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Africana Studies Department : Artistic Groups

During Black History Month (February), I went to many events that were held in honour of BHM, mainly because of performances, yet one, out of the many, events that stood out to me and that was fun to attend to was the Africana Studies Department: Artistic Groups Event, which was held on the last day of the month (February 29th), in the Brown Auditorium. This event was held by Dr. Michael Tillotson and Mr. Bruce Mattingly to highlight different artistic groups on campus that embodies the Arts in African Culture. The groups that were presenting were the SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir, SUNY Cortland Blues Ensemble, and SUNY Cortland Africana Dance Class, taught by the one and only, Dr. Yomi Lee. 

The event started off with the Gospel Choir singing Lift Every Voice and Sing, also known as the Black National Anthem, and this was sung alone by the President and Vice President of the Choir, Michelle (P) and Michaile (VP) Graham. After singing, the rest of the choir, led by the choir director Mr. Steven Cox (on piano), sung Forever You’re My King by Carlton Pearson, honouring the Gospel. Right after Gospel Choir, the Blues Ensemble went next, they started off with Jazz Blues, each student playing different instruments, except voice, it wasn’t until later on when they were close to ending their 30 minute performance, when they started adding voice to their performance, but it wasn’t words that we could understand that was used, they were singing yes, but not with the English Language, in the end however, they had an outstanding performance that was honouring music in African Culture. Last but not least, they had the Africana Dance Class end out the whole event. There were three dances, the first one being KuKu, a dance that was used to celebrate fishermen coming back from the sea, this dance was done by Dr. Yomi Lee and a student named Tiarra Sellers. The second dance was called Feel It Africa which led into the third dance named Unavailable, both dances being Modern Afro Dance/Afrobeats, in which it represents cultural pluralism and resilience. The second one was danced by Dr. Yomi Lee, Tiarra Sellers and Michelle Graham, while the third one was a solo by Michelle Graham, with Dr. Lee being a backup dancer. The whole performance by the Africana Dance Class honoured the different meaning of dance in African History throughout time.

All performances that night did exceptionally well while honouring Arts in African Culture. Dr. Michael Tillotson then closed the event by saying thank you to all who came out and all who performed, for it was indeed a prestigious event.

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Black History Month Review

During black history month I went to a presentation that Professor Yolanda Clarke held on the negative effects a predominantly white college has on black women and their health. At first I didn’t think I would have found it interesting because I wasn’t able to fully relate to what she was going to say. Which is what I thought at first. But quickly I realized even if you’re not able to relate it does open your eyes to how change is needed. Now that is easier said than done, she brought up a lot of examples of how the racial disparity pushes people of color away from their full potential. And she opened my eyes to soloism. This is when someone is set apart from the group and can’t find anyone who is like them. And this results in a lack of effort and sense of loneliness. And as science proves, people struggle most when they are alone. Not only in tasks but people can even die from prolonged isolation. Just as a baby who grows up with no prenatal care is more likely to die, and babies who are with their mothers regularly are more healthy and more likely to live. And this goes with her next topic, that black women have a shorter life expectancy and this is not only because of the care, but because of the stresses you need to endure while being a black woman. There is no one problem, being a woman and being black is a double edged sword and acts of sexism and racism are targeted towards you. 

With all this in mind there has to be a solution to how to fix them. During the presentation there were people who wanted to learn more and went to understand what they could do to solve these problems. That is a start to how we fix these problems. Allowing for more inclusivity and engagement from the community to understand not to separate people of color. When there are people you feel connected to on a cultural level, it allows for a happier environment. Schools have the budget to give people of color these opportunities but they do not give the resources. This is because they do not believe in black communities to bring their art and inspiration. But there will be no way of knowing if nobody takes the risk, as well as their best foot forward. This must be done by all communities coming together to accommodate for groups that are put to the side. Not only the black community, but all communities that are given unfair opportunities in life. 

 

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Extra credit even review : Reading by Hai-Dang Phan

I attended a very interesting event on poetry titled “Reading by Hai-Dang Phan” in Old Main Colloquium 220. It was presented by Hai-Dang Phan, who was intriducted to the public by Professor Danica Savonick. She introduced him as a great author who holds a PhD in literary studies from the University of Wisconsin and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Florida. He also is the author of a poetry collection, Reenactments, published by Saravan in 2019, and the translator of Phan N. Then, when he started to speak, we could learn that he was born in Vietnam, and became a refuge at two years old. He spent his childhood living in Wisconsin, in a majority white people small town. Because of his origins, he explained that he felt a little bit rejected and used this pain into his poems. He said that his books are kind of inheritance, and that lots of poems relating about the past and legacy.

During this presentation, Hai-Dang Phan read several of his poems to us. He delved into his first work, which represents for him a memory of his childhood as well as all the stories he heard. His inspiration is regularly drawn from the artists he admires, such as a famous photographer whose name does not come to mind. For each poem he read (there were six or seven taken from the first book and a few also from his new collection, if I remember correctly) he took the time afterwards to offer the public an in-depth explanation and detailed description of the latter and the motivations which pushed him to write it. Unfortunately, I will not be able to go back over each of the poems he read because it would be too long, but overall, the recurring theme of his poems is childhood, memories. On the other hand, I chose to present in my review, the poem that touched me the most and that I remembered the best. This poem is called “King Fisher” and the verse that stood out me the most was “I remember, watching you, watching the river, I sense new depth in the meaning of the world”. I found this poem quite different from the others, and the thing that attracted me the most was the fact that it talks about nature within. Indeed, he confides that he is captivated by birds, and what is funny is that he reveals to us that it took him a while before agreeing to write about birds. I remember he asked to the audience who was a “bird watcher”, to try to feel less alone or even ridiculous who knows. This was rather surprising and unusual in his previous poems, but this poem really appealed to me precisely because of its originality and especially because of the fact that the author slips into the skin and into the mind of a bird in trying to interpret his thoughts and really got inspired by this bird, he was really guided by this bird, as shown in the quote I noted above, this bird allowed him to find meaning in things. In short this poem was very interesting, I highly recommend anyone interested to read it.

Ultimately, this event was very interesting and I was really happy to attend it. The gentleness of hang.. as well as the beauty of his writing, his compassion and his fight against discrimination, make his poems real life lessons. It is very pleasant to listen to the author read his poems because it allows you to have the right tone, and all the emotion that it gives off. In the future, I think I will certainly read his new collection because the few poems that he read from it captivated me a lot.

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Black History Month Event Review : The musical expression for African American Lived Experience

Tuesday, February 13th, I attended a conference titled “The musical expression for African American Lived Experience”, covering African-American music. This conference was presented by Professor Lewis Rosengarten who is a music professor at SUNY Cortland. His presentation was very interesting and his speech was brilliantly supported by examples of music with the intention of introducing us to African American music and recognization of this community work. His presentation was very interesting and his speech was brilliantly supported by examples of music with the intention of introducing us to Afro-American music. During this conference, he chronologically  explored the evolution of African-American musical styles from the time to the nowadays, including spirituals, gospel, ragtime, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rap, in order to show the impact on this music on the African-American community. Today, I find it interesting to briefly retrace the main aspects of the musical styles he described. 

First of all, he stared talking about Spirituals, that were crucial for African Americans as they provided a means of expressing faith, hope, and resistance during the period of slavery. They served as a form of communal expression, offering solace and strength in the face of oppression. Spirituals allowed enslaved Africans to preserve cultural identity, communicate coded messages, and assert their humanity. They provided a sense of connection to their African roots while adapting to the new realities of life in America. Then, he made the transition between Spirituals and Gospel music. Gospel emerged from African-American churches and became a cornerstone of religious and cultural life. It served as a source of inspiration, comfort, and empowerment, reflecting the enduring faith and resilience of the community. Gospel music played a pivotal role in shaping African-American identity and fostering a sense of unity and solidarity. Its blend of Christian hymns with African musical traditions provided a platform for spiritual expression and communal worship. Furthermore, based on the listening of “Swipesy catwalk” by Scott Joplin, he talked about Ragtime music, saying that it emerged in the late 19th century as a synthesis of African rhythms, European melodies, and American popular music. It provided opportunities for African-American musicians to showcase their talent and creativity. Ragtime represented a form of cultural fusion and innovation, challenging racial stereotypes and paving the way for future generations of African-American musicians. Its syncopated rhythms and lively melodies captured the spirit of the time and influenced the development of jazz and other genres. Later, he discussed about blues, a music style originated in the Mississippi Delta among African-American communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It served as a means of expressing the joys and sorrows of everyday life, offering a cathartic outlet for emotional expression. The blues provided a voice for marginalized communities, articulating experiences of hardship, love, and loss. Its raw emotion and honesty resonated with audiences worldwide, influencing the development of jazz, rock and roll, and other genres. Continuing with Jazz, he explained that it emerged in the early 20th century as a fusion of African rhythms, European harmonies, and American innovation. It became a symbol of cultural expression and artistic freedom, challenging conventions and pushing boundaries. Jazz provided African-American musicians with a platform for improvisation, collaboration, and self-expression. It reflected the spirit of innovation and resilience within the community and served as a catalyst for social change and cultural exchange. Moreover, he discussed about R&B saying that it evolved from the blues and gospel traditions in the mid-20th century, incorporating elements of jazz, rock and roll, and soul music. It became synonymous with the African-American experience, reflecting the joys and struggles of urban life. R&B provided a soundtrack for social and cultural movements, capturing the spirit of post-war America and the civil rights era. Its infectious rhythms and soulful vocals influenced popular music around the world, shaping the sounds of Motown, funk, and hip-hop. It provided a voice for disenfranchised youth, addressing issues of poverty, racism, and inequality. Finally, he finished his presentation talking about Rap music, explaining that it became a powerful tool for self-expression and activism, empowering African-American communities and challenging mainstream narratives. Originated in the Bronx in the 1970s as a form of street poetry and social commentary,  its rhythmic delivery and lyrical complexity showcased the creativity and resilience of hip-hop culture, inspiring generations of artists and activists.

Overall, I really liked this presentation because it allowed me to learn more about musical styles and their origins. Passionate about music, particularly jazz and R&B, I really liked the passion he conveyed during his conference through his energy and his tone which was very cheerful. The thing that surprised me the most, I think, is the fact that R&B appeared so early (mid-20th century), when I thought it was a musical style specific to the 90s.

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Event Review: African American Athletes Unfair Treatment on the Field

On February 28, 2024, I attended the African American Sports and Civil Rights lecture and presentation, presented by Susan Rayl. Throughout this presentation, located in the Park Center Hall of Fame Room, she discussed a multitude of African American athletes and the impact their stories have had on, what is now, our modern day athletes. Some of the athletes mentioned were Octavius Catto, Issac Murphy, Marshall Taylor, Edwin B. Henderson, Robert Douglas, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Tydie Picket, Louise Stokes and Jackie Robinson. The goal of this talk was to enlighten those who didn’t have the previous knowledge of these athletes, their struggles and how they have paved the way for those to come so that they have the opportunity to thrive in the world of sports regardless of their race. 

While all of these athletes struggled in their respective sports, one of the stories that Dr. Rayl focused heavily on was the story of Tydie Picket and Louise Stokes. Both girls were runners who got their start running in a track club. When both girls realized they had a real talent for the sport, they trained day and night to be able to, one day, run in the Olympic games. In 1932, both Picket and Stokes qualified for the games but were denied the chance to run because they were replaced by two of their white teammates. Because of the time period, society deemed this behavior as justified and it was simply overlooked. However, this didn’t stop Picket and Stokes from training in the hopes that they would be able to run in the Olympics another year. Well, in 1936, both girls qualified for the games again, this time around Stokes was denied the chance to run but Picket was awarded the opportunity to compete. It should be noted that it was a victory for the African American community to be able to see one of their own have the chance to win such a prestigious event. Prejudice was and still is an extremely detrimental plague in our country, but it was no match for these two athletes who managed to make history in the track and field community. 

The personalities of these athletes remind me of the character Sula from Toni Morrison’s novel Sula. Sula was a very care-free, strong willed and independent girl who followed her heart and mind wherever it wanted to go, disregarding any feelings of doubt and fear that may have been placed upon her by those in her life. Picket and Stokes went against the country’s views on racial equality and attempted to live out the lives they desired because it doesn’t matter what race or gender you are, you can still enact change. It only takes one person to make a difference. For Sula, it was her adventurous spirit that led her to see all that life has to offer without worrying about judgment from her peers. And in the case of Stokes and Picket, it was the drive to be themselves and follow that passion they had for running as far as it could take them. 

Overall, I believe this presentation was very impactful on our Cortland community. It brought to light some very crucial issues in our athletic fields that may not have been common knowledge to some who attended, including myself. I wasn’t aware of exactly who a majority of the athletes mentioned were aside from Jackie Robinson. Dr. Rayl gave myself and others present the chance to better understand the historical aspects of how the civil rights movement truly impacted the world of sports.  

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A Black Sherlock Holmes: Adaptations and Lack-Of

Back in February on the 29th I attended Cortland’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ann K. McClellan’s presentation on Sherlock Holmes and the characters ties to Black Americans. Titled “The Sherlock Holmes You Never Knew: Black American Adaptations Then and Now.” The presentation, located in the colloquium of Old Main, highlighted the fame of the classic character of Sherlock Holmes and how Sherlock Holmes has had little-known differential representation aside from being an older white British male detective. She begun by discussing the character of Sherlock Holmes and how he has been the most portrayed character of all time, seen across films, stories, plays, etc. And through a majority of these renditions, Sherlock Holmes has been predominantly a white male, and has carried a remarkably white fanbase. It was noted that race had never been much of a question in regard to these stories, it was often unspecified or just assumed he was a white British male.

After McClellan’s extensive research, she claimed (from what she could find) that the first known record of a black Sherlock Holmes was written in the first African American stage musical on Broadway titled “In Dahomey” in 1903. The performance originally starred Bert Williams as “Shylock ‘Shy’ Homestead” and George W Walker as “Rareback Pinkerton.” These characters, of course, were in place of Sherlock and his trusty comedic sidekick John Watson. The show went on to tour the US and the UK, even preforming at Buckingham Palace for King Edward VII. Amidst our reading and studying of “A Raisin in the Sun,” I thought this was interesting in that it emphasized performance art, like musicals and plays, as another monumental piece in African American culture and recognition in and advocation for equality. “In Dahomey” was imbedded with anti-colonialist ideas, just as well “A Raisin in the Sun” was created not only for entertainment, but to highlight the struggling lives of African Americans, and create a reference to art in moving toward a freer, more liberated nation for all.

In concluding her presentation, a large part of the discussion was focused on the present-day rewritings and interpretations of the Sherlock Holmes character. McClellan looked at examples of fan fiction stories written on various public websites where anyone and everyone can publish their own renditions of their most favorited stories. One website, “Archive of Our Own,” has Sherlock Holmes listed within the top five most-written and developed storyline subjects published on the site. Yet, what I found most interesting was that through hundreds of thousands of stories, and many refined subject searches in the Sherlock Holmes realm of publications, approximately fifteen out of the thousands of fan fictions were based on an African American Sherlock, or a Sherlock of another race. So in a modern world where writing any situation or storyline is possible, and the possibility for a black Sherlock to exist, very few actually come to represent Sherlock other than a white British man. I thought this low representation for such a popular character was very shocking. It is disheartening to see that, even in a modern day where things are more reformed, there is still lack of representation in the black community.

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Event Review: The Sherlock Holmes You Never Knew: Black American Adaptations, Then and Now

I attended The Sherlock Holmes You Never Knew: Black American Adaptations, Then and Now presented by Provost Ann McClellan. The event was held in Old Main. I chose this event because quite frankly, I had very minimal knowledge on Sherlock Holmes and absolutely zero on black adaptations of the character. All I knew was that Sherlock Holmes was a fictional character and I saw an ad once for a movie with Robert Downey Jr playing him. I figured that if I was going to attend an event, why not do something that is very new to me, to maximize the learning potential. I had no idea that Sherlock Holmes had this massive cult following, with an exclusive fan club of members from around the world and I wasn’t aware of the rich culture and history, and atrocities revolving around black adaptations of the character. Not only did we learn about Sherlock Holmes and the black culture around it, but we also learned a lot of history involving African American music, Broadway, and other cinema history and terms such as whitewashing and race bending.

What I found very interesting was in the beginning the speaker mentioned a very common theme in the Sherlock Holmes community, “you don’t talk about race in Sherlock Holmes.” Later finding out that Holmes is the most played fictional character of all time, and most of his fandom is predominantly white males from England. I found it very weird that something as silly as a Character playing the role as a detective in an often-comedic setting would be surrounded by so much exclusion and racism. There were even instances when black actors would apply burnt cork to their skin to appear even more “black” to fit a racist, white narrative. In most adaptations they used somewhat off brand names and roles like Shylock “shy” Homestead who was played by Bert Williams the actor who applied the burnt cork to his skin. This play was the first all-black musical on Broadway. There were also very racist titles such as. “The Two Real Coons.”  They would also change minor details about the outfits, especially the hat which was famously known for being the major identifier for Sherlock Holmes.  On a more positive note, finally in 1986 the elitest group of Sherlock Holmes fans allowed entry to their first black member, Philip Brogdon who lived up until 2021. Brogdon was an actor and writer as well. They even had one of the adaptations casts be invited to Buckingham palace.

The event was very informative and shocking. The speaker was very professional and an expert on the topic. I never would have known about Sherlock Holmes and black adaptations of him if it wasn’t for this. I probably would have gone my entire life without hearing about it. It’s a unique and treasured culture and a great example of perseverance and determination by the black community. If an opportunity comes up to attend this event or something similar, I highly recommend going to it.

 

 

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Event Review: The Color Purple (2023)

For my event review, I was unable to attend an event at Cortland, so I will be writing about the film, The Color Purple. The Color Purple (2023) was directed by Blitz Bazawile. The film is based on Alice Walker’s novel, “The Color Purple”, which was published in 1982 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1983. This is the second movie adaptation of the novel aside from Steven Spielberg’s 1985 version, as well as a theatre adaptation that was created on Broadway in 2001. The film takes place in the early 1900s in Georgia, during the Jim Crow south. The film is about the story of Celie, an African American woman who endures several hardships throughout the film. She is faced with an abusive father and later husband. During these times, she finds strength in her sister, Nettie, and her new friendship with Shug Avery. Through two abusive marriages, as well as growing up in the America’s south during the 1900s, we are taken on her journey of her life and its hardships where she learned the power of strength, friendship, love, and discovery, and resilience.

When watching this movie, I particularly took note of the use of music in the movie. Although there were many important takeaways from the movie, I also particularly enjoyed these parts of the movie. The film is not labeled as a musical, but that does not go to say that the film doesn’t take advantage of the use of song and dance as a form of expression. Shug Avery, a key character in the film, is a blues singer. The blues is a genre that historically has been used in expressing African American’s identity and culture. In class, when learning about the Harlem Renaissance and The Black Arts movement, we were able to learn about how art played such a key role in the lives of African Americans and the development of their identities during times of discrimination and racial prejudice. Music especially was such an important part in these times. Music could express pride, joys, losses, experiences, and struggles. In the movie, the use of music and dance was used multiple times to portray many different feelings. example, during the scene where they are working on Harpo’s house, it is a scene that begins as a tired and sad scene. They then break into song and dance where he talks about working ‘til the sun goes down. We see again in a scene ‘Miss Celie’s Pants’, where Celie and the people in the seamstress shop break into song and dance (including tap dancing!). This is a super fun and entertaining scene to watch, and it ties into how song and dance can be used to expressed so many different emotions.

Overall, in the film, The Color Purple was a wonderful film that portrays so many valuable lessons, the power of friendship, the power of strength, and resilience. We see the use of song and dance used throughout the film to express many different feelings, which we also saw demonstrated in the Black Arts Movement during the 1960s and 1970s, and the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s. Song and dance is made for expression, and we see it being used to bring together African American communities during a time of struggle and hardships.

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Event Review: The Sherlock Holmes You Never Knew: Black American Adaptations, Then and Now

I decided to attend The Sherlock Holmes You Never Knew: Black American Adaptations, Then and Now given by Provost Ann McClellan. This event was held on the evening of February 29th in a room upstairs in Old Main. I wanted to attend this event simply because it sounded incredibly interesting to me. Growing up, I had heard of the book and movie character named Sherlock Holmes, but I had never read any of the books or watched any of the movies. The name was just such a part of pop-culture and so I was curious. My conception however was that Sherlock Holmes was a white, British, private eye. However, I would soon learn from this event that that was not necessarily the case.

One of the most interesting facts to me was that Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed fictional character ever. When I heard that I was more than a bit surprised, especially given that there are so many other famous, fictional characters (Batman, James Bond, Superman, and maybe even Spiderman). I also doubted whether many people in the States are huge fans of him and whether the character is even relevant these days. Sherlock Holmes is always portrayed as a white man in most movies, TV, and comics. The fanbase is also predominately a white, male fanbase. In this fanbase though there exists an elite group of Sherlock fans who are called the Baker Street Irregulars. This group consisted of an all-white group until they let their first black member in named Phillip Brogdon in 1988.

The first African American adaptation of Sherlock Holmes was also the first, all-black musical on Broadway in 1903. It featured Bert Williams as Shylock Holmes who was hired as a private detective. Bert, although he was a black man, still acted in blackface. In the musical, there were a lot of references to the original Sherlock Holmes. Then in 1918 one of the first black silent films was entitled “A Black Sherlock Holmes”. This version of Sherlock was portrayed by an actor named Sam Robinson who played Knick Carter. Knick was trying to rescue a kidnapped young girl named Cheza Sneeze. The movie was listed as a comedy. They also used colorblind casting which means they would pick the actor who was the best, not caring what their ethnicity was.  Not everyone was on board with this strategy, especially since he was a historically white character.

Sherlock Holmes turned out to be more embedded in our culture and the media than I think anyone – me included – would ever think. He’s referred to often in jazz music. Bill Cosby even once did a whole bit on his show dressed as Sherlock Holmes. While there are tons of adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories, there are still surprisingly few black adaptations. There are, however, thousands of fan factions online for Sherlock Holmes. But there are only 15(!!) that are not white fan pages. It is interesting to see how people interpret fictional characters and how it either changes through the years or remain the same. I do wonder if as society becomes more ethnically diverse if fictional characters will do the same. This event certainly made me think about it.

 

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The Color Purple (2023) & Citizen: An American Lyric similar themes

“The Color Purple” (2023) film focuses on the life of Celie Harris-Johnson and how she faces many hardships in her life, along with having an abusive husband, but the film also focuses on the story of Celie Harris and her struggles of living in the South in the 1900s and the theme of racial discrimination and racial violence occurs in this film. The film is in Georgia. Out of our class discussions, I believe this film relates to Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine because of how she speaks on scenarios and with the theme of racial violence and racial discrimination. Rankine speaks about Serena Williams as well and what she went through.

 

An example of racial discrimination and being treated poorly is when in 1930, Sofia is called out by the mayor’s wife to be her maid, but she refuses and gets involved in a physical fight, resulting in Sofia being arrested. This took place in Georgia as did the entire film “The Color Purple.” She is sent to jail for 6 years and as soon as she is released, she ends up working for the mayor’s wife anyway. Sofia sinks into deep depression that takes away all the fierceness she used to have before the fight occurred. This goes with the theme of racial violence/ racial discrimination because the mayor’s wife is white.

 

The themes of racial discrimination and racial violence occurred in Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine as well. Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time or the greatest player of all time was treated so poorly on and off the court and Rankine speaks on how she was treated in her book Citizen. In Part II she speaks on Serena Williams and what she went through. Rankine brings it up in Part II, stating “The most notorious of Serena’s detractors takes the form of Mariana Alves, the distinguished chair umpire. In 2004 Alves was excused from officiating any more matches of the final day of the US Open after she made five bad calls against Serena in her quarterfinal matchup against fellow American Jennifer Capriati. The serves and returns Alves called out were landing, stunningly unreturned by Capriati, inside the lines, no discerning eyesight needed.” (Rankine 26-27). It was clear to many that Alves was leaning one way during the match because the description of inside the lines, no discerning eyesight needed is just proving that Alves had something against Serena Williams for some odd reason and was umpiring in a cheating way. Another example Rankine speaks on is “Though no one was saying anything explicitly about Serena’s black body, you are not the only viewer who thought it was getting in the way of Alves’s sight line.” (Rankine 27). Serena had her response to the unfairness stating, “I am very angry and bitter right now. I feel cheated. Shall I go on? I feel cheated.” (27). Serena has the right to be angry and bitter because she is in the right and was cheated and the match was totally unfair.

 

Overall, The Color Purple (2023) and Citizen: An American Lyric are similar in some type of way because they have times of describing the same theme of racial violence and discrimination.

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