This incredibly precious gem of a book was produced on Broadway back in the late 70's or early 80's but I was too young to see it at the time and probably would not have been able to relate to it anyway. In this prose poem, a "choreopoem" Shange depicts the hardships of African American Women in America. The different perspective of their lives is precisely and poignantly elucidated by the incredible and fascinating prose poetry of this book.
It is stunningly shocking that things that white Americans take totally for granted are just not part of the African American milieu in this country. Rape, pregnancy, domestic violence of the highest order, living in squalor and prostitution are all common place in so many of the African American communities of the 70's, 80's, 90's and now the 00's. Shange's representation of the perspective on rape is extraordinary. If an African American girl gets raped, she better not have ever been seen in public with the rapist, or there will be no conviction. Obviously it was invited. Not so with White Americans. But common place with African Americans.
A quick example of her wondrous lyricism are the following two lines that just give a glimpse of the different perspective that African American Women have toward American life:
"... we gotta dance to keep from cryin
we gotta dance to keep from dyin ..."
While the book is surely most meaningful to African American Women, it is recommended for all Americans so that the true reality of this dilemma and this shame can be absorbed and understood by all Americans. Perhaps if we all understood the conditions of the African American Women, something would be done about it. As of now, it is just not the same for people with black skin as it is for all other ethnic minorities in the United States of America.
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Reviews with images
For Colored Girls
“Ever since i realized there waz someone callt a colored girl an evil woman a bitch or a nag i been tryin not to be that & leave bitterness in somebody else’s cup.”My first read of 2020 is a journey that should not be taken lightly. A cheropoem that is for women, written by a woman, and be stopped by no one. Ntozake tells the story of 7 women who have endured sexism, rape, body shaming, racism, and more. These women are represented as colors of the rainbow and are connected as they put on a performance to display their pain. They show strength and bring awareness to what is hardly discussed in this time. They bring forth what it is to be a woman of color and I understand that there has been backlash for supposedly bashing men, but this is not for men and yet in this cheropoem, the women desire men and love them, and ache for that love to be returned.I now understand why this choreopoem has been carried on over the years. I am pretty sure we are familiar with Tyler Perry’s version of a For Colored Girls. You can picture the movie as your reading and it makes me applaud Ntozake for going against the norm and speaking so many women’s truth. For Colored Girls is ground breaking and does not end in sorrow. These women show strength and close with, “i found god in myself & i love her/ i loved her fiercely.”
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2006
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2020
“Ever since i realized there waz someone callt a colored girl an evil woman a bitch or a nag i been tryin not to be that & leave bitterness in somebody else’s cup.”
My first read of 2020 is a journey that should not be taken lightly. A cheropoem that is for women, written by a woman, and be stopped by no one. Ntozake tells the story of 7 women who have endured sexism, rape, body shaming, racism, and more. These women are represented as colors of the rainbow and are connected as they put on a performance to display their pain. They show strength and bring awareness to what is hardly discussed in this time. They bring forth what it is to be a woman of color and I understand that there has been backlash for supposedly bashing men, but this is not for men and yet in this cheropoem, the women desire men and love them, and ache for that love to be returned.
I now understand why this choreopoem has been carried on over the years. I am pretty sure we are familiar with Tyler Perry’s version of a For Colored Girls. You can picture the movie as your reading and it makes me applaud Ntozake for going against the norm and speaking so many women’s truth. For Colored Girls is ground breaking and does not end in sorrow. These women show strength and close with, “i found god in myself & i love her/ i loved her fiercely.”
My first read of 2020 is a journey that should not be taken lightly. A cheropoem that is for women, written by a woman, and be stopped by no one. Ntozake tells the story of 7 women who have endured sexism, rape, body shaming, racism, and more. These women are represented as colors of the rainbow and are connected as they put on a performance to display their pain. They show strength and bring awareness to what is hardly discussed in this time. They bring forth what it is to be a woman of color and I understand that there has been backlash for supposedly bashing men, but this is not for men and yet in this cheropoem, the women desire men and love them, and ache for that love to be returned.
I now understand why this choreopoem has been carried on over the years. I am pretty sure we are familiar with Tyler Perry’s version of a For Colored Girls. You can picture the movie as your reading and it makes me applaud Ntozake for going against the norm and speaking so many women’s truth. For Colored Girls is ground breaking and does not end in sorrow. These women show strength and close with, “i found god in myself & i love her/ i loved her fiercely.”
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2015
Top reviews from other countries
Patricia Reyes
great play, great representation and superb display of feminist theatre
Reviewed in Germany on July 31, 2016