This project investigates the intersection of Blackness and femininity, aiming to uncover what it means to be a Black woman through art. It explores how Black women have been historically excluded from traditional femininity, a practice that persists today as beauty standards shift toward a more conservative, white-cantered ideal. Referencing concept of a baptism of witness, the research examines how, during slavery, Black women were stripped of their femininity and seen as inseparable from Black men, reinforcing gender roles that positioned white women as delicate and dependent. Over time, racist socialization further devalued Black femininity, reducing racial identity to the sole marker of Black women’s existence. This inquiry is approached conceptually, using research on gender and race theory, alongside documentation of Black women’s experiences, to inform artistic materials and mediums.
