Betty Shabazz & Coretta Scott King
Dear Sister,
I hope this letter reaches you in the best of health. First, understand that I’m writing this out of Love and not out of spite or malice. Now, let me briefly inform you of the Black woman’s rise from the depths of obscurity. About 200 years ago in America, the Black woman was used and abused as no more than a tool. She was basically seen as a human cow, producing cattle for work in the fields of this country. Today, the Black woman is the ultimate sign of progress and power. From the strong Black women of the past who raised upstanding Black families as well as White children that later disassociated themselves with her – to the moguls today, like Oprah Winfrey and Debra L. Lee.
These days, no matter the achievements of the Black man – he can’t help but acknowledge the Black woman that has pushed and helped him to gain everything he has. Furthermore, she has her own accomplishments to boast about. The question is – “who is YOUR role model?”. It is a shame that you know more about Mary J. Blige than Coretta Scott King. You are well versed on the life of Aaliyah, but know nothing of Betty Shabazz. More young Black women look up to Nicki Minaj than admire Michelle Obama. Look at the Black women you pay attention to most. Are they heroes or harlots?
Today, it saddens me to see the Black woman using and abusing herself – and making it a spectacle of entertainment for others. I’m not ignoring the fact that many of you Black women DO deserve praise. But, think about it – do you get it? Is it stylish to be studious? No, its not. The media is filled with Black queens shamelessly masquerading their bodies for misogynistic men. This isn’t by chance, its by intelligent design. It is like this so the respectful Black women will have to compete with the shameless women as role models to even her own children. You, the ideal Black woman is now forced to compete with BET, MTV, and even the gossiping women at the hair salon as the main influence of your own daughters.
Black woman, take that weave out of your head. Take those colored contacts out of your eyes. Stop frying your brain with perms and start loving yourself. While you’re bleaching your skin, the White woman is tanning hers. While you’re straightening your naturally curly hair, the White woman is in the salon for hours trying to get that ‘kinky’ look. Don’t you realize that you woke up this morning and was everything you could have ever wanted to be? Sometimes, I wish you Loved and admired yourself half as much as the rest of the world does.
Black woman, stop searching for Love outside of yourself. Constantly bouncing from man to man as if you need approval from someone outside of the person you look at in the mirror. Having Love is more important than having a lover. Answer this – do you Love YOURSELF? Once you Love yourself, you’ll realize that YOU possess the lock AND key to your own happiness. When you Love yourself enough, no person can demean you or push you to a level to where you think less of yourself. When you Love yourself, you won’t allow anyone to treat you like anything less than the Queen you are.
Black woman, put your clothes on. You’re a gift to this Earth. Any good gift should remain wrapped until it reaches its last destination, so its recipient KNOWS and acknowledges how special it is. If you’re flaunting your body to every person with eyes, that makes you a cheap sight.
Black woman, guard your chastity. Each time you give your body to someone, you’re giving them a piece of your soul. How many men do you have walking around with a piece of your soul? Furthermore, how cheap is your soul? How much have you sold your soul for? A dinner and a movie? An “I Love you” phrase? A few “you’re sexy” photo comments on the internet? Think about it. What is your price?
In conclusion, I Love you. I Love you, Black woman. You are the epitome of triumph. Your story is a story of overcoming seemingly impossible circumstances. Sometimes, I wish you knew how far you’ve come and how much WE (the Black man) need & rely on you. We need you for motivation, strength, and many other things. I know at times we don’t treat you like the Queens you are, but that is a whole other subject. Black people… Its like each day, we ALL do things… that to outsiders… makes us seem a little less than human………………………… Nova Knows…
I Love You,
Nova Giovanni
http://NovaGiovanni.WordPress.com
Twitter – @NovaGiovanni
FaceBook + Google+ – Nova Giovanni
“The MisEdukation of the Nigga” by Nova Giovanni (Ebook) coming September 2011…
That was truly inspired writing my brother.
Peace and Blessings to you.
Posted by Just Some Dude | August 12, 2011, 12:00 pmGreat article!
Posted by Nadirah Khalifah | August 12, 2011, 2:49 pmThis was awesome and much needed. I’m going to share this with all the women and men that I know. Beautiful.
Posted by Amour | August 12, 2011, 3:05 pmTruth!!! Awesome article brother
Posted by Abdulrahym | August 12, 2011, 3:55 pmThis was posted on my FB Newfeed and I am so glad I read it. This is Beautiful!
Please continue to spread the word, as I will also.
& Thank You.
<3 Queen <3
Posted by Shaakira M Solomon | August 12, 2011, 5:32 pmThis was beautiful!
Posted by ALEXIA JOHNSON | August 12, 2011, 7:31 pmno it wasn’t. There’s nothing more sexy than a bitch like Nicki Minaj, Karrine Steffans, Melissa Ford, Kim Kardashian and more of them light skin exotic bitches. Nobody wants a boring bitch like Michelle Obama. I bet her pussy is boring. Coretta Scott couldn’t keep MLK satisfy so he went to Rosa Park thick sexy ass. I disagree with this post. Learn something from these hoes that’s successful. The more ass you shake the more pussy you pop and the sloppier you get with giving head YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. Put a book down and pick up a thong and a Soulja Boy CD and twerk gurl
Posted by LeonTheAlmighty | August 12, 2011, 10:51 pmleon you must be an old slave owner, a co-author of the Willie Lynch letter, or something
Posted by Brussel | August 27, 2011, 12:03 amUm Leon tripping a smart and resourceful woman will always be a blessing. However a man with very little substance wouldn’t understand. Michelle Obama is my hero!!! And I love this piece, my favorite part: “Black woman, put your clothes on. You’re a gift to this Earth. Any good gift should remain wrapped until it reaches its last destination, so its recipient KNOWS and acknowledges how special it is. If you’re flaunting your body to every person with eyes, that makes you a cheap sight.”
Posted by SomethingAbout Marie PowerMoves Simmons | October 17, 2011, 11:30 am-_- Leon you Sound ignorant as hell smh
Posted by Jasmine | August 12, 2011, 10:52 pmhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..My MAN..I agree with Leon about Michelle pussy being boring but the other shit you trippin b
Posted by Jasmine | August 12, 2011, 10:53 pmWTF..Leon you must be mad cause no one would give your ass any play CORNBALL
Posted by KeeshaDoingMEWoodard | August 12, 2011, 10:57 pmi agree with everything in this article, accept your comments on hair, team natural vs team relaxer/weave is no different than team light skin vs team darkskin. a petty way to divide the black community by maing one side envy the other. i think its ridiculous and petty. and i am not biased, i dont wear weaves, get perms, or relaxers, my hair is 100 percent virgin.
Posted by LaToya L (@FAB_Toya_) | August 12, 2011, 11:28 pmLeon you are to wack
Posted by imdapappy | August 13, 2011, 1:39 amExcellent Article! People need to focus and share this article and not comment on Leon’s comment. The only reason it was made was to take focus off promoting something positive and having the readers entertain ignorance.
Posted by Simone | August 13, 2011, 11:52 amAbsolutely beautiful!
Posted by Nina Morena | August 13, 2011, 3:41 pmI love this article. It’s inspiring and well put together. And to Latoya L. I dnt thnk he made the comment about the hair to make it a natural vs. relaxer/weave thing, I read it as be yourself n dnt try to live in the image of others.
Posted by Future Educator | August 13, 2011, 5:05 pmI just wanna say Nova you are one of a kind. Trying to find man like you is like trying to find condoms in Lil Wayne nightstand. Every article you post is pure comedy BUT it always has a beautiful meaning to it. Sexy, humorous, an intellectual, great father, a motivator, and a young black male goodness this seems to unreal, I only see men like you on TV like..My Wife and Kids or something and then you get cancel cause nobody wants to see a black man with values. Keep up the good work
Posted by Mocha88 | August 13, 2011, 5:42 pmdis is da bomb.com. im 14 yrz old and i kinda teared up readin dis junt. er’thing u said is da truth. i dont know who betty shabazz is but i can give u nicki minaj whole lyfe story yal mean lol but yea dude im gonna get it togetha. and omgee to leon nigga i hope u wunt seriouz dawg lol
Posted by Diditon'em | August 13, 2011, 5:47 pmThe reason why I bleach my skin is because nobody wants a dark skin chick. HOw many dark skin models do you see on tv? *crickets* I want to be able to make it in Lil wayne , Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, videos and many more artist. If me changing my dark skin and kinky hair is gonna get me in the videos then so be it. Everybody cant have brains like Michelle or Coretta so we got to use our bodies and beauty to gain wealth. Im good at looking pretty. That’s all I know.. Sorry *shrugs*
Posted by Peaches | August 13, 2011, 7:17 pmIf I can get a chick with Nicki swag and looks and Michelle Obama brains combine I”ll have one bad shut yo mouth lol
Posted by DamonDonJuan | August 13, 2011, 7:23 pmNova look like a fake ass Chris Brown hahaahaa Good article yo oh and does it count if I eat turkey but season it with pork?
Posted by LucasIamURFather | August 13, 2011, 9:51 pmSimply amazing!!! I applaud you Brother!!
Posted by Nalej Shallah | August 14, 2011, 1:00 am*applause*
Posted by Cheryl | August 14, 2011, 6:12 amSounds REAL good but this article is off. sorry to say…
We hate ourselves? HA! I think we have no choice but to love ourselves because no one else seems to.
We’re called too dark, nappy headed, loud, ghetto, it’s scientifically proven we’re unattractive (ha!), we can’t wear weaves but the world worships Kim Kardashian who wears tons of extensions and has fake EVERYTHING, we can’t turn on the radio without hearing “Light Skin Long Hair Don’t Care”/Got Me Fine Yella Bone/She’d be Finer if she was light..(I could on and on and on) ….and let us not turn on the television. smh We don’t exist on BLACK Entertainment Television, I thought I was watching Telemundo until I saw Chris Brown dance across the screen.
We have to watch every other race put on a pedestal while we’re torn down in the process. We don’t care who you love, just don’t tear us down to make excuses for it.
We are getting bombarded from all sides…it’s crazy!
I have never read the following:
An Open Letter to White Women
Why Aren’t White Women Getting Married?
10 Tips on How The Beautiful Latina Can Keep Her Beautiful Black Man
You’re Mixed Race And Can’t Keep a Man: What You’re Doing Wrong
White Woman You’re Too Successful: How to Tone It Down To Snag Your Good Black Man and Make Him Feel Like a King
F*ck Him, Feed Him and Shut the F*ck Up: White Woman How You Can Keep Your Black Man
…….have you?
I’ll wait…
But we have a million and one articles about us..black women. It’s exhausting.
Black women are BEAT the F*CK down and we’re tired of it. We don’t want open letters, articles, scientific experiments, don’t want to be told what we need to stop doing, documentaries on why we’re single and can’t find a good black man, tired of hearing there is a good black man shortage (there isn’t), blah blah. We just want everyone to leave us ALONE!
Well, I know I do. Can’t quite speak for everyone else..lol
That.is.all
Posted by Monica Parrish | August 15, 2011, 3:38 pmMonica… apparently, you didn’t read the article.
Posted by novagiovanni | August 15, 2011, 3:43 pmI read every word and understood every word.
My comments are in reply to the following paragraphs.
“Black woman, take that weave out of your head. Take those colored contacts out of your eyes. Stop frying your brain with perms and start loving yourself. While you’re bleaching your skin, the White woman is tanning hers. While you’re straightening your naturally curly hair, the White woman is in the salon for hours trying to get that ‘kinky’ look. Don’t you realize that you woke up this morning and was everything you could have ever wanted to be? Sometimes, I wish you Loved and admired yourself half as much as the rest of the world does.”
” Answer this – do you Love YOURSELF? Once you Love yourself, you’ll realize that YOU possess the lock AND key to your own happiness. When you Love yourself enough, no person can demean you or push you to a level to where you think less of yourself. When you Love yourself, you won’t allow anyone to treat you like anything less than the Queen you are.”
I’m happy you love us but a lot of people don’t and we’re inundated with it everyday.
Posted by Monica Parrish | August 15, 2011, 3:50 pmI see. So, like a bad preacher – you picked out bits & responded to them instead of responding to the whole article which is important to grasp the whole context.
“I’m happy you love us but a lot of people don’t and we’re inundated with it everyday.” – Your comment.
I can’t speak for everyone else. I guess since there is so much hate out there, we should stop spreading love altogether. Is that your point?
Sad way to think about things, indeed. Have a good day, though. Thank you for reading. Much Love to you & yours.
Posted by novagiovanni | August 15, 2011, 4:00 pm^^ She didn’t read it.
I love you too Black Men. This was a great post. I’m inspired to write my own letter. No idea how far it will reach but I’ll let you know once it’s up. You did a great job with this. A lot of Black Women don’t feel they’re told that they are loved by Black Men (I’ve noticed this a lot) but deep down, we know. We just want to hear it, like this sometimes.
Posted by nowsayitwithme | August 16, 2011, 7:51 pmnowsayitwithme stop being a dick rider..you look like sha nae nae with down syndrome anyway fuck this article. I AM MAD..how dare you degrade black women like that. I’m highly offended by this catastrophe you call “art”. There’s nothing wrong with a woman wearing weave. Remember when TLC said “You can buy your hair if it won’t grow.” Maybe the bitch got balding issues and wants to wear weave “Mr. Go Natural and show then patches on your head looking like a road map” Black Women don’t listen to these fuck up antics. He is POISONING your mind. If you got a beautiful body..SHOW THAT SHIT. I want ass, stomach’s titties, EVERYthing hanging out on them pics. If your stomach look like a brain..SHOW THAT SHIT. Fat black women need love to plus yall can cook. If you not fucking a nigga you got feelings for then its ok for us to have a side bitch to fuck a nigga at least I love you. I don’t wife them hoes. Keep on searching for love..It’s not gonna find you if you hiding. Think about it ladies
Posted by Will U. Sidonmiace | August 19, 2011, 10:36 pmYou sound hella mad but okay. Some black people (read: people like you) take things way too far. I’m not even gonna give you the satisfaction. Take care of yourself.
Posted by nowsayitwithme | August 23, 2011, 11:43 pmThis a beautifully written letter!! Thanks I know many woman need to read this.
Posted by sunnydelyte21 | September 27, 2011, 10:00 amI loved it. Can you write one to for the brothas’
Posted by SomethingAbout Marie PowerMoves Simmons | October 17, 2011, 11:34 amHey dumbass! There are some black women who don’t give a damn about mary j blige or any of the king women…or u wack ass black men who think ur deep and righteous…godu morons annoy the hell out of me.
Posted by elena | November 1, 2011, 8:52 pmMy god almost everyone on this page is an embarrassment…espeicially this black man who thinks he’s italian…i’d never go through the pain of conversing with any of u idiots…no wonder they call us nigs!
Posted by elena | November 1, 2011, 9:02 pmReading this post has really inspired me. I have grown my hair out natural and work with a lot of white women. At first I kinda took offense when they would say oh I like your hair I wish my hair could do that. Now I realize that as much as they won’t admit it there are aspects of the black woman that other races envy. Thank you for your post to encorage black women to be and love themselves.
Posted by Shaniqua Guy McCombs | January 20, 2012, 11:56 amRetard.
Posted by elena | April 6, 2012, 9:50 amVery well written. No, I am not black, but I am female and fully understand the trials and tribulations on a personal level that women have faced through the years. It’s true, black women have had the worst of situations. Your strength has outlasted so many of us, and served as an example of womanhood for all far and above that of others. Maybe as white woman, I haven’t stood in your shoes, but dear sisters in God, our hearts have stood together. Please forgive the tacky remarks by the fool hearted idiots who posted above. Immaturity, stupidity, what ever it is that makes people blast others dumbfounds us all and stems from all races. Any writing that empowers others should be acclaimed, not shunned, and any work (irregardless of color or the lack thereof) that strives to give so much deserves more than the nasty comments above. I love you Nova. You are a woman of strength, love and joy. I can see it in your words. May God bless you for the spirit you share! And if you don’t believe in God, please just know that I wish you the best our world has to offer. Continued strength, joy, happiness and peace.
Posted by mmmmary | April 13, 2012, 5:55 pm