Deeper Than Eyelashes: Marjorie Taylor Greene's Attack on a Black Woman in Congress is Part of a Long History of Racism and Misogyny

 

By Javar Juarez 

Monday, May 29th, 2024- Columbia, S.C. Updated: 3:30pm EST

Last week, Black and Latino women once again found themselves defending their dignity against white nationalist aggression in the United States Congress. The incident occurred during a committee hearing to decide if U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland could be held in contempt of Congress. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene's attack on Democrat Jasmine Crockett from Texas, mocking her "fake eyelashes," quickly devolved into a heated exchange.

Understanding the Historical Context

To fully grasp the implications of Greene's comments, it's essential to understand the historical context of racial and gendered violence in America. From the inception of the American colonies, Black women have been subjected to systemic dehumanization. Enslaved Black women were denied legal rights to bodily autonomy, and the brutal exploitation of their bodies was a foundational element of the economic and social order.

In the 17th century, laws in the British North American colonies established a rigid racial hierarchy. The Virginia House of Burgesses, for instance, enacted statutes to ensure that children born to enslaved Black women would inherit their mother's enslaved status, regardless of their father's race. This principle, known as partus sequitur ventrem, ensured a permanent, heritable condition of slavery, reinforcing the racial and economic divide.

As early as 1736, the South Carolina Gazette described "African Ladies" as women of "strong and robust constitution" who were "not easily jaded out" and able to serve their lovers "by Night as well as Day." This portrayal of Black women as lascivious temptresses served a convenient purpose: if Black women were inherently promiscuous, they could not be violated. In 1835, William Gilmore Simms furthered this narrative by claiming that Black women lacked the "consciousness of degradation" possessed by even the most disreputable white prostitutes in the North. Contributing to the Jezebel stereotype was the practice of selling mulatto women into sex work and concubinage for the sexual gratification of white men. 

The Legacy of Dehumanization

This historical backdrop provides critical insight into the present. The pervasive myths that emerged during slavery—that Black women were inherently promiscuous and unrapable—were used to justify their exploitation and dehumanization. These narratives have persisted, contributing to the systemic oppression that Black women continue to face today.

When Marjorie Taylor Greene targeted Jasmine Crockett's appearance, she tapped into this deep-seated legacy of controlling and denigrating Black women's bodies. Such attacks are not merely personal insults but are reflective of a broader attempt to maintain racial and gender hierarchies.

White scholars and politicians in America have long linked sexual stereotypes of Black women to claims that Black mothers procreate recklessly, passing socially damaging traits to their children. In “The Plantation Negro as a Freeman”, published in 1889 after the Civil War, prominent historian Philip A. Bruce reinforced these harmful narratives by presenting Black women's sexual impurity as evidence that free Black people were regressing to a naturally immoral state. Bruce argued that Black women raised their daughters to follow their own licentious lifestyle, failing to "teach them, systematically, those moral lessons that they peculiarly need as members of the female sex." 

A Modern-Day Clap Back

The exchange between Greene and Crockett was more than a clash of personalities. It symbolized a significant moment of resistance against the enduring legacy of racial and gender oppression. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, standing in solidarity with Crockett, highlighted the intersectional struggle that unites Black and Latino women in Congress.

Greene's comments and the ensuing conflict underscore the toxic environment perpetuated by white nationalist ideologies within American politics. This episode serves as a reminder of the continuous struggle against systemic racism and misogyny, especially for women of color who navigate these intersecting oppressions.

Moving Forward

As we reflect on these events, it is crucial to recognize that the fight for justice and equality requires understanding and addressing the historical roots of contemporary issues. The attacks on Jasmine Crockett and other women of color in Congress are part of a long-standing pattern of racial and gendered violence. By acknowledging this history, we can better support those who challenge these oppressive structures and work towards a more just and equitable society.

Greene's remarks were more than just an attack on Crockett's appearance. They were a manifestation of a historical and systemic problem that has plagued Black women for centuries. The solidarity shown by Crockett and Ocasio-Cortez is a testament to the resilience and power of women of color, standing together against the forces that seek to diminish their humanity.

Link to Full Committee Hearing Video: https://www.youtube.com/live/RxITnAO0cog?si=zdsRyGFDEKOdpJPy

#jasminecrockett #marjorietaylorgreene #alexandriaocasiocortez #merrickgarland #USnews #USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #whitenationalists #racism #Republicans

Christine Percheski and Christina Gibson- Davis, “A Penny on the Dollar: Racial Inequalities in Wealth Among Households with Children, Socius (January 2020):1.

 Lyndon B Johnson, “Commencement address at Howard University: To fulfill these rights’” (speech, Howard University, Washington, D.C., June 4th, 1965), https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/commencement-address-howard-university-fulfill-these-rights.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me (New York, Spiegel and Grau, 2015), 7.

William Waller Henning, Ed., The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia from the First Session of the Legislature, in the year 1619, volume 11 (New York: R. & W. & G. Bartow, 1819-23), 170, 260, 266, 270.

Darity and Mullen, From here to Equality, 13. 

Hannah-Jones, Nikole. "Race." The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, One World, 2021, pp. 45-70.