Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Politically Pastoral

Home
Progressive Christian
Politics and Religion
Honoring Morrison’s Unapologetic Artistry

Honoring Morrison’s Unapologetic Artistry

Last updated on: August 7, 2023 at 6:34 pm by Rev. Jason Carson Wilson

Honoring Morrison’s Unapologetic Artistry 2023-08-07T18:34:53-04:00 Rev. Jason Carson Wilson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

You are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower someone else.

–Toni Morrison

The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has at worst, been a pipe dream for Black people in the United States of America. At best, it’s been carrot dangled — and sometimes given — to well-behaved Black people or those bathing in Black respectability.

Here’s a sad truth: Good behavior and Black respectability won’t save you. Malcolm X became as timid as the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was painted. These well-behaved men were still assassinated while wearing suits.

Let’s be clear. Neither Malcolm nor Martin were ever timid men. The white gaze left some white people seeing versions of Malcolm and Martin they wanted to see. They lived into Toni Morrison’s quote. They used the power and freedom their positions afforded them to empower and liberate someone else — just like Morrison did.

As this Black writer mourns her death, sorrow is mixed with gratitude for her ministry and witness. Make no mistake, Morrison’s writing career was, indeed, a ministry, regardless of whether she ever stood in the pulpit or wrote womanist theology.

Her craftswomanship and devotion to her audience — Black people — rivals any pastor shepherding a flock. Morrison’s ministry helped Black people feel seen and heard. In particular, the tapestries she weaved with words made Black women heard, seen, and valued.

As an uncle to two young Black women, Journey and Violet, Morrison’s dedication and purpose resonate with me. Filling pages with words wasn’t her purpose. Filling Black people with hope and pride — through realistic stories — was her purpose. When others were confused about her aim, Morrison had no problem providing clarity.

“[It’s] As if our lives have no depth and no meaning without the white gaze. I’ve spent my entire writing life trying to make sure that the White gaze was not the dominant one in my books,” Morrison said during a Charlie Rose interview.

Reading Sula in college first immersed me in pure Blackness. Growing up biracial (but choosing to identify as Black) in an all-white family in downstate Illinois left me facing an identity crisis. Morrison’s book showed me a glimpse of my heritage and put a mirror to my reality.

“Lonely, ain’t it?
Yes, but my lonely is mine. Now your lonely is somebody else’s. Made by somebody else and handed to you. Ain’t that something? A secondhand lonely.”

Sula by Toni Morrison

That quote really spoke to me. Some family members’ racism helped manufacture a loneliness. Morrison’s book welcomed me into a Black community for which I subconsciously longed. It would take years to discover my Black tribe in seminary.

Giving thanks for Morrison’s artistry is the least this writer can do. It helped give me the freedom to empower and be fabulous.

Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison shares her wisdom

Family, Parenting and Religion

unapologetic artistry

Previous Post

May 19, 2019

National Day of PREY-er Is Here

Next Post

August 23, 2019 Effort To Primary Trump in 2020: What’s The Family Got To Do With It?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2024 January 2024 October 2023 August 2023 April 2023 November 2022 September 2022 April 2021 March 2021 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 December 2019 August 2019 May 2019 January 2019 November 2018 September 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Gideon defeated the Midianites with an army of just 3,000 men.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE