| This study adjoins the identity of seven African American Blues women in a way that answers the questions: What contributions to womanist theory are African American Blues women portraying. What can young women learn from these women about self love, identity, community reciprocity and survival? If the voice is the instrument of liberation in African American thought, the voices of African American Blues women are transformative power and could change the condition of people.; Seven contemporary Blues artists were interviewed for this descriptive ethnographic study: Ruth Brown, Shirli Dixon-Nelson, Pam Hawkins, Sista Monica, Laura Petaway, E. C. Scott, and KoKo Taylor. These Blues women greeted life with courage, enthusiasm, positive emotions, love, joy and a great deal of humor. They were defiant in their demeanor and approach to racism, and sexism. Their transcribed text expressed the participants rich use of black language, which includes metaphors and similes.; The research based in African centered epistemology and womanist theory provided the participants the opportunity to express their world view in a way that could bring meaning to the history, the music and women. Few women have recorded the history of African American Blues women. The literature review includes Daphne Duval Harrison and Hettie Jones as the two emic scholars of the Blues women. The literature review also captured the use of Blues women by authors: Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, June Jordan and bell hooks.; The researcher recommends that intergenerational studies are conducted among African American artists. These artists in their own style and interpretation maintain the spirit of their African ancestors and are the Griots of today. The research participants identified healing elements that evolve through generational reciprocity, historical knowledge, family spirituality, community transformation and self identity. African centered Intergenerational studies could provide an education in the community of African American women as they maneuver in this white male dominated society.; This study provides young women an entry into the strength, courage, critical thinking, creativity and life planning which has enabled these Blues women to survive and triumph. |
