“A Black Woman Speaks of White Womanhood, of White Supremacy, and of Peace”It is right that I, a woman black should speak of white womanhood. My husbands, my fathers, my brothers, my sons, die for it. They said, the white supremacists said, that you were better than me, that your fair brow should never know the sweat of slavery. They lied. White womanhood, too, is enslaved. The difference is degree. They brought me here in chains. They brought you here willing slaves to man. You bore him sons. I bore him sons. No, not willingly. He purchased you. He raped me. You were afraid to nurse your young, lest fallen breasts offend your master’s sight, and he should flee to firmer loveliness, and so you pass them, your children, onto me, flesh that was your flesh, blood that was your blood, drank the sustenance of life from me, and as I gave suck, I knew I nursed my own child’s enemy. I could have lied, told you your child was fed till it was dead of hunger, but I could not find the heart to kill orphaned innocence, for as it fed it smiled and burped and gurlgled with content, and as for color, knew no difference. Yes, in that first while, I kept your sons and daughters alive, but when they grew strong in blood and bone that was of my milk, you taught them to hate me. You gave them the words, “mammy” and “nigg&$” so that strength that was of myself turned and spat upon me, despoiled my daughters, and killed my sons!”
Fabulous.
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