When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost---My Life as a Hip-Hop Feminist Book

Reading this book is not so much like learning or studying Black feminism in the era of hip hop, with a culture and climate steeped in bold misogyny wrapped in a tight flow over a fly beat. It's more like listening in on your older cousin and her girlfriends discuss life in the 90s as 20 or 30-somethings, trying to find their way as women with obstacles that their foremothers couldn't have blueprinted even if they tried.

This is the beginning of educated, passionate Black women not really sure how to go about dating their less than focused counterparts. This is about Black women taking on too much and realizing that "strong Black woman" is not at all the cross she wants to bear. This is about goal diggin and gold diggin'; embracing the right kind of love; inequalities on both sides of the coin (should men really HAVE to support children they never wanted? You might be surprised at Joan's answer), and making space for yourself in new places that hesitate to welcome you into the fold.

I loved nearly every page of this book, but the "lovenote" chapter spoke to me the most, so much so that I wanted to send Joan Morgan a tithe for such reverent gospel on how Black woman should love themselves.

I can't say enough how great this book is, even if you don't agree with her. Joan's writing makes you feel like Black womanhood is a treasure, whether the topic is welfare queens, chickenheads, bohemian artists or professionals. She makes our rites to a melanin sisterhood enticing, so that whether you believe in feminism or not, you'll want to embrace the special qualities that translate to Black womanhood. I wish there were more books on the shelves with her name on them.

I also wish there was a similar book for those of us who hit adulthood in the '00s. This will do in the meantime until we get one.