Ntozake’s Message
I believe that Ntozake Shange’s message in her series of poems was to show how the power of black women is very important to remember and it expresses the struggles and obstacles that African America women face throughout their life. Ntozake also showed that the value of friendship is very important. The bond between the ladies shows that friendships can prove comfort and stability during rough times in their lives. They confront their feelings about race showing that they can still be strong, beautiful women.
The quote, “bein alive and bein a women and bein colored is a metaphysical dilemma, I haven’t conquered yet” (Shange 59), the women is being blatantly honest about being looked down upon in American because of her race and gender. Her status as a black women carries its own challenges and hard times which is really sad to think that these women were treated so poorly for being a different race. These women are strong though they learn to appreciate their race, gender, and beauty and turn to each other for support. I think this is very inspiring as a young women to read and learn about how these women worked together to overcome their hard times. I think this is some every person should remember when struggling with certain issues in their life. The women in the play use poetry to share their thoughts and fears and share their experiences. They find power in their struggles.
In the Intro to Afro-American Studies it states that, “Over 52% of all Black people in the United States are women. Women play a special role in bearing children and in the family, and increasingly are becoming sole heads of households. However, Black women face greater discrimination than any other group in this society - in income, in job opportunities, in education, in holding political office, and in other areas of social life.” The oppression and discrimination of black women have been going on years and show no sign of slowing down. Black women, like all women, faces sexism every day. As being a young women in America and knowing that I am automatically looked down upon. After reading these poems and hearing the message of Ntozake it gives me strength to stand up against sexism and be a strong beautiful women in America.
Shange’s poem show how important expression and self-awareness is. She allows women to share their issues and experiences as sense of belonging to something important and meaningful. She allows women to not feel alone in their problems when other people are feeling and going through the same things in their life. I wish Shange had been there to share this message with the women in the slavery era because after reading Black Women and the Family in our online Intro to Afro-American Studies book it shares with us the struggles and hardships that the black slavery women had to endure. “According to Frederick Douglass, "the slave woman is at the mercy of the fathers, sons, or brothers of her master," not to mention the slave-owners themselves. Rape and unwanted pregnancies became the common plight for slave women.” I feel that slave women were very alone and had no one to talk to or express their feelings with if they would they would be punished. Shange talked about the power of friendship and how important it is to have someone to share in your struggles so you know you’re not alone.

Shange wanted everyone to know what it meant to be a black woman in a world of harsh streets, deceitful men, and aching loss. She also wanted people to know that black women did not want pity but instead applause for the courage it took to live through these difficult times. I think the series of poems perfectly portrays the different aspects of life and talks about how women were able to overcome the power of society by believing in a higher divine power.
I feel that Ntozke not only based her poems on women of color. But, that of all women. I think that all of the any woman can find something here to relate to. Shange doesn’t try to be exclusive to one group of women. She allows serval women to speak about their own struggles and allowing us to take out on view of their stories and relate it to our own personal life. Her stories shows us that there is a message she wants us to know which is that we should never feel alone in our struggles there are people out there in the world going through the exact same thing and we should not be ashamed of ourselves. Shange shows us the pain of heartbreak, the desire to be loved, the value of a friend to lean on, and a sense of alienation in the modern world. She presents herself as a powerful and hopeful woman who recognizes the importance of community, self-expression, and learning from past mistakes.

The continuous oppression of Black women in the urban period, allowed them to continue to be the main voices of the Black liberation struggles (Alkalimat, 221). Since then, the phrase affirmative action has been created. This has allowed Black people as a whole to “become more visible in American culture and more diverse politically” (Painter, 371). By continuously fighting oppression, colored women are continuously making large strides in society.