Gwendolyn Bennett’s contribution was most outstanding. Her acts were instrumental in helping African Americans excel during and after the Great Depression. She taught at Howard University, influencing students; additionally, to add to her resume she was the director of George Washington Carver School. She helped build the Artistic Momentum in Harlem while defining the Harlem Renaissance through her work, art, and poetry. Bennett’s conduct was her lifestyle, displaying her genuine identity as a Renaissance woman, in encouraging Blacks to embrace the past; yet, moving towards a stimulating future. She focused on bringing diverse communities together to better the race. Bennett’s efforts in the development of the African American race left
…show more content…
Black females were trapped in stereotypes as Mammy-an asexual, obese woman of dark complexion having outsized breasts and behind. Furthermore, the stereotype extended to women of color as Jezebel- a lady that engages in coarse sex, while sexually taking advantage of men. Besides those unwanted labels, to add to the plate was the pigeonhole of being regarded to as a Sapphire- African American women have been represented as wicked, bitchy, immovable and unbearable. Bennett saw the opportunity to utilize her art, in poetry to empower women. In her poem To A Dark Girl the speaker is addressing women of color. The first stanza is a celebration of the Black woman dealing with her outer appearance. The speaker compliments the color of her skin as something to be adorned as beauty. In the next line the speaker concentrates on the shape of her breast, as something to be proud of. It is interesting that she mentions the breast because the breasts are like bonding circuits; it nurtures infants as well as men. As the speaker celebrates the breaking point in her voice and eyelids, an admiration for her greatest strain she withstands even in her lowest physical and emotional state under critical stress with the outline of her eyes displaying how tired she is from withstanding rest is
Black females were trapped in stereotypes as Mammy-an asexual, obese woman of dark complexion having outsized breasts and behind. Furthermore, the stereotype extended to women of color as Jezebel- a lady that engages in coarse sex, while sexually taking advantage of men. Besides those unwanted labels, to add to the plate was the pigeonhole of being regarded to as a Sapphire- African American women have been represented as wicked, bitchy, immovable and unbearable. Bennett saw the opportunity to utilize her art, in poetry to empower women. In her poem To A Dark Girl the speaker is addressing women of color. The first stanza is a celebration of the Black woman dealing with her outer appearance. The speaker compliments the color of her skin as something to be adorned as beauty. In the next line the speaker concentrates on the shape of her breast, as something to be proud of. It is interesting that she mentions the breast because the breasts are like bonding circuits; it nurtures infants as well as men. As the speaker celebrates the breaking point in her voice and eyelids, an admiration for her greatest strain she withstands even in her lowest physical and emotional state under critical stress with the outline of her eyes displaying how tired she is from withstanding rest is