Demystifying the Myth of Motherhood: Toni Morrison’s Revision of African-American Mother Stereotypes

Abstract

Black maternity has culturally and historically been mythologized and black mothers stereotyped. A revisionist Morrison challenges the validity of the historical documentation of black culture and especially the role and significance of women in constructing this culture. Her revision of the concept of the black motherhood is a major step toward correcting the historical records concerning black maternity which is just another form of victimization of the black woman, society' exploitation of the mother-child bond. Index Terms—Black culture, exploitation, maternity, revision.