Years ago, Michelle Wallace, wrote a book entitled, “Black Macho And The Myth Of The Superwoman”. Michelle showed how the black woman was perceived as a strong individual, who could handle anything, that would come her way. However, in one part of Michelle’s book, he pointed out that the black woman, just wanted the respect, and admiration from both her man and society as a whole, without the stigma of always having the burden of being labeled, as strong.  In other words, Michelle was just saying that the black woman just wanted to be recognized, as a woman with feminine needs and desires, like all other women. However, the notion of the strong black woman, did not come out of the black community, but the idea proliferated, in the 1960,s, when Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Assistant Secretary of Labor, in the Johnson administration, wrote a memorandum, titled, “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action”. The Moynihan Report, pointed out that civil rights legislation was needed, but it would not address the problems  that black families faced in the inner city areas. He argued that the black family, for three centuries faced almost unimaginable treatment by white society, such as slavery, racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination, as well as persistent unemployment, which weakened, the role of black men, and resulted in a disproportionate number of dysfunctional female-headed families. Moynihan, argued that the black family had been forced into a ”matriarchal structure”. From this report, we get the proliferation of the strong black woman. Historically, the black woman, was very strong, due to slavery, racism, segregation, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. In fact, in many cases, the only way that the black woman was able to receive welfare, was if her man left the home, and, believe it or not, the American system of racism perpetuated this atrocity.  This was the case historically for the black woman. However, today, even though black women still face discrimination in some areas, the magnitude of such discrimination does not exist, like it did with their grandmothers and great grandmothers.  Therefore, the notion of the strong black woman, is a myth.  Just because a woman is black, does not mean she is strong.  Too many black women, are riding off the reputation of their ancestors.  The African American women of today, are not the same caliber of women, as African American women, of the great past. This also, applies to black men. African American men of today, are not the same caliber, as African American men of the great past, and, I am not talking about a select few individuals, such as President Barack Obama, or former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.  African Americans, of the past, had a heart for one another, and, they looked out for each other. This, however, is not the case today. Black women, who are education, are similar to the educated black woman, in Tyler Perry’s movie, “The House That Prays”, or the DVD, ”The Diary Of A Tired Black Man”.  Also, I believe, that the black woman possesses, ambivalent feelings, toward black men, especially those black men, who are highly educated. She has a love hate attitude, towards the educated brother. Parts of her admires him, and parts of her hates him. Or as a black woman, told me one time, “nigger you think that you are something”. The point that I am making here, is that black women of the present, are not the same as strong black women of the past, and again, this also holds true for black men. Black women of the present, are not stronger than any other woman, or weaker than any other woman. They are not greater, than any other woman, or less, than any other woman. She is just a woman, like all other women, and, there are no great psychic, or mystic powers that the black woman possesses, which endows her to be greater than any other woman. Such a notion, is definitely a myth. 

   The Bowtie Professor Speaks!

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