Four Women
Nina Simone Lyrics

My skin is black
My black skin is a part of my identity and reflects centuries of history and struggle.

My arms are long
My long arms are a physical attribute that enables me to endure and survive hardship and pain.

My hair is woolly
My hair, like my skin, has a texture that is different from what is considered 'mainstream' and often subject to discrimination.

My back is strong
My strong back supports my body and represents my resilience and ability to persevere.

Strong enough to take the pain, inflicted again and again
Despite facing repeated trauma and injustice, I am able to withstand and rise above it, so much so that it becomes a part of who I am.

What do they call me, My name is AUNT SARAH
Despite being an individual with my own unique identity, society labels and reduces me to a generic, diminishing nickname based on my status as a black woman.

My skin is yellow
My yellow skin highlights my mixed ethnic heritage and the complexities and challenges that come with being 'in between' multiple cultures.

My hair is long
My long hair, which is often associated with femininity and beauty, is a trait that is inherited from my white father and carries political significance.

Between two worlds, I do belong
I exist in a liminal space, not fully embraced by either the black or white community due to my mixed heritage.

What do they call me, My name is SAFFRONIA
Similar to Aunt Sarah, my unique identity is overlooked and replaced with a name that reflects society's tendency to stereotype mixed-race women based on appearance.

My skin is tan
My tan skin represents a racially ambiguous appearance that makes it difficult for society to define me.

My hair is fine
My fine hair is a contrast to the woolly texture attributed to black women, yet still faces discrimination due to its association with whiteness and Eurocentric beauty standards.

My hips invite you, my mouth like wine
My sexuality and beauty are often overemphasized and objectified, reducing my value as a person to my physical attributes.

Whose little girl am I? Anyone who has money to buy
As a victim of poverty and economic exploitation, I am forced to sacrifice my dignity and agency in order to survive and provide for myself.

What do they call me, My name is SWEET THING
Similar to Aunt Sarah and Saffronia, my name reflects a patronizing and dismissive attitude towards women who are sexualized and commodified.

My skin is brown
My brown skin is a symbol of my connection to my African ancestry and the legacy of slavery and oppression that comes with it.

my manner is tough
My tough demeanor is a response to the trauma and struggle that has defined my life and the need to display strength in order to survive.

I'll kill the first mother I see, my life has been too rough
The constant pain and suffering that I have experienced have left me with a deep anger and resentment towards the world and those who benefit from my oppression.

I'm awfully bitter these days, because my parents were slaves
The legacy of slavery is not a distant history, but an ongoing reality that continues to affect the lives of black people today, causing deep trauma and bitterness.

What do they call me, My name is PEACHES
Even when expressing anger and bitterness, society still attempts to label and dismiss me with a cutesy and stereotypical nickname.