Mothering While Black: Feminist Thought on Maternal Loss, Mourning and Agency in the African Diaspora

This essay is a discussion and analysis of key feminist ideas in the collection of articles for a special edition of Transforming Anthropology, entitled Sorrow as Artifact. The author discusses the importance of transnational and feminist perspectives in anthropological analyses and definitions of Black motherhood. The author also examines intersecting themes, including Black mothers' responses to violence and loss throughout the African diaspora. The author also considers why Black motherhood matters and the roles of other mothers in the historic and ongoing Black freedom struggle.