Journal Entry 1: Stevenson, "Marsa Never Sot Aunt Rebecca Down"
In Brenda Stevenson article on the religious antebellum enslaved women, she argues how the “highly religious” women challenged stereotypes and the imagery of black enslaved women during this time period. Throughout her article, she explains, how religion opened doors for black enslaved women to redefined themselves, and allowed for them to be viewed in a more respectable and intellectual manor among their own community, as well as the community of white enslavers. Stevenson refers to Aunt Rebecca’s story as an example of how the “highly religious” woman was able to break barriers that reached far beyond her community of whites and blacks. This phenomenal of the “highly religious” …show more content…
Among the white enslavers community, black women were placed at the lowest spectrum of chain, the same is true among their own community of enslaves, women had little to no power. Aunt Rebecca’s story challenges this notation of power and respectability. Aunt Rebecca commanded respect from her master and his family during worship services and Rebecca’s religiosity created a transformative power within her social statues (p. 345). In the article, Stevenson points that it was a combination of Rebecca’s religious knowledge and “practice” of female “leadership” that awarded with such power, respectability and unique role of bridging the cultural and social gap between whites and blacks (p. 346). The “highly religious” women were not just a bridge to cultural and social differences, but she also broke stereotypical barriers, allotting her a more pure, intellectual, and pious self-image. Stevenson’s states, “ …religious womanhood humanized, feminized and moralized enslaved women, suggesting that they had intellectual and emotional capabilities and needs…they held ideas of appropriate feminine behavior, such as motherhood and sexual purity, that were strikingly similar to white female prescriptions (p. 353)”. This groundbreaking phenomenal completely contradicted the original notation of black enslaved women as overtly sexy and promiscuous. Moreover, this new way of thinking creating a more humanizing image of African and African American enslaved
In Brenda Stevenson article on the religious antebellum enslaved women, she argues how the “highly religious” women challenged stereotypes and the imagery of black enslaved women during this time period. Throughout her article, she explains, how religion opened doors for black enslaved women to redefined themselves, and allowed for them to be viewed in a more respectable and intellectual manor among their own community, as well as the community of white enslavers. Stevenson refers to Aunt Rebecca’s story as an example of how the “highly religious” woman was able to break barriers that reached far beyond her community of whites and blacks. This phenomenal of the “highly religious” …show more content…
Among the white enslavers community, black women were placed at the lowest spectrum of chain, the same is true among their own community of enslaves, women had little to no power. Aunt Rebecca’s story challenges this notation of power and respectability. Aunt Rebecca commanded respect from her master and his family during worship services and Rebecca’s religiosity created a transformative power within her social statues (p. 345). In the article, Stevenson points that it was a combination of Rebecca’s religious knowledge and “practice” of female “leadership” that awarded with such power, respectability and unique role of bridging the cultural and social gap between whites and blacks (p. 346). The “highly religious” women were not just a bridge to cultural and social differences, but she also broke stereotypical barriers, allotting her a more pure, intellectual, and pious self-image. Stevenson’s states, “ …religious womanhood humanized, feminized and moralized enslaved women, suggesting that they had intellectual and emotional capabilities and needs…they held ideas of appropriate feminine behavior, such as motherhood and sexual purity, that were strikingly similar to white female prescriptions (p. 353)”. This groundbreaking phenomenal completely contradicted the original notation of black enslaved women as overtly sexy and promiscuous. Moreover, this new way of thinking creating a more humanizing image of African and African American enslaved