Cultural Relativism

 

It is important to understand from a historical context the history of African Americans and the US education system, from Segregation to Integration, and its coerrelation to Womens Rights.  In the societal pecking order, African American women were last to experience real social change.  In essence Black Womanhood became a subculture within a male dominated society. Education was a critical means for African American women to assert their status in a society and system that sought to oppress them.  Like their male counterparts they had to obtain their liberation by two methods; Higher Education, or develop a trade to build a business. Many sought higher education. Once their social status was elevated through higher education challenges still remained as they began to experience a clash of cultures with , not only men, but other women, as the rules of colortocracy, as well as the influx of white females in academia became prevalent. 

Culturally, black women had to climb multiple social ladders to begin to reach the perpetual glass ceiling. Very few black women had the opportunity to escape their societal fate as mothers, wives, or single parents. With much of their fate still determined by the effects of slavery, black women in higher education beyond Historically Black Colleges, is critical to African Americans success and advancement. With DuBois' concept of talented tenth applied, Educated Women can change the culture of African American Communities, potetntally erasing the effects of slavery for African Americans today. Change begins in the home and stretches to the community, to be culturally relative when looking at this subject, one has to maintain a critical view of the effects of slavery, but then understand that the structural problems within society and government seek to obstruct this change. Higher education, means a greater responsibilty to yourself and your community, taking the talents and status  Black women achieve, then going back and ensuring other women and men can get assitance in achieveing the same status. With more and more African American women obtaining higher education, their community acvtisim can redefine the concept of cultural relativism as it pertains to the black community and the historical struggle, and not only focusing on American, but historically marginalized women of color globally.