Black Feminist Theory Comic: Alleged cultural deficiencies

Collins, P. H. (2000). Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment, 2nd edn.. London: Routledge.

"Assuming that Black poverty in the United States is passed on intergenerationally via the values that parents teach their children, dominant ideology suggests that Black children lack the attention and care allegedly lavished on White, middle-class children. This alleged cultural deficiency seriously retards Black children’s achievement. Such a view diverts attention from political and economic inequalities that increasingly characterize global capitalism. It also suggests that anyone can rise from poverty if he or she only received good values at home. Inferior housing, underfunded schools, employment discrimination, and consumer racism all but disappear from Black women’s lives. In this sanitized view of American society, those African-Americans who remain poor cause their own victimization." (p. 76)

The newpaper comic featuring Torchy Brown was created by Jackie Ormes in the early 1950s.  Find out more about Torchy and Jackie by clicking here.