Defining FreeBlackmotherhood
"We're all caregivers, even if we're only taking care of ourselves."
Mothering can be a model for self-love and community care.
This vision is anchored in a belief that Black people – of all genders, orientations, incomes, and educational backgrounds – deserve to thrive. But I believe that Black mothers and mothering folks are the groundfloors of manifesting this reality.
But our individualist culture robs us of a chance to grow from this example.
”If you can help black mothers whose motherhood is denigrated, whose financial access is limited, whose self-esteem is constantly knocked down by structural forces, whose family members have been destructed have access to space to breathe and love themselves, you can take that and you can replicate that for others.”
FBM is a direct challenge to the historical narratives that sought to deny Black mothers of motherhood.
FreeBlackmotherhood was first conceptualized when I saw examples of liberated mothering at a conference in 2019.
But it was nourished and finetuned during my graduate school studies when I learned of Partus sequitur ventrem, an English legal doctrine passed in 1662 that loosely translates to “the status of the child follows the mother.”
Under this system, White women would consistently birth and mother free children.
Black and white men could father free or enslaved children based on the mother’s status.
Comparatively, Black women were robbed of motherhood. Their wombs became a queue for human capital. There was a precarity of freedom and the looming threat of racial violence and terror, even for those who weren’t enslaved.
Though much has changed, efforts to affirm the humanity of Black mothers, infants, and families continue. Today, to offer freedom to our children and overcome multi-generational traumas continues.
Countless Black mothers do what they can to raise free Black children, but still, the status of the child follows the mother.
FBM is a direct challenge to the historical narratives that sought to deny Black mothers of motherhood.
Black maternal liberation is the missing link in ending generational harm and healing communities. This truth is forged in the Black experience but holds true across race and culture.
FreeBlackmotherhood denounced martyr-based mothering as child-centric models, and intensive mothering request that mothers place their needs on hold.
FBM argues mothers and mothering people must invest in themselves and heal before they can raise anyone effectively. It’s the work that must be done BEFORE quality parenting
“I believe by centering the well-being and humanity of mothers through rest, reflection, and community, we can create a world where all humans are valued and supported.”
FreeBlackmotherhood does this through…
Bridging historical and contemporary narratives of race, class, gender, and mothering
Championing the importance of authenticity and reflection for mothers and caregivers
Facilitating dialogue for Black mothers and others through public speeches and community workshops
Frequently Asked Questions.
Historically, Black liberation has missed those of us along the margins. We learn our philosophy and struggles in the home. No household can be free until those of us doing the mothering are free.
You can listen in at #Freeblackmotherhood anywhere you can listen to podcasts.
Space and place matter. But anti-Blackness knows no geographical limits. I hope to shed light on life in rural America and learn from others to gain a more comprehensive definition of what we need so the world doesn’t feel limited to “free” and “nonfree” territories.
No. Blackness is expansive and dynamic. It’s both cultural and political. #freeblackmotherhood is exploring routes to collective liberation, not interested in forcing definitions on others. It’s not only open to – but strongly encourages – developing and sharing your own definition so we can learn from you too.
Asking the questions. I believe we’ll find solutions within each other problems and realize we have all we need to create the solutions to thrive.