Angela Davis

Angela Davis, in the article, you mention the independence that blues women, notably Ma Rainey, claimed and illuminated through their music. The production of love and sex-oriented songs would have been strictly prohibited in prior years, so I feel it is safe to say that blues women used their art to empower themselves and resist the biased standards of society. Your writing was particularly interesting because August Wilson paints Ma Rainey differently in his play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He instead chooses to characterize her through the men in the play and completely avoids discussing the incredible liberties taken in her music. Though the play focuses on many other significant issues, Wilson's writing completely underscores the significance of the artist, as highlighted by you.