The making of Unapologetic Blackness: Black women, media, and meaning-making

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on “restorying” Black women’s lives/media representations through the lens of reclamation, in opposition to AfroPessimistic approaches shaped by historical tropes, legacy stereotypes, and the hegemonic structures and processes of racial and gender inequality, creates a better understanding of the ways in which Black women navigate the world through joy by decentering strife and struggle. This project investigates Unapologetic Blackness through the use of two intersecting media case studies: from television—Harlem (2021), and from music—Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales (2021). The research illustrates the unique intersection between restoring Black women’s narratives and centering the present representations of Black women. Ultimately, this project argues that Unapologetic Blackness is an expression of Black sociality that is radical in its creation of unique temporalities and safe spaces for Black women to be their full selves—emotionally vulnerable and expressive of autonomy.