Zeinab Konate
ENG 106 WS 8:00 am
Professor Peterson
Literary Analysis
The Strength of a Black Woman: I am a Black Woman
Since the beginning of time a Black woman’s strength has been undefined. A Black
women strength has withstood through all the trials and tribulation we have faced. Mari Evans
does an amazing job in her poem I am a Black Woman. I am a Black Woman finally shows how
vital the Black woman is to society. Using the different times and eras as a Black woman, Mari
Evans gives the reader a connection to each time period she is referring to in her poem. Mari
Evans uses symbols and allusions to define the strength of a Black woman.
What one must consider and pay close attention to is the time and era Mari Evans wrote
the poem. During the 1970’s, America was fighting in the Vietnam War, the Black Panther party
was in full effect, Black Nationalism and Black pride had rose and was starting to show more.
Before the 1970’s Black women were not even considered, first off being the simple fact they
were women and to top it off being Black did not help the situation either. A Black woman was
not considered much even though they were the driving force behind every successful Black
male who changed Black history.
Mari Evans states “I am a Black woman the music of my song some sweet arpeggio of
tears is written in a minor key” (1-4) this stanza represents though a Black woman was never
seen as an important aspect in society they made up the little parts that made up society. To fully
Konate2
understand the concept you must know what an arpeggio is, an arpeggio is the tones of a chord in
a rapid succession rather than simultaneously. Which explains my concept, the minor keys in the
arpeggio are heard in between the major keys but without the minor keys you will not fully enjoy
the music. Towards the end of the last stanza Evans says “I can be heard humming in the night,
Can be he heard humming in the night” (5-9). Evans repeats the last line twice to stress the fact
though I have been placed on the back burner in society for so long but through it all I’m still
standing. Humming represents tranquility and peacefulness and during rough times a Black
woman had to remain calm and hold the family together.
In the second stanza, Mari Evans uses the different roles of a Black woman to describe
the strength of a Black mother, and wife. She starts off “I saw my mate leap screaming to the sea
and I/with these hands/cupped the lifebreath from my issue in the canebrake” (10-12) Evans was
referring to the voyage of the middle passage when the slaves were allowed on the dock they
would run to the ocean and “cupped” their hands to receive the water they were being deprived.
With their cupped hands they received water which made it easier for them to live during the
dangerous middle passage. The canebrake symbolizes the sugarcane plantations slaves were
forced to work on and work the sugar canes. Being a slave you were at risk by being raped by
your master, watching your children being snatched and sold. Through it all she was a strong
Black woman!
Mari Evans makes a reference to Nat Turner using an allusion to give to the reader “I lost
Nat's swinging body in a rain of tears” ( 13) who was a slave that held a revolt causing the deaths
of 55 Whites. After Nat was trialed he was hanged and beheaded. Evans uses Nat as a symbol for
the many other Black male who were killed for standing up for what they believed in which line
Konate3
14 symbolizes “in a rain of tears”. The rain of tears which can symbolize “reign of tears” in
which for a long period of time a Black woman witnessed the lynching of her men.
It was a Black woman who witnessed as their sons and husbands being dragged out the
house and killed. It was going to be that same Black woman who had to be strong and walk with
her head high and never let her spirits die. She too was the same Black woman who watched her
son fight a battle that he should have never fought “heard my son scream all the way from Anzio
for Peace he never knew” (15-16). During World War II, Americans believed they were fighting
to restore peace yet there was no peace given to Black males. A strong black woman horrifically
watched as her son was gassed down in the Vietnam War at
The last stanza of I am a Black Woman shows the strength of a Black woman by using a
cypress tree as a symbol “tall as a cypress, strong” (22-23). The cypress tree is the strongest tree,
able to withstand weather conditions certain trees wouldn’t be able to survive through. The
cypress tree represents the strength of a Black woman and shows through everything she has
been through she withstood it all. Evans goes in depth in describing the cypress which is the
black woman “beyond all definition still defying place and time and circumstances” (23-26).
Meaning Black women have been defined to be useless and irrelevant during this time period but
when reading in between the line one can see Evans means though you have given me a
“definition” but I’m here to tell you, you are wrong by all means kind of like a cypress tree.
Mari Evans uses three words that can sum up a Black woman to the tee “assailed
impervious, indestructible” (27-29). Assailed meaning we have been attacked vigorously either
with words or weapons and still a Black woman stand. Impervious meaning we are incapable of
Konate4
being injured or impaired no matter what a Black woman has endured. Indestructible meaning a
Black woman can never be broken down no matter what comes her way.
“Look on me and be renewed” (30-31) concludes the poem and tells the reader after
everything the Black woman has endured look at me and tell me what your definition of a Black
woman is now. Mari Evans allusions and symbols makes one reevaluate the strength of a Black
woman, and realize through everything a Black woman has endured she was the driving force
keeping everything and everyone sane as she witnessed all she did.
Konate5
Work Cited
Evans, Mari. I am a Black Woman. N.p. Print