Struggles Of African American Women

Description: 

When it comes to an art piece, I chose to do the artwork that has an unidentified artist, the artwork incorporates glass, metal, as well as paper, an ink. The artwork is of Della Reese who was a singer and an actor, but she was also a faith leader in the Understanding Principles for Better Living Church. The poem that I chose to connect with this artwork was a poem called, Still I rise by Maya Angelou this poem talks about the struggles of being a woman as well as an African American woman. The poem towards the end shows the power and confidence that she has with being an African American woman and she shows the idea that no women should be afraid. I chose to correlate the art piece with the poem, because they both show the confidence of being an African American woman. For example, when Angelou says, “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise.” The important message of these poem and this line specifically is the idea that no matter what anyone says and no matter the number of haters she has she will still rise and will still be confident in herself and her body and skin color. This is a very inspiring outlook on life and can inspire many individuals to think just like her, when facing the world. Another very inspiring quote is when she says, “Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise.” When she says this in her poem it reflects on her outlook and how she looks at being an African American specifically and how she has risen out of the horrible history that African Americans have received throughout history and throughout the history of American.

“Artwork Featuring Illustrated Portraits of Della Reese.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2015.150.3?destination=/explore/collection/search%3Fedan_fq%255B0%255D%3Dset_name%253A%2522Visual%2520Arts%2522. Accessed 6 May 2024.

“Della Reese.” Black Women’s Religious Activism, blackwomensreligiousactivism.org/activists/della-reese/. Accessed 6 May 2024.

Associated Place(s)

Artist Unknown

Image Date: 

circa. 1970