Read the following excerpt from Marita Bonner’s essay 'On Being Young—a Woman—and Colored' (published in The Crisis in 1925) and answer the question that follows.
'You look at the two groups who can fight: the white woman who has a vocal, visible struggle; the Black man who has a physical, violent struggle. But you? ... You must sit and watch... you must sit and watch the world bypass you.'
Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes Bonner's perspective on the position of young Black women during the New Negro Movement?
- They faced a distinct, intersectional marginalization that excluded them from the primary modes of activism available to white women and Black men.Answer
- BThey should focus exclusively on supporting the mainstream feminist movement, as gender solidarity would ultimately resolve racial inequality.
- CThey should abandon the struggle for civil rights in the United States and instead prioritize emigration to West Africa or the Caribbean.
- DThey must reject artistic and literary expression in favor of Booker T. Washington's strategy of vocational training and economic compromise.
Answer
Young Black women faced a distinct, intersectional marginalization that excluded them from the primary modes of activism available to white women and Black men.
The correct answer is correct because Bonner's essay highlights the intersection of race, gender, and youth. She argues that young Black women are marginalized in a unique way that prevents them from participating in either the visible feminist struggles led by white women or the physically confrontational racial struggles led by Black men, leaving them in a state of enforced passivity.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Intersectional critiques of gender and race within the New Negro Movement
Estimated Time:1m 30s