“There Would Be No Kerry Washington without Diahann Carroll”: Shout-Out Culture, Sisterhood, and the Discourse of Black Womanhood

Abstract

This article theorizes the relevance of the shout-out, a public expression of appreciation, as an African American cultural tradition and explores how Black actresses intentionally use shout-outs in awards show speeches to acknowledge each other’s work and to collectively rearticulate ideological understandings of Black womanhood. In tracing the explicit ways that Black actresses use shout-outs, this study examines the interconnections among Black actresses in Hollywood, revealing what they say to and about each other and the larger meanings implicit in these conversations as they relate to broader issues of African American representation. Focusing specifically on Black-themed awards shows, I argue that Black actresses cultivate their own spaces and create room for themselves to celebrate and shout out each other and each other’s work, forming a sisterhood that thrives on mentorship and empowerment, thus creating a legacy and an alternative archive of Black women’s accomplishments on-screen.