The Trouble With Black Girl Magic for Black Girls

• In Event: Strong Black Girls: Reclaiming Schools in Their Own Image

Abstract

Black Girl Magic (BGM) celebrates the resilience, acumen, and ability of Black women. Hearing the term conjures memories of Black women in our personal circles, and those at a distance who have successfully navigated racial structures that denigrate and devalue Black women. Black girl magic brings a smile to the faces of many Black woman and girls as we reflect on our own personal magic. In many ways, BGM represents resiliency and all possibilities for Black woman. It is a welcome acknowledgement of our strength, struggles and success defined by us for us. #BlackGirlMagic has become cause for celebration! We celebrate and wave our metaphysical wands in virtual spaces such as Instagram, Black Twitter, “secret” Facebook groups and in actual spaces-Black Girl Meetups, living rooms, classrooms, sorority meetings, vacations, on the bus, train, or airplane, at the dinner table, gym, or salon- that we deem safe and supportive. Magic is represented in our walk, conversation and often on t-shirts tote bags and hashtags. Our rejoicing represents the “magic” of being and celebrating what others refuse to acknowledge but profit from; it validates who we are as women, professionals, mothers, sisters, friends, wives. “Girl” denotes the innocence, zealousness exploration and perception of youth as timeless that is often abbreviated for Black girls.

In our celebration of BGC, have we missed the experiences of actual Black girls, adolescents growing up experiencing their transition to adulthood in a world that blends virtual with reality and responds to them as Black women, not Black girls? How do we harness and support the magic of Black adolescent girls while nurturing their girlhood and supporting their transition to adults? The proposed chapter draws upon multiple data including auto-ethnography, empirical focus groups, preexisting literature and social-media sources through the lens of Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) as the paradigm of inquiry into the adolescent experience of BGM and Black girls ages 13-18. We address their experience with consideration of life span development theory and offer important considerations for preserving their girlhood, while nurturing the magic of their Black identity while growing up within a racialized society and the implications of identity on the academic achievement of Black girls. This chapter highlights Strong Black Girls attention to the experiences of Black girls in education by using human development theory to identify and discuss the assets and challenges of BGM on the identity development and educational experience of Black girls.

Authors

• Valerie N. Adams-Bass, University of Virginia

• Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards, Duke University