‘Womanist’ Perspectives and Black Feminism in the Non-fiction of Alice Walker

This paper explores about the Alice Walker’s coined phrase ‘womanist’ perspectives and black feminism in her non-fictional writings. It is an attempt to make her contribution against the negative stereotypes that exist within the American society about Black women and their history. Womanist theory dares to introduce a different way of thinking about Black women's roles in society, church and community. Walker's construction of womanism is an attempt to situate the black woman in history and its importance in American Society. Walker highlights the black woman's agency, strength, capability and independence. Womanism seemingly supplies a way for black women to address gender-oppression without attacking black men. With her strong fascination for black women, from the start of her career, Alice Walker has presented herself as one of the activist of this black feminism, coined her own term womanist and creating her own approach to the issue.