ers of an oppresse$ racial group to affirm the value of that same
culture an$ tra$itions# Thus strong Black mothers appear in Black "omen(s literature,
Black "omen(s economic contri+utions to families is lau$e$, an$ a curious silence
exists concerning $omestic a+use#
As more African%American "omen earn a$vance$ $egrees, the range of Black
feminist scholarship is expan$ing# 5ncreasing num+ers of African%American "omen
scholars are explicitl) choosing to groun$ their "ork in Black "omen(s experiences,
an$, +) $oing so, the) implicitl) a$here to an Afrocentric feminist epistemolog)#
9ather than +eing restraine$ +) their +oth!an$ status of marginalit), these "omen
make creative use of their outsi$er%"ithin status an$ pro$uce innovative Afrocentric
feminist thought# The $ifficulties these "omen face lie less in $emonstrating that the)
have mastere$ "hite male epistemologies than in resisting the hegemonic nature of
these patterns of thought in or$er to see, value, an$ use existing alternative
Afrocentric feminist "a)s of kno"ing#
5n esta+lishing the legitimac) of their kno"le$ge claims, Black "omen scholars "ho
"ant to $evelop Afrocentric feminist thought ma) encounter the often conflicting
stan$ar$s of three ke) groups# First, Black feminist thought must +e vali$ate$ +)
or$inar) Atrican%American "omen "ho, in the "or$s of 8annah Nelson, gro" to
"omanhoo$ 3in a "orl$ "here the saner )ou are, the ma$$er )ou are ma$e to
appear#3 To +e cre$i+le in the e)es of this group, scholars must +e personal
a$vocates for their material, +e accounta+le for the conse/uences of their "ork, have
live$ or experience$ their material in some fashion, an$ +e "illing to engage in
$ialogues a+out their fin$ings "ith or$inar), ever)$a) people# 2econ$, Black feminist
thought also must +e accepte$ +) the communit) of Black "omen scholars# These
scholars place var)ing amounts of importance on rearticulating a Black "omen(s
stan$point using an Afrocentric feminist epistemolog)# Thir$, Afrocentric feminist
thought "ithin aca$emia must +e prepare$ to confront .urocentric masculinist
political an$ epistemological re/uirements#
The $ilemma facing Black "omen scholars engage$ in creating Black feminist
thought is that a kno"le$ge claim that meets the criteria of a$e/uac) for one group
an$ thus is -u$ge$ to +e an accepta+le kno"le$ge claim ma) not +e translata+le into
the terms of a $ifferent group# Bsing the example of Black .nglish, >une >or$an
illustrates the $ifficult) of moving among epistemologies
#ou cannot "translate" instances of Standard $nglish "reoccu"ied with abstraction or
with nothing%nobody e!idently ali!e into Black $nglish. &hat would war" the language
into uses antithetical to the guiding "ers"ecti!e of its community of users. 'ather you
must first change those Standard $nglish sentences, themsel!es, into ideas
consistent with the "erson(centered assum"tions of Black $nglish.
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Although +oth "orl$vie"s share a common voca+ular), the i$eas themselves $ef)
$irect translation#
For Black "omen "ho are agents of kno"le$ge, the marginalit) that accompanies
outsi$er%"ithin status can +e the source of +oth frustration an$ creativit)# 5n an
attempt to minimi1e the $ifferences +et"een the cultural context of African%American
communities an$ the expectations of social institutions, some "omen $ichotomi1e
their +ehavior an$ +ecome t"o $ifferent people# *ver time, the strain of $oing this
can +e enormous# *thers re-ect their cultural context an$ "ork against their o"n +est
interests +) enforcing the $ominant group(s speciali1e$ thought# 2till others manage
to inha+it +oth contexts +ut $o so criticall), using their outsi$er%"ithin perspectives as
a source of insights an$ i$eas# But "hile outsi$ers "ithin can make su+stantial
personal cost# 3.ventuall) it comes to )ou,3 o+serves Aorraine 8ans+err), 3the thing
that makes )ou exceptional, if )ou are at all, is inevita+l) that "hich must also make
)ou lonel)#3
*nce Black feminist scholars face the notion that, on certain $imensions of a Black
"omen(s stan$point, it ma) +e fruitless to tr) an$ translate i$eas from an Afrocentric
feminist epistemolog) into a .urocentric masculinist frame"ork, then other choices
emerge# 9ather than tr)ing to uncover universal kno"le$ge claims that can "ithstan$
the translation from one epistemolog) to another Cinitiall), at leastD, Black "omen
intellectuals might fin$ efforts to rearticulate a Black "omen(s stan$point especiall)
fruitful# 9earticulating a Black "omen(s stan$point refashions the concrete an$
reveals the more universal human $imensions of Black "omen(s ever)$a) lives# 35
$ate all m) "ork,3 notes Nikki Eiovanni, 3+ecause 5 think poetr), or an) "riting, is +ut
a reflection of the moment# The universal comes from the particular#3 Bell 8ooks
maintains, 3m) goal as a feminist thinker an$ theorist is to take that a+straction an$
articulate it in a language that ren$ers it accessi+le%%not less complex or rigorous%%+ut
simpl) more accessi+le#3 The complexit) exists? interpreting it remains the unfulfille$
challenge for Black "omen intellectuals#
Situated &no'ledge, Su()ugated &no'ledge, and *artial *erspecti"es
3M) life seems to +e an increasing revelation of the intimate trace of universal
struggle,3 claims >une >or$an
#ou begin with your family and the kids on the block, and ne)t you o"en your eyes to
what you call your "eo"le and that leads you into land reform into Black $nglish into
*ngola leads you back to your own bed where you lie by yourself+ wondering it you
deser!e to be "eaceful, or trusted or desired or left to the freedom of your own
unfaltering heart. *nd the scale shrinks to the use of a skull, your own interior cage.
Aorraine 8ans+err) expresses a similar i$ea 35 +elieve that one of the most soun$
i$eas in $ramatic "riting is that in or$er to create the universal, )ou must pa) ver)
great attention to the specific# Bniversalit), 5 think, emerges from the truthful i$entit)
of "hat is#3 >or$an an$ 8ans+err)(s insights that universal struggle an$ truth ma)
"ear a particularistic, intimate face suggest a ne" epistemological stance concerning
ho" "e negotiate competing kno"le$ge claims an$ i$entif) 3truth#3
The context in "hich African%American "omen(s i$eas are nurture$ or suppresse$
matters# Bn$erstan$ing the content an$ epistemolog) of Black "omen(s i$eas as
speciali1e$ kno"le$ge re/uires atten$ing to the context from "hich those i$eas
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emerge# 4hile pro$uce$ +) in$ivi$uals, Black feminist thought as situate$ kno"le$ge
is em+e$$e$ in the communities in "hich African%American "omen fin$ ourselves#
A Black "omen(s stan$point an$ those of other oppresse$ groups is not onl)
em+e$$e$ in a context +ut exists in a situation characteri1e$ +) $omination# Because
Black "omen(s i$eas have +een suppresse$, this suppression has stimulate$
African%American "omen to create kno"le$ge that empo"ers people to resist
$omination# Thus Afrocentric feminist thought represents a su+-ugate$ kno"le$ge# A
Black "omen(s stan$point ma) provi$e a preferre$ stance from "hich to vie" the
matrix of $omination +ecause, in principle, Black feminist thought as speciali1e$
thought is less likel) than the speciali1e$ kno"le$ge pro$uce$ +) $ominant groups to
$en) the connection +et"een i$eas an$ the veste$ interests of their creators#
8o"ever, Black feminist thought as su+-ugate$ kno"le$ge is not exempt from critical
anal)sis, +ecause su+-ugation is not groun$s for an epistemolog)#
Despite African%American "omen(s potential po"er to reveal ne" insights a+out the
matrix of $omination, a Black "omen(s stan$point is onl) one angle of vision# Thus
Black feminist thought represents a partial perspective# The overarching matrix of
$omination houses multiple groups, each "ith var)ing experiences "ith penalt) an$
privilege that pro$uce correspon$ing partial perspectives, situate$ kno"le$ges, an$,
for clearl) i$entifia+le su+or$inate groups, su+-ugate$ kno"le$ges# No one group has
a clear angle of vision# No one group possesses the theor) or metho$olog) that
allo"s it to $iscover the a+solute 3truth3 or, "orse )et, proclaim its theories an$
metho$ologies as the universal norm evaluating other groups( experiences# Eiven
that groups are une/ual in po"er in making themselves hear$, $ominant groups
have a veste$ interest in suppressing the kno"le$ge pro$uce$ +) su+or$inate
groups# Eiven the existence of multiple an$ competing kno"le$ge claims to 3truth3
pro$uce$ +) groups "ith partial perspectives, "hat epistemological approach offers
the most promise=
ialogue and +mpathy
4estern social an$ political thought contains t"o alternative approaches to
ascertaining 3truth#3 The first, reflecte$ in positivist science, has long claime$ that
a+solute truths exist an$ that the task of scholarship is to $evelop o+-ective, un+iase$
tools of science to measure these truths# # # # 9elativism, the secon$ approach, has
+een for"ar$e$ as the antithesis of an$ inevita+le outcome of re-ecting a positivist
science# From a relativist perspective all groups pro$uce speciali1e$ thought an$
each group(s thought is e/uall) vali$# No group can claim to have a +etter
interpretation of the 3truth3 than another# 5n a sense, relativism represents the
opposite of scientific i$eologies of o+-ectivit)# As epistemological stances, +oth
positivist science an$ relativism minimi1e the importance of specific location in
influencing a group(s kno"le$ge claims, the po"er ine/uities among groups that
pro$uce su+-ugate$ kno"le$ges, an$ the strengths an$ limitations of partial
perspective#
The existence of Black feminist thought suggests another alternative to the ostensi+l)
o+-ective norms of science an$ to relativism(s claims that groups "ith competing
kno"le$ge claims are e/ual# # # # This approach to Afrocentric feminist thought allo"s
African%American "omen to +ring a Black "omen(s stan$point to larger
epistemological $ialogues concerning the nature of the matrix of $omination#
.ventuall) such $ialogues ma) get us to a point at "hich, claims .lsa Barkle) Bro"n,
3all people can learn to center in another experience, vali$ate it, an$ -u$ge it +) its
o"n stan$ar$s "ithout nee$ of comparison or nee$ to a$opt that frame"ork as their
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o"n#3 5n such $ialogues, 3one has no nee$ to ($ecenter( an)one in or$er to center
someone else? one has onl) to constantl), appropriatel), (pivot the center#( 3
Those i$eas that are vali$ate$ as true +) African%American "omen, African%American
men, Aatina les+ians, Asian%American "omen, 7uerto 9ican men, an$ other groups
"ith $istinctive stan$points, "ith each group using the epistemological approaches
gro"ing from its uni/ue stan$point, thus +ecome the most 3o+-ective3 truths# .ach
group speaks from its o"n stan$point an$ shares its o"n partial, situate$ kno"le$ge#
But +ecause each group perceives its o"n truth as partial, its kno"le$ge is
unfinishe$# .ach group +ecomes +etter a+le to consi$er other groups( stan$points
"ithout relin/uishing the uni/ueness of its o"n stan$point or suppressing other
groups( partial perspectives# 34hat is al"a)s nee$e$ in the appreciation of art, or
life,3 maintains Alice 4alker, 3is the larger perspective# :onnections ma$e, or at least
attempte$, "here none existe$ +efore, the straining to encompass in one(s glance at
the varie$ "orl$ the common threa$, the unif)ing theme through immense $iversit)#3
7artialit) an$ not universalit) is the con$ition of +eing hear$? in$ivi$uals an$ groups
for"ar$ing kno"le$ge claims "ithout o"ning their position are $eeme$ less cre$i+le
than those "ho $o#
Dialogue is critical to the success of this epistemological approach, the t)pe of
$ialogue long extant in the Afrocentric call%an$%response tra$ition "here+) po"er
$)namics are flui$, ever)one has a voice, +ut ever)one must listen an$ respon$ to
other voices in or$er to +e allo"e$ to remain in the communit)# 2haring a common
cause fosters $ialogue an$ encourages groups to transcen$ their $ifferences# # # #
African%American "omen have +een victimi1e$ +) race, gen$er, an$ class
oppression# But portra)ing Black "omen solel) as passive, unfortunate recipients of
racial an$ sexual a+use stifles notions that Black "omen can activel) "ork to change
our circumstances an$ +ring a+out changes in our lives# 2imilarl), presenting African%
American "omen solel) as heroic figures "ho easil) engage in resisting oppression
on all fronts minimi1es the ver) real costs of oppression an$ can foster the
perception that Black "omen nee$ no help +ecause "e can 3take it#3
Black feminist thought(s emphasis on the ongoing interpla) +et"een Black "omen(s
oppression an$ Black "omen(s activism presents the matrix of $omination as
responsive to human agenc)# 2uch thought vie"s the "orl$ as a $)namic place
"here the goal is not merel) to survive or to fit in or to cope? rather, it +ecomes a
place "here "e feel o"nership an$ accounta+ilit)# The existence of Afrocentric
feminist thought suggests that there is al"a)s choice, an$ po"er to act, no matter
ho" +leak the situation ma) appear to +e# 0ie"ing the "orl$ as one in the making
raises the issue of in$ivi$ual responsi+ilit) for +ringing a+out change# 5t also sho"s
that "hile in$ivi$ual empo"erment is ke), onl) collective action can effectivel)
generate lasting social transformation of political an$ economic institutions#
From 7atricia 8ill :ollins, Black Feminist Thought ,no"le$ge, :onsciousness, an$ the 7olitics of .mpo"erment
CBoston Bn"in 8)man, ;990D, pp# 22;F2GH
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