Africana Womanism As a Vehicle of Women Empowerment and Influence

Abstract

This paper explores and analyses Africana womanism presented by Clenora Hudson weems. Africana Womanism is an authentic theoretical concept designed for all women of African descent. It is family centered, rather than female centered, and advocates race empowerment, rather than female empowerment. It, then, appropriately prioritizes race, class and gender, as Black men and women have the ultimate responsibility of securing family survival and thus, cannot afford the luxury of gender exclusivity when the whole race is at risk.  Africana womanism is a term coined in the late 1980s by Clenora Hudson-Weems intended as an ideology applicable to all women of African descent. It is grounded in African culture and Afrocentrism and focuses on the experiences, struggles, needs, and desires of Africana women of the African diaspora. It distinguishes itself from feminism, or Alice Walker's womanism. Africana womanism pays more attention to and focuses more on the realities and the injustices in society in regard to race. African men and women do not accept the ideology of feminism. Africana woman does not see the man as her primary enemy as does the white feminist, who is carrying out an age-old battle with her white male counterpart for subjugating her as his property. Africana men have never had the same institutionalized power to oppress Africana women as white men have had to oppress white women. Africana womanist ideology contributes to Afrocentric discourse. Africana womanism fundamental foundation is built on traditional Africana philosophy and values and on Afrocentric theories: Some of the traditional values forefront the role of African mothers as leaders in the struggle to regain, reconstruct, and create a cultural integrity that espouses the ancient Maatic principles of reciprocity, balance, harmony, justice, truth, righteousness, order, and so forth. All this will be discussed in detail in the paper.