Sojourners Echo

A Voice for The Systemically Voiceless.

By Camille

In one of my previous blogs, I mentioned where I could expand upon my thoughts and research endeavors, saying that I wanted to analyze and answer the question: How has music, art, and/or poetry been a voice for the voiceless, an avenue for expression during protest? In this blog, I bring these outlets together as a way to show how history can be a source of self-determination when in the face of oppression in contemporary society, even as the days pass.

The renowned "Arnt I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth, is a powerful statement that comes from their famous speech delivered in 1851 at the Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. There are various ideas about the meaning behind her speech, one could be that her question, "Arnt I a Woman?" challenges the prevailing notion of womanhood that often excluded black women from the feminist discourse of her time. It serves as a foundational reminder for womanism and black queer feminism, highlighting the importance of centering the voices and experiences of those who have been historically marginalized within both feminist and LGBTQ+ movements. Another component to recognize is her telling of motherhood,  as Truth speaks about her experiences as a mother, she emphasizes the pain she endured when her children were sold into slavery. Similarly in Hagar's story, a story of the plight of black women, the parallel of the struggle for autonomy and facing exploitation is resonant.

Another question to consider: How do feminist and womanist ideologies reconcile the biblical notion of 'holy submission' within motherhood with their advocacy for agency, autonomy, and liberation for women, particularly within marginalized communities? Can the concept of submission be reinterpreted or reclaimed within these frameworks to empower women and challenge oppressive structures, or does it inherently perpetuate patriarchal norms and undermine feminist and womanist goals of equality and self-determination?

So in this blog, I am going to break this up into sections to answer these questions.

Section 1: Music, Art, and/or Poetry as Voices for the Voiceless in Protest:

Music and art often stem from the current politics and societal structure of that state. For example, "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday and "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke reflect the struggle for equality and true justice for all.  Similarly, "Grândola, Vila Morena" (One of my favorite) Portuguese songs written and performed by Zeca Afonso, a prominent singer-songwriter, played a pivotal role in the Carnation Revolution, a peaceful coup that overthrew Portugal's authoritarian Estado Novo regime on April 25, 1974. On the eve of the revolution, the song was broadcast on a Portuguese radio station, serving as a signal for military insurgents to commence their coup. 

Its lyrics celebrate the town of Grândola and its people, symbolizing freedom, equality, and unity. The song's chorus, "Grândola, Vila Morena, Terra da fraternidade" (Grândola, Brown Town, Land of fraternity), became an anthem for the revolution and is still revered as a symbol of Portugal's transition to democracy. "Grândola, Vila Morena" exemplifies the power of music as a catalyst for political change, and it remains an enduring symbol of resistance and liberation in Portugal's history.

Another example is "We Shall Overcome" which originated as a gospel hymn in the African American spiritual tradition. Its lyrics convey a message of resilience, hope, and solidarity in the face of adversity. The song became closely associated with the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly during marches, sit-ins, and rallies led by activists like Martin Luther King Jr. The simple yet powerful lyrics of "We Shall Overcome" include lines such as "We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday," and "Deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday." These words resonate deeply with those fighting against racial segregation, discrimination, and injustice in the United States.

Section 2: Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" Speech:

In her speech, Sojourner Truth raises a connection about the treatment of black women to white women. She states in the second stanza, "That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman?" Furthermore she mentions " I have thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?" In a few blogs back I mention the plight of black women seen through Hagars story and how if you are going to preach Hagar's story, it should be told in a way that draws the connection to historical and modern contemporary societies' treatment of people of color, in this case, black individuals. 

Sojourner Truth's words eloquently challenge the prevailing notion of womanhood that often excluded Black women from the feminist discourse of her time. Hagar, an Egyptian slave woman, is forced into a surrogate role by Sarah, her mistress, and subsequently faces mistreatment and abandonment. Her story reflects the historical and ongoing exploitation of Black women's labor and bodies within systems of slavery, colonialism, and patriarchy. The Bible and sacred texts will always remain relevant to society as we tread this Earth, but how society utilizes those tools will change to fit where there is a need, but that doesn't mean using and abusing the holy scriptures as a weapon of mass destruction. Consider Hagar's story and the reflections drawn from it, that same rhetoric applies to our present day as the subjugation of marginalized bodies continues because of structures continually perpetuating colonialism, imperialism, slavery, and patriarchy, which only makes it harder for people to be and feel heard and seen.

Section 3: Feminist and Womanist Ideologies in Relation to Biblical Notions of Motherhood and Submission:

Hagar was a mother to Ishmael and as Sarah and Abraham struggled to conceive, we can understand that Hagar was a surrogate for the lack of their child. This is black women used as a surrogate. The idea of black women being more mother like, strong, mature at all stages of life, is rhetoric that needs to die, because it only adds to the emasculation of black women's femininity and their vulnerability. By equating Hagar's role as a surrogate mother for Sarah with the stereotype of the "strong Black woman," we can see how historical narratives have reinforced this harmful trope. Hagar's exploitation as a surrogate for Sarah's inability to conceive further underscores the ways in which Black women's bodies and labor have been exploited throughout history, reducing them to mere vessels for the reproduction and violent sustenance of others.

Womanism coined by Alice Walker embodies this surrogate role that black women are often given. Womanism challenges those structures, and those roles given and rejects the notion that black women should be relegated to roles of servitude or exploitation, in thinking of this, consider how black-owned businesses are important to black society. Black-owned businesses should be used as an avenue to make your own space when you were turned away from the dominant spaces, or when you were told that certain aspects of yourself are not professional or you were hyper-sexualized because of the commodified objectification from colonialism and slavery that reinforced the notion that black men and women were solely existing for the use and abuse of white settlers and colonizers, which only "justified" white supremacy. That unequal, subjugating power dynamic is still in existence for people of color in spaces where diversity is lacking. Womanism is the meat and potatoes of black feminism as it centers the black experience in racism, sexism, and classism within society. Its not enough to just call it "black feminism", calling it "womanism" acknowledges those experiences of black women being regarded as "grown" from birth all the way up to the age where that term would be considered most appropriate. It acknowledges the "mother" roles black girls had to take on in order to survive. It acknowledges a lost peace, childhood, and lost simplistic possibilities of a young imagination.

The idea of women being fragile individuals lacking a concept of self that is not pejoratively given to them by the childish patriarchy creates this depiction that women are individuals who can be overtaken, overthrown, dominated, pushed into a box, but that is a false and harmful stereotype perpetuated by patriarchal norms and systems. This depiction diminishes the agency, resilience, and complexity of women, reducing them to passive and submissive beings who are easily controlled or manipulated by male authority. Consider Ruth and Esther, stories of women facing challenging circumstances of treachery and loss. As Ruth was marginalized being in Israel as a Moabite Woman and Esther was facing King Xerxes and the patriarchy, their stories are examples of women against oppressive systems, a story that marginalized communities today could relate to. 

In considering the implementation of submission and its effectiveness we can understand the ultimate definition of submission, which means to trust in God, to put your all into God, but often within that definition, although it seems simple and effective, I can't help but think, couldn't it still reinforce the notion of God being entirely male? Furthermore, wouldn't understanding God as being entirely male reinforce the notion of the perceived dominating nature of men? I guess it would also depend on the believer or scholar if they think of God in terms of being a male. This also brings me to another question, as we say "Our Father..." referring to God/Jesus in prayer and worship, did that iteration stem from the idea of worshiping a patriarchal depiction of the savior rather than a matriarchical depiction? Is there a possibility of a divine feminine counterpart to God the Father? If there could be a divine feminine counterpart to God the Father, would that counterpart be one within God the Father or would the counterpart be their own deity?

Section 4: Reclaiming and Reinterpreting Concepts within Feminist and Womanist Frameworks:

So how do we reclaim and reinterpret scripture and concepts in ways that do not hurt others? How do we utilize feminism and womanist frameworks to reword and reframe theology? I think in answering this question, it is important to understand the society in which biblical stories and accounts exist. I am all for taking biblical literature and using it in your life, and having the scripture meet you where you are currently at in life. But it is always important to understand the society and the organization of that story. Hagar was an Egyptian slave owned by Ishmael and Sarah, and to tell that story without regarding that fact and without recognizing the historical importance as that rhetoric still applies to marginalized communities today is an urgent call to reconsider the ways in which the bible is taught and proselytized. Biblical scripture should never be told to further marginalize marginalized communities, because if you ever read scripture you would know that Jesus consistently advocated for the marginalized, including the poor, the sick, women, and those deemed as social outcasts. Use the bible as a source for social justice, not social marginalization.