Siaara Freeman
Top Five Black Women Protagonist – Film
5. Ok, im just going to go ahead and use this first slot, to cheat and add like five names. Wait…
I promise you will get it. I promise it is worth it. I promise im not the person you ask their favorite color and they look you square and the eye and say I like them all equally, I swear to you, I am more trust worthy than that. When I say I need this space for this five, I mean it is indeed an obligation.
THE COLOR PURPLE.
Do I need to say more, like are you not, reminiscing to yourself right now?
Ok well, lets do it together anyway—
We got so may fam. I heard it pisses God off if you walk past black women and don’t thank God. Lets say thanks for:
Sofia– because ALL MY LIFE I HAD TO FIGHT , is the forever anthem, and it is hardly up for debate.
Shug Avery – because every scene she is in, the best and worst parts of me feel like a night full of lightning bugs outside a juke joint and its pretty much euphoria. Her and Celie’s kiss is the first on screen queer person of color relationship I have ever seen and my god was it layered and complex? When she sings her way back to her father, my heart stops and declares war on anything that is not in favor of this. Honestly, im thinking about naming an entire chapbook Shug Avery Piss.
Celie – I mean, come one. Her story is one of the most blantant conversation on black womanhood and it’s sacrafices, it’s trauma, it’s joy, its creation and creation. Celie was told what we all are told (black girls) in so form of the other which is, you sholl is ugly, and she prove they shole was a lie. A big white lie.
Nettie – when she started putting words on items to teach Celie to read, home-girl changed the game and my spirit. She is education. If there was ever a patron saint of black girl education it was Nettie.
Squeak- Look, I might get beef for this, but I liked Squeak to, despite her shit with Sofia homegirl had heart and held it down while Sofia wasn’t able. I respect that,, I think she deserves a seat at the table.
4. Look, im doing it again, for the same reason stated above. Its TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOD, not to. Fuck you if you think, I can not include them all. I must. It would not be justice if I did not. SO EVERYONE IN SET IT OFF
And in the spirit of Shug and her queerness, my next experience (and what an experience it was) was f***ing Cleo.
CLEO. C L E O who in my opinion had one of the single most horrifying deaths of pure urban honor in history. I cry for Ricky, but I too cry for Cleo. Hell I might cry harder.
And then of course Stony. STONY. (yes I do intend on capitalizing each of their WHOLE names at some point— this sh*t is important) STONEY, I mean she was the leader of the pack. She was the urban assatta. They killed her brother fam, Stoney did what I have secretly dreamed of doing, saying fuck it. Plus, she made it. How do you know drop to your knees for a black girl who escaped?
Frankie — SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON. FRANKIE is the reason this all popped off. They played Frankie and by they I mean white corporate and America and by that for woc I mean what tf else is new?? Frankie had zero to do with it, but by the end my girl was all if you want me involved, I’m involved. And like I have felt this. I have felt the need to say enough is enough. You wanna see a criminal you can prey on? Here. Frankie said : f**k you respectability poltics and she said it rather clearly fam, you heard her, it was the shots heard across the hood.
TT- oh sweet TT. TT IS THE KIND COUSIN THAT GREW UP IN THE HOOD, AND YOU LIKE BOO YOU AINT READY, BUT WAS STILL SO DOWN. I admit I cry for TT the hardest. TT wanted to be kind, really, she did. She lost her son, her mind then her life. She deserves to be remembered.
3. Foxxy Brown is the G.O.A.T. like, Pam Grier showed tf out, she really did. Sis hd razors in her afro, say what you will but that may be the most epic thing I can ever hope to do with my hair, so she deserves.
D E S E R V E S
2. Leave me alone if you don’t think Angela Davis played Tina Turner to the best of anyone’s ability. Like I can’t even look you in the face forreal if you will sit up and claim you did not cry while witnessing that performance. I’m not sure if I can comprehend that.
1. Eve, from Eves Bayou. Like watching that lil girl grow up, might only pull at my creole heart, but damned if Journee did not give all she had to that role, and that was a damn kid. I legitimately still search and pray for a book this good, a protagonist so young and yet so believable. Funny and honest and cruel and learning and joyous. He relationships with each family member strike me as some of the best portrayed human connections in film.