"All my life I had to fight." Since the late 20th century,
the image of black women as unbreakable and almost superhuman
has dominated TV and film. "I've been only human my whole life. I want to be something else now. I want to be a warrior." The strong black woman
character type onscreen can be identified by
some key features. She does not tolerate B.S. "So when in doubt,
shut your mouth." She has a strong moral compass
and holds others accountable. "Listen up. Andrews,
you are a free fall and I am NOT having it." She's a natural nurturer, "Stop putting your head
down in my house. You know my rule. It's all love
and all pride in this house," Channeling her strength
into helping others, sometimes even to the point
that she disregards her own needs. She's a high performer. "I analyze the manometer levels
for air displacement, friction, and velocity,
by hand." The strong black woman has likely
HAD to outperform her mostly white and/or male peers
in order to get where she is. "Twice as good." "Twice as good as them
to get HALF what they have." Perhaps most centrally, this character
has endured extreme hardships in her life AND overcome them. "I had to fight my daddy,
I had to fight my uncles, I had to fight my brothers. Girl child ain't safe
in a family of mens." The adversity she's lived through
has become a source of her inner power and helped define her code
of personal ethics. The strong black woman can be seen
as selfless strength personified, The human embodiment
of the maxim that what doesn't kill you
makes you stronger. Although black women
of immeasurable strength do exist in real life, in recent years popular culture
has begun to recognize the toll that having to manifest
this superhuman strength takes on black women,
both on screen and off. "Black women out here
trying to save everybody and what do we get?" Here's our take on
the strong black woman on screen, How she's evolved,
and why she deserves a world that doesn't require her
to be so strong all the time. "The most disrespected person
in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person
in America is the black woman." You're watching
The Take. Thanks for watching and
be sure to share and subscribe. [music] While black characters have had a place
in American film since its invention, African American writers,
directors, and even actors were largely absent from
mainstream early filmmaking. "Do you know why we're called
the pussycats? Because we have to claw our way
into the same rooms that you can just
Waltz into." As a result, black characters generally
were reduced to stereotypes. During the early rise of film, the predominant characterization
of black womanhood was the mammy, "Oh now, Miss Scarlett. You come on and be good
and eat just a little, honey" "No!" A trope most famously personified
by Hattie McDaniel's character in the Civil War- and Reconstruction-era
set film, Gone With The Wind. "Just hold on and suck in!" The Mammy was a nurturing, friendly,
always smiling black woman, generally a slave or servant
who functioned to justify the mistreatment and subjugation
of African Americans based on the false claim that they enjoyed
serving white families. "My own home? You gonna send me away
Miss Bea? I can't live with you? Oh honey child,
please don't send me away." Starting in the 1970s, blaxploitation
movies ushered in the popularity of another equally harmful stereotype:
the jezebel trope. "You are going to turn down
a P-[BLEEP] like this?" Which portrays black women
as sexually insatiable and animalistic in their desires. "I'm told that you are
a dangerous man, Arturo. I like that. It excites me." The jezebel actually existed long before the movies
made it mainstream. This damaging myth was used
to justify sexual abuse of black women during and after American slavery. The third prominent stereotype
of black women is the Sapphire, also known as the angry black woman. "Why are you always turning me
into the angry black woman?" "Cause you are." "Are you kidding me? I'm the stereotype?" The Sapphire imagines black women
as irrational, quick-tempered, and often emasculating
to their male partners. "What's with the stocking cap bro? Face it, the hair's gone dog!" This trope reflects society's
fear of anger in black woman. And because those who speak out
against discrimination or mistreatment are often dismissed
as fitting this stereotype, "I would never make this
about race." Black women are trapped
in an impossible situation where they must suppress their emotions
even in the face of unfairness. Throughout the history of film,
all three of these stereotypes have functioned
to paint black women as inferior and limit
their upward mobility. Then, enter
the Strong Black Woman. "What are you trying to do,
Kill me? I damn well ought to
you rotten bastard!" Her modern image began to take shape
in the 1950s and 60s during the black liberation movement. "This right here is
the next great battle" Celebrated figures of that period
like Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King inspired many through
being characterized in this way while looking back we can see
that this portrait has deeper roots in their predecessors during
the abolitionist movement. "And there's nothing more
You can do. "Don't tell me
what I can't do." In her 2011 book, Sister Citizen,
sociologist Melissa Harris-Perry writes that this trope
was constructed by black women as a way to escape
the pervasive negative stereotypes of the Mammy, Jezebel, and Sapphire. Seemingly the opposite
of those harmful cliches, the Strong Black Woman
is a beacon of superiority. She's extraordinary, even immune
to obstacles and pain. "I'm Harriet Tubman,
leader of this group. We do what I say." However, Harris-Perry claims
that this identity is possibly Just as limiting as its historical
antecedents, writing: "By adopting and reproducing
the icon of the strong black woman, African American women help craft
an expectation that they should be autonomously responsible
and self-denying caregivers in their homes and communities." In The Color Purple,
the 1985 film based on Alice Walker's novel
of the same name, Whoopi Goldberg played Celie,
a black woman who endures a life of assault at the hands
of her father and husband before finally
becoming self-sufficient. "I'm poor, black,
I may even be ugly. But dear God,
I'm here!" The women in The Color Purple are some
of the earliest mainstream examples of the strong black
woman trope in film. "Girl you oughtta bash Mister's head. Open and think about Heaven later." They are strong-willed,
morally righteous, and nurturing, even through they have endured
unimaginable hardship. Speaking of her character, Sofia,
Oprah Winfrey said, "She's a combination of all the women
who I think make up such a strong legacy
for black women." In 2013's 12 Years a Slave,
Lupita Nyong'o gave an Oscar-winning performance
as Patsey, an enslaved women on the plantation where the protagonist
is wrongfully sold into slavery. Patsey's strength is demonstrated
both physically, as she outperforms every other slave
on the plantation, "500 pounds of cotton. Day in, day out. More than any
man here." and emotionally, as she endures
Violence and sexual abuse. "Queen of the fields, she is." The titular character
in the 2009 film Precious, based on the novel Push
by Sapphire faces abuse from both
of her parents before eventually finding out
that she is H.I.V. positive. "[Crying] Love beat me, raped me,
make me feel worthless, make me sick." Though only a teenager,
Precious embodies the maturity of the strong black woman
through her unselfish pursuit of a better life
for her children, even when she has
very little hope for herself. "I just wanna be a good mother." Significantly, even though the idea
of the strong black woman was initially conceived of
by black women themselves, its popularity on TV and film
was mostly influenced by white and/or male filmmakers. And while these famous films
have been enjoyed by black women and feature powerhouse
performances by black actresses, "I just believe that anything is possible. You know? Anything." their success also shows
how so-called "mainstream" audiences prefer to see black women: as supernaturally strong,
inspirational figures who are able to
endure extreme suffering "They killed my son" and still be okay. "My boy, Treelore, always said
we gon' have a writer in the family one day. I guess it's gonna be me" It's also notable that these
are the performances that tend to be recognized by awards. Of the 12 black women ever nominated
for the Best Actress Academy Awards, at least eight of them were for roles
that could be characterized as strong black women, and these accolades
implicitly encourage movies to keep presenting this
one type of narrative. "I'm gonna be free or die." Ultimately, the strong
black woman trope does very little to improve conditions
for actual black women. It doesn't call for change,
just offers a feel-good celebration of this character's
exceptional strength. At worst, these depictions risk
implying that black women do not need systemic change
because they are strong enough to withstand society's abuse. "We may lose the small battles
but win the big war." Meanwhile, the world itself
debunks the assumption that what doesn't kill you
makes you stronger. In reality, suffering and abuse
can frequently lead to trauma, mental illness,
and other toxic cycles. "I was raised on TV
and I was conditioned to believe that every black woman over 50
is a cosmic mentor." The strong black woman is also
commonly featured as the sidekick or supporting character
to a white and/or male protagonist. In 2011's The Help,
Viola Davis plays Aibeleen, a black domestic worker
who helps a white novelist expose the abuse
of black maids in their town. "I thought I might
write my stories down and read them to you. Ain't no different
than writing down my prayers." Though Davis's performance
was well-received, many critics pointed out
that Aibeleen's strength mostly served to inspire
the film's white protagonist, played by Emma Stone. "Don't give up on this
Miss Skeeter." And the movie was
accused of whitewashing the civil rights movement
and downplaying the racism experienced by domestic workers
in the south. "White women always wanna
be friends with their maid." In Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg
plays Oda Mae, a psychic who connects with a white man's ghost
to help him avenge his death. Here, Oda Mae's strength
literally serves the white protagonist in that she acts
as his only physical presence. "I need you to tell Molly
what I'm saying but you have to tell her
word for word alright?" "Yes. He wants me to tell you
what he's saying word for word." In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,
Taraji P. Henson's Queenie lends her strength to raise
Benjamin Button as her own, even while running her own business
as a black woman in the 1920s. "You are as ugly as an old fart
but you still a child of God." Henson also stars in Hidden Figures
as a computer at NASA who is instrumental
in both the rocket launch and the life of her rundown
white male boss. "Who makes the rules?" "You sir, you are the boss. You just have to act like one, sir." In all of these examples,
the strong black woman is used as a tool
for the white protagonist even though she herself
is suffering from discrimination, she offers up her never-ending
strength to help them. "You KNOW she
in some kind of trouble." "Well who's gonna
take them in if we don't?" As TV producers put a higher value
on "diverse casting," the strong black woman has
cropped up as a supporting character across genres and in roles where
her race is rarely, if ever, mentioned. "I'm not exactly white
in case you haven't noticed." These examples often serve
as strong and selfless helpers to the shows' protagonists, while their personalities
are rarely fleshed out with the same depth and complexity
that the main characters' are. "Alright now let's talk
about my problems." "I'm sorry what?" "Well you know I just helped you
with your stuff, and I thought we could talk
about my problems..." In The Walking Dead,
Danai Gurira's bad-ass, sword-wielding Michonne
displays unflinching spirit and exceptional
physical strength. "But anger makes you stupid. Stupid gets you killed." But she ends up using these assets
to repeatedly save the other characters, "I can't stop you, but you
can't stop me from helping you." making her feel almost like a machine,
compared to the more three-dimensional characters who get the opportunity
to make mistakes. "I shot Daryl." "Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all wanted to shoot Daryl." In Suits, Gina Torres's Jessica Pearson is the powerful boss of
the two white male protagonists. "I just kicked your ass
so now you're going to stay here be humble and learn
your goddamn place." But she acts as a sort of
maternal figure to those leads, keeping them in line and swooping in
to save them when they need it. In Person of Interest,
Taraji P. Henson's Joss Carter has a strong moral compass,
general fearlessness and impeccable grasp
of professionalism. "We've been working together
for a while now. My friends call me Lionel. You got a first name?" "Sure, detective.' all of which are there primarily
to make her a valuable resource for the series' protagonists
in their work. "I gotta admit, Finch,
I sure like her style." As Harris-Perry describes,
the strong black woman's power is only celebrated
when it is in service of others. "Go find your life,
Miss Skeeter." Henson, speaking on yet another
strong black woman she's played "The name's Cookie. Ask about me." theorized that audiences are only
able to relate to Cookie on Empire because she went to prison
to help her family, telling Vulture, "I think that's why people
are drawn to her. I was afraid when I read the script
that people were going to hate her: She went to jail for selling crack." Moreover, Harris-Perry argues
that strong black women "are validated, admired, and praised
based on how they behave, not on who they are. Loss of social standing
is an ever-present threat for individuals whose social acceptance
is based on behavioral traits rather than unconditional
human value." For the strong black woman,
what she does becomes who she is, and most of these narratives
devote little attention to her inner life
for its own sake. Of course, the strong black woman
is not limited to TV and Film. Countless celebrities, public figures,
and everyday women are characterized and even think
of themselves in this way. "Black women are magic
and we rock mostly because we are resilient. We have a long history of taking what we have
to make what we need." Recently, though, many
have started to take a closer look at the psychological
and emotional strain of trying to live up
to this myth in real life. The conception that black women
are inherently strong has historically discouraged many
from seeking mental health counseling. "You got a lot to hate yourself for
but needing help ain't one of them." Psychological studies suggest
that while black women have one of the highest
rates of depression, they are under-treated
for mental health as a demographic. The conception of superhuman
black female strength also poses a danger from outside
the black community. A survey of American medical trainees
found that half believe in certain myths such as black people
having thicker skin, or less sensitive
nerve endings. These misconceptions could lead
to under-treatment of black patients and even prove fatal
for black mothers who experience under-treatment
during childbirth. "I was grateful that she had
the wherewithal to speak up because she knew her body
better than any of us." As cultural opinion begins to shift,
some narratives are also starting to reflect the toll that embodying
this perfect image can take on black women. "You think I just woke up one day
and poof, I look like this? No. It takes work, drive,
sacrifice to be a woman." On Grey's Anatomy, after countless
seasons of ruling with an iron fist, "Rule number one:
Don't bother sucking up. I already hate you,
that's not gonna change." Chandra Wilson's Miranda Bailey has started to grapple with her own
mental health and stress. "And I cope with it
every day. I take my medication
And I'm doing great. But sometimes
I need help." Bailey's storyline is especially
powerful because the character is still as strong
and formidable as ever, but the portrait
acknowledges the need for this personality to take time
to focus on herself. "And yes I have obsessive compulsive
Disorder and I am not ashamed of that but it's not my story
it's just one piece." On How to Get Away with Murder,
Annalise's iconic scene of taking off her wig
became an image that encapsulated the vulnerability
of the strong black woman. "It is about uncovering
and feeling comfortable with the way we are
and the way we look when we're in private." Other narratives have gone beyond
the strong black woman by allowing this character
to be more than perfect. On another Shondaland hit drama,
Scandal, Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope who also happened to be
the first black female lead of a network drama in 40 years
initially appeared to be the textbook strong black woman, "It's handled." lending her strengths to propping up
the corrupt American republic. "I am many things,
stupid is not one of them" But Olivia quickly
complicates this picture through a growing list
of selfish acts, not least of which is her long-standing
affair with the president. "My whole life is you. I can't breathe because I'm waiting for you. You own me. You control me. I belong to you." So as she grapples
with her many mistakes and sometimes
reprehensible actions, Oliva Pope is afforded something
that's long been denied to the strong black woman:
moral ambiguity. Washington gets to portray
the kind of messy, flawed antihero that's been getting male actors
acclaim for decades. "So, you think I've suddenly turned
into some power-hungry boss bitch who thinks she can play
and use the president like a pawn? Fitz, I've been
doing that for years." More recently, Washington also plays
a more complicated take on the strong black woman as Mia Warren
in Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere. Throughout the first season,
the audience is made to question whether Mia's actions
are entirely noble or right. "We have always had enough"
"What, what have I had?" But this complexity makes Mia
an interesting and real person. And through Mia, the show
illuminates that, for most, the ideal of the strong black woman
is impossible to live up to "[yelling] You didn't
make good choices you HAD good choices. Options that being rich
and white and entitled gave you." As black women are finally
being given more opportunities to write and produce
their own stories, we've finally started to see
protagonists who eschew the strong black woman
trope altogether without falling
into harmful stereotypes. "I need the courage you had
to tell them you were the son of god And I need the courage you had
to make the switch from R&B to Hip Hop
when they doubted you." Crucially, shows like Insecure
and Chewing Gum showcase the power of media
that features more than one black woman "I don't wanna have to be the voice
of all black people." Similarly to when stories with only
one featured female character use her to represent all women,
narratives with only one black woman implicitly force that character
to stand in for her entire demographic. I would like to explore
the idea of tokenism in the workplace. Like the white population,
we are diverse within ourselves. There is not a monolithic
black experience. Lupita Nyong'o praised
her 2018 film Black Panther for the way it showcased black women
in multiple positions of power. "Women are allowed to reach
their full potential and that's what Ryan
wanted to show and he committed to having
that number of women around him." "I invite you to my lab
and you just kick things around?" So, as more black women
get the opportunity to tell their unique stories,
we can look forward to a greater variety of representations
of what it means to be a black woman, ones which aren't defined
by struggle and hardship. "Is you Khaleesi or that other
bitch whose name I don't remember?" We might see more stories
about these characters' joys. "[Singing] My girlfriends!" Narratives should help us
envision a world where black women
don't need to be so strong and we can celebrate them
for everything else they can be. "I would make a great queen
BECAUSE I am stubborn. IF, if that's what I wanted."
