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Multiple Jeopardy The Context Of A Black Feminist Ideology Summary

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Together, through their work, Deborah K. King and Frances Harper advocate for the recognition of “multiple consciousness” through the embodiment of Black women and their outward existence in society. Deborah K. King defines the key concepts in the ideology confronting consciousness through the lens of Black feminist ideology in “Multiple Jeopardy, Multiple Consciousness: The Context of a Black Feminist Ideology". In Iola Leroy, or, Shadows Uplifted, Frances E.W. Harper uses the growth of Iola Leroy’s character and her self-realization to personify the lengths of multiple consciousnesses and a rejection of attainable whiteness. Iola's discovery of her true identity and meaning of self in her life as a Black woman reveals aspects of "the veil" (Du Bois, 13) and its course of destruction on her in the truth that lies in her consciousness. The exaggeration and dramatization of Iola Leroy's character is meant to illustrate how …show more content…

E. B. Du Bois’1903 The Souls of Black Folk, introduces the concept of double consciousness where it states that “because double consciousness is at once a deprivation (an inability to see oneself except ‘through the eyes of others’) and a gift (an endowment of ‘second-sight’, that seems to allow a deeper or redoubled comprehension of the complexities of ‘this American world’)”(14). Despite Du Bois’ limited privileges as a Black man, he does not mention gender identity as one of the primary contributors to consciousness, possibly because he doesn’t suffer in the way that Black women do. It is important to recognize that his dominant gaze is the Black male gaze. Although Iola Leroy, or, Shadows Uplifted was written in 1892 Iola Leroy exists as an embodiment of triple consciousness given that both, double and triple consciousness existed far before being given a label. The lack of inclusion in double consciousness continues to perpetuate misogynoir, the intersection of racism and sexism against Black Women, and the erasure of their

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