Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02140045
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED323821 AUTHOR: Washington, Valora
TITLE: The Power of Black Women: Progress, Predicaments and
Possibilities.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1988
NOTE: 20 p.; Paper presented at the Anniversary Conference
of the Association of Black Women in Higher Education, Inc.
(10th, New York, NY, May 5, 1988).
ABSTRACT: The power of Black women is discussed in terms of
their progress in society so far, their current
predicaments, and possibilities for the future. The progress
of Black women is seen in their survival, the greater
numbers of Black women in nontraditional roles, and the
competence and qualities with which they perform in those
roles. Four predicaments are seen in the current situation
for Black women: (1) Black female-headed households live in
poverty not because they are headed by females, but because
Black women and children often live in poverty with or
without a male present; the issue is not household
arrangements, but inequality based on gender, race and
class; (2) integration has failed Black women; (3) the
women's movement has been relatively silent on Black women's
empowerment; and (4) affirmative action in higher education
has not worked for Black women and the assumption that Black
women are readily marketable because they are both black and
female is a myth. Possibilities are seen in the motivation
to overcome social class boundaries, the cultural
experiences that allow for greater role flexibility and
sharing of responsibilities among men and women, and the
affinity of Black women with other people of color in the
Third World as well as in the United States. Amid correct
demands that society fulfill the promise of the
Constitution, Black women must advocate for their own
empowerment. Contains 42 references. (KM)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Affirmative-Action; Black-Family; Black
History; Equal-Education; Higher-Education; Racial
Discrimination; Racial-Integration; Womens-Education
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Black-Leadership; *Blacks-; *Females-;
*Racial-Bias; *Sex-Bias
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.