Newspaper Page Text
The BluePrint
8 October 2013 SpelmanPaper@gmail.com
OPINIONS
Her Black is Beautiful:
A Look at the Sexual Objectification
of Black Women in Pageants
By. Sarah Brokenborough, C2016
Black beauty pageants have different origins than
most of the mainstream pageants, such as Miss America
and Miss Universe. Black beauty pageants have history
ingrained with rich traditions because they have served
as a source of empowerment, racial pride, solidarity
among the black community, and as a form of protest
against racism.
The NAACP’s Miss Black America’s judging panel
once consisted of Shirley Chisholm, Former Chair of the
Congress of Racial Equality; Betty Shabazz, widow of
Malcolm X; and Clifford Alexander, former chair of the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, among
other notable, outspoken black leaders of the time.
The black community fought racism through beauty
pageants by promoting the concept that black women
are not only beautiful, but elegant and intelligent as well.
Black pageants institutionalized expressions of black
pride. Parades of black beauty queens sought to nullify
the white exclusion of blacks from mainstream beauty
pageants. Miss Black America, for instance, served as a
source of empowerment for blacks by providing young
African-American women with a positive role model. The
overall theme of black beauty pageants was “Black is
Beautiful.”
The Miss Black Beauty Contest in Harlem prohibited
lipstick, penciled eyebrows, and false eyelashes.
Contestants’ hair had to be in its natural state. Those
regulations were created to celebrate the most
essential aspects of black women. Black beauty queens
demonstrated black women’s natural beauty and sought
to give the public a positive representation of the African
American woman.
The purpose of pageants once was to judge women
on their character rather than their physical appearance.
However, this theme is quickly changing into one that
instead sexually exploits black women’s beauty.
Sexual objectification is neither a form of
entertainment nor a step towards progressiveness.
Women should not be used as sexualized symbols of their
communities. There is a difference between embracing
sexuality and sexual objectification.
It is impossible to ignore the dedication and talent
involved in not only participating, but also organizing
these pageants. There are women who participate in
pageants in the AUC who are excellent role models
and have very detailed plans for how to improve the
community and lives of students. They should not,
however, be objectified in pageants for the mere reason
of entertainment.
To avoid aiding in the objectification of black women
in pageants, ask whether the contestants accurately
represent the people whom they are trying to lead. Who
judges these pageants you are attending? How are the
contestants judged? Are the winners chosen before the
pageant even begins? Do you think the winner deserved
to win? Are their platforms relevant? Are contestants
trying to improve AUC campus life? Or is the pageant
simply about confirming women’s sexual significance
and existence by handing out titles?
Ladies, be radical, be beautiful, and defy the often
toxic and oppressive norms of beauty presented to us in
pageants—and in life.
Black Names: Feeding into the Stereotypes?
By: Naima Bakari, C’2015
We all know people with stereotypical black
names—or we have them ourselves. At the utterance of
these names some people cringe, look at one another,
and shake their heads. “How could someone do that to
their own child?”
As African-Americans, we are always hyper-aware of
how we are viewed—and judged—by others. As a result,
many of us code switch; we adjust our behavior and
speech depending on our environment. In the presence of
other races, or seemingly educated and wealthy people,
we may limit our use of black vernacular speech, speak
in a different tone, or try to avoid reinforcing stereotypes
that are associated with being black.
Schools, teachers, peers, and employers will see or
hear a name and make assumptions as to whether the
person is male, female, or of a certain ethnic group. When
a person has what some would call a “ghetto” name, it is
as if the very nature of black stereotypes is infused into
her or his essence.
It is unfair and wrong to judge individuals for a
name that they did not choose. Often times individuals
with “black” names go above and beyond to dispel any
preconceived notions others may have about them. It is
not the names of the individuals that need to change to
accommodate such ignorance, it is society. You should
not—you do not—have to change who are because of
society’s ignorance. People will still judge you no matter
what.
Our names are just one representation of black
peoples' uniqueness. Be proud of who you are and of the
name you were given; your name doesn’t define you. You
define you!
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ARTS & Entertainment
bones
should.
Amon Cunningham is a
junior at Morehouse College
majoring in business marketing.
He is also a rapper on the rise.
Cunningham, who used to be
called “Mah Name Amon,” has
recently decided to just go by
his first name, Amon. He says
it’s both easier to tell people,
and it sheds an element of
youthfulness.
Amon spends a lot of time
recording in his room. Make
no judgments on his preferred
studio space; Amon has
managed to pack an impressive
speaker system and studio
microphone into a standard
sized dorm room. Through a
process called mixing-and-
mastering, Amon makes sure all of the levels in his
songs are correct. He does all of the engineering to
make sure everything sounds perfect. As he puts it, he
does “all of the behind the scenes stuff.” You can feel
that dedication in his music.
“Once I set to do something, I don’t give up. I won’t
sell my soul, but I know what I have to do,” Amon said.
“When you work hard it pays off, maybe not in the next
hour, day or month, but it will.”
However, despite all of his talent, music was not
always something Amon knew he was destined to
pursue.
“Skateboarding is my first love,” Amon said. “We’ve
been down since 8th grade.”
Amon broke his heel skateboarding during his
senior year of high school. Needing something to do in
his spare time that had once been occupied by mastering
gravity-defying skateboarding stunts, he contacted a
friend with recording equipment and started rapping.
“Let’s just say that if I hadn’t broken my heel, I
would’ve been really, really good [at skateboarding].”
However, he did break his heel, and yet he is still
really, really good—at making music. In the Spring 2013
semester, Amon won the
Junior Talent Show despite
his sophomore status.
“I’m so quiet before I
go on stage, I just get in the
zone,” he said. “But I still
went out there and did my
thing.”
Amon has the effect of
a quiet storm in the sense
that he works very privately
on big projects and then
suddenly drops them with a
roaring presence. The only
nuance is that storms pass,
and Amon is doing his part
in making sure that he lasts
in an industry with a lot of
turnover.
“A lot of people think
rap is just putting words
together,” he said. “But
I’m trying to last and have
longevity.
“I’m going to win a Grammy. I don’t know how, but
I will. The speech is written. You have to set goals or
nothing’s going to get done. If you don’t set goals, how
are you going to score points and win games?”
In the 21st generation music industry “points”
are kept by YouTube views, and based on the 500,000
views on Amon’s hit song “Let’s Get Active”, Amon has
scored his fair share of them. Amon coined the song as
being the most fun song he’s ever worked on, and with
its classic West-Coast party beat it’s hard to argue with
him.
“I was jumping around the house when I heard that
beat,” he said. “I had the chorus in less than a minute.”
Since Amon released “Let’s Get Active” a year
ago, he has grown a lot as an artist. He studies old
performances of music legends such as James Brown
and Jimi Hendrix and tries to zone in on how they really
connect with people.
Amon will be performing at the Pre Hip-Hop Show
at Clark Atlanta University Promenade from 4-6 pm on
Oct. 21. He has just released a mixtape entitled “Dream
Work” available on HotNewHipHop.com.
3 Arts & Entertainment
Students You Should Know About
By: Analisa Wade C’2016
Jasmine Hooper C’2016: Makeup Artist
Jasmine Hooper fell in love with makeup
in seventh grade. Constantly finding herself
following her mother’s makeup routine, she
thought it was time to begin a makeup journey
of her own. Quickly Jasmine learned she
had the skills to turn any face into an artistic
masterpiece with the simple touch of a brush,
so she decided to make a career out of it.
Currently she does makeup for AUC and Atlanta
pageants and fashion shows. Divalicious Browz
and Makeup Bar is the official makeup artist for
Miss Maroon and White and her court.
Jasmineisalwayslookingfornewcustomers,
contact her via email: makeupbyvalencia@
gmail.com or via telephone 510-952-7682 for
booking or other business inquiries.
Richard Mickles C’2016: Film Director
Richard Mickles, the CameraMan and CEO of
Cameran’adream Producfions, is a Morehouse
student who dedicated his life to film at age
13. A few of his favorite works such as School
Daze and Fresh Prince of Bel Air, inspired him
to pursue a career in film. Fie fell in love with
the idea of making people escape into another
world through motion pictures. Starting with
the show, It’s A Small World, he began shooting
all around the AUC. Until the launch of his own
show, Dreamers, Richard will continue to edit
and film around campus. If one has a vision or
concept for a video or film project, Richard has
the skills and the tools to bring it to life.
For Booking or other information contact
him via email at Rick.mickles@yahoo.com
Bria Henderson C’2015 and Maya Prentiss
C’2015: Spoken Word Artists
There is nothing like afemale duo, especially
with a pair like Bria and Maya. These girls recite
positive and influential pieces that will have any
mind in deep thought. They speak on current
issues in society and on their own personal
experiences. Bria and Maya began performing
in 2010 at their high school talent show. After
winning at Recreating Poetry and placing 2nd at
Sister Jam, they began to understand their true
talent. They are inspired by Alexis Marie, Brooke
Young, and Jasmine Mans. Bria and Maya have
acquired a unique style with a harmonic rhythm
that captures the attention of many. As of now
they are consistently doing shows and eager to
participate in as many events as possible. For
booking or more information contact them via
email at DOPoEtry@gmail.com
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