7 Monologues Of African-America

Revolution can manifest itself in many forms, through a person, an action, or even a piece of literature; what all these forms share is the recognition of what came before them is not enough. Often combated by those benefiting from the current state of affairs, the dark side of revolution must be considered when evaluating the risk a revolutionary takes in going against the crowd. Artists Ntozake Shange, Amiri Baraka, and Maya Angelou can all be considered revolutionaries in their own right for the marked changes they caused with their contributions. These African-American creators recognized that the world surrounding them did not fit the way each perceived it should be, and used their talents to comment on the injustice they observed

Ntozake Shange’s revolutionary impact is visible in her performance piece, “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf” extends past the confinements of culture and convention. The play is composed of seven monologues performed by seven different women, and describes the struggles the women have overcame. Shange’s play was revolutionary not just for the stylistic choices she employed, but also for the content within the production. More than just stories of personal experience, Shange’s monologues address social and economic issues in the context of race and gender. The seven monologues which comprise the production illustrate some of the struggles modern African-American women endure, such as rape, abortion, sex, and rejection. For example, “lady in red”, one of the monologues described as the most moving within, defines her love for a disembodied “you” within her monologue, recounting the heartbreak to which it has led her. The disembodiment of the woman’s lover is significant because it illustrates not only the woman’s loyalty, but the agency individuals who are not physically present can enact on an African-American woman’s life. Shange’s play was one of the first to address such controversial issues in an honest manner, and to investigate how these factors affect African-American

Maya Angelou was one of the founding African-American women to pave the way for modern feminism while embodying the universal struggle people face in their quest for equality. Angelou is noted to be the author who set the stage for Alice Walker 's revolutionary concept of "womanism" in the 1960s. The theory examines inequalities for minorities on a daily basis while seeking to eradicate inequality from society completely. Instead of focusing solely on women, the theory suggests that all inequality must be addressed in order to create true change. Angelou 's autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, best depicts the oppression of women minorities and the silencing nature of society before inequality began garnering more attention in America. Her relatable life story touched people of all ethnicities, genders, and nationalities by pulling on people 's shared fears and