Wayne State University Wayne State University Dissertations January 2019 Self-Defined: A omanistW Exploration Of Michelle Obama, Viola Davis, And Beyonce Knowles Idrissa Nichelle Snider Wayne State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations Part of the African American Studies Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Snider, Idrissa Nichelle, "Self-Defined: A omanistW Exploration Of Michelle Obama, Viola Davis, And Beyonce Knowles" (2019). Wayne State University Dissertations. 2227. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/2227 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wayne State University Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState. SELF-DEFINED: A WOMANIST EXPLORATION OF MICHELLE OBAMA, VIOLA DAVIS, AND BEYONCE KNOWLES by IDRISSA N. SNIDER DISSERTATION Submitted to the Graduate School of Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 2019 MAJOR: COMMUNICATION Approved by: _________________________________________ Advisor © COPYRIGHT BY IDRISSA N. SNIDER 2019 All Rights Reserved DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my beautiful mother, Veronica Silmon, and my grandmothers, Jacqueline Silmon and Ocie Mae Hunter—who have all gone to be with the Lord. They taught me how to be and live as a Black woman with standards and pride. I am eternally grateful. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation was also inspired by the beautiful Black men in my life. My father, Rodney C. Silmon always encouraged me to my best authentic self, and my husband, Verdell Snider, has supported me every step of the way to accomplish this goal. To my children, Verdell II and Vann, I do this work in the hopes that you will be proud of me and continue our family legacy, which is to champion for the community. Lastly, I thank Dr. Donyale Padgett for your invaluable direction during this process. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 21st Century Womanism ......................................................................................................6 Black Women & Celebrity...................................................................................................8 Literature Review...............................................................................................................11 Why Womanism?...................................................................................................11 From Controlling Images to Self-Defining ............................................................12 Table 1.1 Collins’s Purposes of Self-Defining/What Self-Defining Consists Of ..13 Controlling Images.............................................................................................................14 Mammie .................................................................................................................14 Sapphires to Angry Black Women ........................................................................16 Jezebel ....................................................................................................................18 Tragic Mulatto .......................................................................................................20 Colorism .................................................................................................................21 Theory ................................................................................................................................23 Contesting Controlling Images Through Crooked Room Theory .........................23 Methodology ......................................................................................................................28 Case Studies ...........................................................................................................31 Data Collection ......................................................................................................34 iv Dissertation Outline ...........................................................................................................35 Chapter 2 Michelle Obama: Self-Defined in Political Spheres .....................................................38 Introduction ........................................................................................................................38 Texts ................................................................................................................................42 Physicality, Colorism, & Beauty Standards .......................................................................42 Obama & Fashion Sense ....................................................................................................43 Michelle Obama’s Self-Definitive Performances ..............................................................45 Theory: Managing Self-Defined Identities in Crooked Room Political Spaces ................51 The Hybrid Self..................................................................................................................53 Michelle Obama on Marriage & The Identity of Black Wives .........................................53 Michelle Obama’s Self-Definitive Themes .......................................................................59 Resists Controlling Images ................................................................................................59 Characterizes the Self with Traits that the Individual Values ............................................59 Authenticity/Acknowledges Her Strengths & Resilience as Well as Her Weaknesses .....60 Invokes Action/ Prompts Power ........................................................................................61 Advocates for Others, Self-Improvements ........................................................................62 Political Activity ................................................................................................................64 Education ...........................................................................................................................64 Assumes a Womanist Standpoint.......................................................................................66 Condemns Judgers/False Judgments..................................................................................67 Womanist Performance ......................................................................................................68 Authentic & Unapologetic (Acknowledges Strengths & Weaknesses) .............................68 Unapologetic ......................................................................................................................70 v Chapter 3 Viola Davis: Self-Defined in the Hollywood Spotlight ................................................71 Introduction ........................................................................................................................71 Texts ................................................................................................................................73 Physicality, Colorism, & Beauty Standards .......................................................................73 Viola Davis’s Self-Definitive Performances .....................................................................74 Deconstructing Controlling Images: Contesting Mammie & Jezebel ...............................74 Aibileen Clark ....................................................................................................................75 Annalise Keating ................................................................................................................77 Barriers & Backlash: Self-Defining off the Screen ...........................................................78 Theory ................................................................................................................................82 Managing Self-Defined Identities in Crooked Room Hollywood Spaces ........................82 The Hybrid Self: Viola Davis, The Artist & The Activist .................................................84 Self-Defining is Unmasking ..............................................................................................85 Viola Davis’s Self-Definitive Themes ...............................................................................87 Resists Controlling Images: Authenticity/Complexity of Black Women’s Characters or Personalities ...........................................................................................................87 Transparency/Advocates for Others ..................................................................................89