Should We Be “Pro-Black?”
My viewpoint may surprise you...
Hey Sis,
Let me ask you something, are you “pro-Black?” And what does it mean to be “pro-Black” to you?
I’ll tell you from the get-go, I’m not— I’m pro-Black women and that’s as far as it goes.
This might sound harsh, maybe it is, I have my (good) reasons why I don’t personally say I’m pro-Black.
When I say I’m not necessarily pro-Black this does not mean I’m anti-Black, or don’t believe in the empowerment of the Black race throughout all the African diaspora, or prefer anything non-Black to Blackness, it’s the contrary.
To me the term pro-Black has always historically meant pro-Black men, putting them men first, advocating for the rights of men, and doing all the heavy lifting in our community in replace of men when it comes to equality, and allowing ourselves as women to make excuses for why the men in our community are the most victimised and experience extreme racism, but somehow we’re not part of this experience or we’re on the receiving end of it to a lesser or different extent compared to men.
This is simply not true.
I’m pro-Black women because my life experience has taught me my loyalty is with women who look like me and identify as I do, and have two parents of African descent first, that’s all it is for me when I say I’m pro-Black women. I don’t care what accent she has, what colour her passport is, where her and her people hale from, none of these characteristics that could separate me from the next Black woman matters to me—female and Black or brown that’s all I care about.
I’m an outcast, unusual, eccentric, off the wall, different, (well I am an Aquarius so that could explain part of it too!), I don’t seem to fit the mould of what historically Black women should be like or believe when it comes to pro-Black stances, because I care more about Black and brown women doing what’s right for them, the protection of them, and I support them not engaging in anything or with anyone that does not serve them.
And guess what, I’m proud of that and very unapologetic.
I support the next Black or brown woman and her decisions to better herself in every way, even if this means she dates all men of all races and nationalities and does not restrict herself to only Black men. That’s because I understand and have learned firsthand myself that your ideal partner may be a person of a different nationality or race, why lose out on that? I also don’t agree with women dating down, or that she should entertain broke men, or men who are not financially stable, or men who earn significantly less than her, and I sure as hell don’t see men as any kind of prize, women are.
Lastly, I’m no one’s “ride or die” chick I will not put up with abuse, mistreatment, etc just to hold on to a Black man.
This is why I can’t be pro-Black. I don’t fit the blueprint that’s been laid out for the woman’s place in pro-Blackness.
So… as you can see, my love for Black women, and accepting the next woman’s decisions she makes to better her life, and turn down things that don’t serve her would make me an outcast.
Am I a feminist? Nah, never.
Not in the way that white feminism in the mainstream goes about women’s rights or identify as “feminist” today. But, I do care about women’s rights, and especially from the intersection of race which would make me Womanist as Alice Walker defined circa 1983, not feminist.
If you’re pro-Black I have no problems at all, and I’m not here to change your mind, but I am here to show you something that you may have already noticed, but have you been willing to accept it as the truth?
Let’s see…
My top five reasons ( with research backed evidence) as to why I’m not personally pro-Black.
( Meaning in favour of the rights, ideas, and best interests of only Black men over and above women) in the traditional sense of it, and instead I’m pro-Black women.
Identifying as pro-Black women, and not as pro-Black does not mean you’re anti-Black, or don’t like Black people, or yourself ( in my case at least). What it means is you see race as important yes, but you’re open minded enough to see how pro-ness is needed for women in this society we live in, and by this, I mean Black and brown women.
History shows us that to be pro-Black (let’s go back to when this movement started say the late 1950s-early 1960s), meant the liberation of Black and brown people via the liberation and advocacy for men, mainly but I would argue it was the only way. Angela. Y. Davis the prolific advocate for Black people from an American stance shows us this in her autobiography.
So does Alice Walker show us the same thing Angela Y. Davis does in her wonderful published journals Gathering Blossoms Under Wildfire (2022). There was a small sector of Black women advocating for women’s recognition in the pro-Black movement around this time, which can be read about in, How We Got Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee Collective ( 2017).
These were women who were around and involved at the peak of the pro-Black movement. From reading their recollection of the experiences they had, we can see from history what a Black woman’s place was in pro-Blackness.
Once I realised this, and also looked at how much Black women do today (still) in terms of advocacy for the needs of others over ourselves, I started to realise and become clear that if I had been around at the hight of this movement decades ago before I was even born— I know what side my wild afro would be sat on!
Sadly, being pro-Black has led us as women into a state of remaining in poverty. This was such a hard piece of research for me to digest, I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t want to hear it, but I accepted it when I thought about my own experiences, and those of other women I know. According to the Brookings Institute and their study done The Inheritance of Black Poverty, It’s All About The Men (2018) they were able to conclude that one of the main reasons, if not the only reason Black women remain in an impoverished state is due to the men they marry, date, and entertain.
On their own, Black women are doing well but from reading the study I can see that the age old requirement to be pro-Black, to save yourself for just “Black love” was and still is harming women. So of course I’m not really down for any of that. Sure, this is an American study, but I would put money on a bet that this is not just exclusive to Black American women, it’s all over the diaspora if the research into it was to be done!
When I considered the research above in point three, I asked myself why this is happening? I circled back around to the narratives that are put in our faces by other Black men mind you! To “accept a man with less,” “date the light bill guy” blah, blah, blah as to why this status for Black women has been found in research. This was a key realisation for me, next week I’ll be sharing something very specific on this topic. My fourth reason for being pro-Black women rather than just pro-Black is because a pro-Blackness militant approach to the racism from a Black male perspective only, has led to a situation where the expectation for men in the community is so low we can’t pass a piece of paper under it.
They are always put first. This has also led to the expectation for women is more aligned with being a mother to a grown-ass-man-child-boy, rather than his partner and as a Black woman we need to be satisfied with this when it comes to what we deserve, look for, and should expect from our dating experiences. I would argue well that pro-Blackness only and not looking out for women, has led to low expectations in men but placing them on a peddle stool too, all while favouring male children over female children.
5. My fifth reason for being pro-Black women rather than pro-Black is because no one, not one demographic of society has historically had our backs, and said “hey, you know what let’s go check on the Black and brown women and make sure they’re okay,” it’s always been us looking out for us. Well, those of us that believe in true sisterhood and are not removed from their womanhood that they will put men’s needs above their own, and they don’t see other Black women as competition they genuinely see them as a sister. So, based on this one fact of how we have been treated on a societal level, and a community level—why the hell would I not be pro-Black women, rather than strictly pro-Black?
Like I said, I’m not here to change anyone’s mind who does not see my viewpoint, but I am here to highlight observations I’ve made so far in my forty years and eleven months of life as a Black (and very proud) woman as I write this. These observations have led me to feel very pro-Black women.
I light up when I see other Black women who look happy, stress free, living good lives and making their dreams a reality, not letting any man stress her out! And get curious to speak to other women who look like me. Due to my life experiences with men ( prior to my change in mind set, and finding the right man finally), and my deep study of the history of Black women, this has swayed me to remain rooted in my pro-ness and Blackness from a woman’s perspective, even if I’m a boy mum myself!
But what do you think? You let me know.
Black Women Writer’s Book Review:
I love this author so much but guess when I found out she passed away?—about five seconds ago from me writing this sentence. I placed her name into Google simply so that I could link her Wiki page in with my writing, only to be hit with “died May 2023.”
I wanted to cry, in fact I still do want to cry because this author every time I read a book of hers I can’t wait for the next one. Now I’ve just learned there will never be anymore. This is one of the reasons why this month’s mid-month newsletter is shorter than normal, and there’s no audio version of me reading the newsletter out attached with it. I don’t think I actually can do a voice over, edit it, and get this out on time I need some time to process this loss.
I penned half of this newsletter twenty-four hours after I had finished reading the book below, at the same time that I learned that she had passed away. I’ve searched all over Google to find out a cause of death, but I could not find one, she was only forty-eight. I was saddened even more with no closure, I then had to go over my work and place details about her I had already written in the past tense—I could not continue to write much else after this experience. RIP, beautiful Tracy Brown.
I’m gripped every time I press play on one of this author’s audiobooks or read the opening chapter in a paperback. Author Tracy Brown created characters that are just so understandable, even if my life experience or situation is so different from her characters, and I as a reader did not have the early life experiences that Tracy Brown, or any of her characters had. By this I mean she placed characters in the story that really captured my heart, the other thing I love about this author is she is an excellent storyteller.
Hold You Down, is another one of her stunning, masterful, gripping, novels. Her storytelling is wonderful, and her skill is shown off beautifully (as always). We follow the story of two sisters from the 1980s-1990s Mercy and Lennox from New York. They were abandoned by their mother ( in favour of a man), both girls grew up looking out for each other.
Mercy is sensible and dreams of owning her own restaurant, Lennox is a little wilder and her idea of earning money is very different. They both had sons one year apart and the “history” and dynamic between them as sisters I would say is passed down to their sons, once Lennox disappears ( I won’t say how or give any spoilers in case you wish to read this novel).
This then leads to a classic destiny swap between their boys that you won’t believe! And this is where the story starts to tug on your heart-strings and draw you in, right until the very last word. Mercy wow! Bless this woman’s heart she handled life in a way that I think many Black women do— push through it, thinking of everyone else but themselves.
As I read this book in some parts I was mad, big mad! Especially at how things turned in a new direction for Mercy and her son. There were parts my heart was broken and very emotionally moved. This is a story of missed opportunities, family burden, destiny swaps, and of course love, sex, and murder in New York’s Staten Island.
I loved it, every moment and word.
The audio version is outstanding as this author always has good narrators, five + stars from me I recommend it if you love contemporary African American fiction that’s raw, and gritty.
Her-story
Imagine being one of few black female teachers, in educational institutions where white teachers seemed to have little expectation for student’s achievements. Then picture this situation when the largest cohort of students are Black, brown, minorities, and from some of the poorest areas of London.
This was my experience, and I always used to ask myself, why did they apply to work here if that’s their attitude as an educator? Why did they even enter this profession?
As an ex secondary school (high school) teacher, I spent a little over ten years observing the misconceptions about black, brown, and minority students and their ability. It was disappointing and frustrating to say the least. Teacher’s expectations were so low, you couldn't pass a piece of paper under it.
If we look closely at what history shows us about Black people and education, we see that education has always been something slaveholders feared would become a right for people of a darker hue.
This fear it could be argued was because slaveholders recognised that, if Black people were educated, they could think for themselves.
Education and the folk
Looking back at the history of educational access for Black folk, we remember that continued efforts were made by the dominant race of the time during slavery, to keep Black people uneducated.
For example, following the three day slave uprising and rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia from the 21st-23rd of August 1831, which was organised by an educated preacher and enslaved African-American man — Nat Turner (October 2, 1800 — November 11, 1831). Law makers then collaborated to pass laws to forbid the education and learning for any free, or enslaved Black person.
They clearly felt that the education and learning any enslaved person received could cause them to become powerful or even result in further uprisings. Nat Turner who was only thirty-one and responsible for the organised slave uprising, was gruesomely tortured, abused, then hung for his actions once the slaveholders captured him.
The desire for learning didn’t stop following Nat Turner’s uprising and death, Black people still demanded it. The consequence of this was as Angela Davis the black feminist writer and scholar writes:
“Throughout the south, slaveholders resorted to the whip and lashings in order to counter the slaves’ irrepressible will to learn. Black people wanted to be educated.” — Woman, Race, and Class (1981), pg. 93.
The efforts to attain an education spread like wildfire during slavey, and post-slavery. The reluctance to provide it by white people remained in place.
The first (Female) African-American educator
I’d love to celebrate and remember a woman who did all she could, to ensure her folk got all they needed and achieved great things in the field of education. She did all this while the white supremacy agenda was playing out, but still persevered.
One woman was so determining to provide access to education, her illiteracy didn’t stop her. She contributed as an educator the best way she knew how — she set up her own Sunday school.
Catherine Ferguson (1779 — July 11, 1854) was born into slavery. When she was eight her mother was sold and transferred from Virginia to New York, she never saw her again.
In 1793 after many years of servitude as a slave, punishment, and abuse, she managed to purchase her freedom via a white woman who was a member of her church called Isabella Graham for 200 USD, which Catherine had to repay her over six years.
The terms of her repayment changed from financial repayment, to repaying her with labour. Catherine had to work for Isabella Graham as a “lady of the city,” which included mainly baking cakes.
How it all started
There’s not a lot of information on this great woman, who appears to be credited as the first Black and female educator of the eighteenth century, but from what we do know Catherine had a benevolent heart.
On her mission to provide education she cared for poor Black and white children in her neighbourhood. It’s recorded that this was due to her belief that, “all children should be educated” she provided them with religious studies.
One woman was so determining to provide access to education, her illiteracy didn’t stop her.
Sunday school opening
She established a Sunday school in New York. It started from her home then moved to the basement of a church by 1814. She had the support and encouragement of a local pastor, named Rev. Dr. John Mitchell Mason. It became known as the Murry Street Sabbath School.
Kathy Ferguson’s School for the poor
With forty-eight children in total, twenty-eight Black and the rest white, Catherine formally opened an educational establishment, known as Kathy Ferguson’s School For The Poor. She welcomed both Black and white children, and due to this it would appear that she could have been one of the first educators to have a racially integrated school, also.
Her life
Catherine was pretty much illiterate, she was unable to write down her life experiences as some ex-slaves did as their personal narrative. White historians know little about her, culturally as Black people, we have the tradition of oral stories and Black folklore about her passed down from the ancestors to keep hold of.
What has been recorded by historians is: how she obtained freedom, her belief around the need for education, and the opening of her Sunday school, then Kathy Ferguson’s School For The Poor, and her death.
That said, her life we can assume must not have been easy, due to the period she was living in. Oppression of Black folk, the abuse of Black females sexually, using them for labour, and to reproduce are possibly the life experiences and situations Catherine endured.
Regardless she continued with her life’s purpose to provide education in the best way she could — via the scriptures and religion. We can assume due to literacy it was most likely oral teachings.
She did marry around the age of eighteen, the two children she had died while young. This must have caused her some heartache as a mother. She was also widowed around the same time. Even through all this she continued her life’s work as an educator for poor children, sadly her magnificent life’s work stopped short when her life came to an end, she died aged seventy-five of cholera in 1854 while at home.
Catherine Ferguson is not often celebrated or remembered in Black history, and this could be largely because while she achieved such a great thing — the first Black, female, educator, she didn’t share her history, experience, or life with anyone who was literate enough to make a record of it.
But what little is known is enough to know that she achieved a milestone for Black people in the USA, and especially in the city of New York where she resided as the first African-American educator on record.
Given the difficult history of education and Black people’s rights to it, and even today looking back at my experience on how white teachers expected so little of Black students, and poured so little energy into them from my own observations — due to their own racist belief systems about their student’s worth and ability to learn, let’s celebrate Catherine for all she did for Black and poor folk. We should also continue to ensure that education is accessible for Black, brown, and minority communities in her honour.
I hope the month of January is going well for you so far, I will pause writing here for this newsletter, I seriously feel like I’m in a state of delayed mourning of Tracy Brown’s death. As a writer myself who is a massive reader and adored this lady’s talent, I am finding it difficult to place words down.
I’ll catch you next week, much love.
The Black Woman Essayist.
Ps.
Don’t forget about the Dear Sis, I Need Your Advice section, do you have a question, or even have you seen something happening around the world for Black women that needs a wider audience you’d like me to research and write about?
If so, drop me the links to the story or a message.
Dear Sis, I Need Your Advice...
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