The Phenomenon of Black Racial Identity in African-American Selected Poems
Abstract
This paper examines the issue of the Black Racial Identity as a phenomenon. It analyzes this phenomenon in selected poems of Lucile Clifton and Audre Lorde. It falls into two axes: the "Concept of Black Racial Identity" and "The Development of the Phenomenon of the Black Racial Identity". Black racial identity is established on the theory of nigrescence, (the process of becoming Black). It aims to change the Whites conventional sense of the black race in general. It endeavors to give a positive sense of the racial identity of African-Americans and develop the image of Black community. On the other hand, scholars developed "The Phenomenon of the Black Racial Identity" through certain stages. The African-Americans have experienced this identity as individual in the Postcolonial period. Cross, an American scholar set a five-stage model of Black Racial Identity development for African-Americans. On the other hand, Jackson set a four-stage model of Black racial identity development. The African-American writers and literary figures are divided into two groups: one group supported the idea of utilizing the African-American language and dialect in their writings while the second group rejected the idea of using dialect. The study concludes that Lucile Cliftons and Audre Lordes poetry represents and reflects a cultural feminist voice from a racial African-American vision, focusing on the construction of the black identity.