Representation matters, especially when it comes to Black girls in literature and media. For Dr. Lashon Daley, an assistant professor of English and comparative literature at San Diego State University and the director of the National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, the evolving portrayal of Black girlhood is both a personal and a scholarly pursuit.
Her book project, “Black Girl Lit: The Coming of (R)age Performances in Contemporary U.S. Black Girlhood Narratives, 1989-2019,” explores how children’s literature, film, television and social media shape cultural understandings of Black girlhood in America.
When discussing the evolution of Black girl representation over the past few decades, Daley highlights the importance of looking beyond contemporary media. “I realized that I couldn’t just acknowledge the work of what was happening with contemporary representation of Black girls in media,” she explains. While her research initially centered on modern works like “The Hate U Give (2017)” by Angie Thomas, she found herself tracing back to earlier, more iconic representations.
One such moment is Ruby Bridges’ integration into an all-white school, famously depicted in Norman Rockwell’s The Problem We All Live With. “Black girls have been used as a way to show a sign of progression and diversity and inclusion,” Daley notes. She argues that Black girls’ images have often been weaponized as symbols of societal progress, even when real systemic change lags behind.
A crucial theme in Daley’s work is the intersection of anger, resistance and self-discovery in Black girl narratives. “I wanted to sort of pinpoint that rage, while often looked at negatively when it comes to Black girls — has this power,” she explains. Inspired by Audre Lorde’s writings on anger as a transformative force, Daley reframes rage as a tool for empowerment rather than a negative stereotype.
Her research explores how Black girls in the media are often portrayed as “all the rage,” not only experiencing anger but also being at the center of cultural movements. “If Black girls were going to continue to show up as rageful in film, how do we reframe that in a way that’s not making Black girls continue to seem like a negative trope?” she asks.
Surprisingly, Daley’s passion for Black girl representation didn’t start with books — it started with television. “The two books that I remember and that I refer to in my work are ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry’ and ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God,’” she recalls, noting the scarcity of Black girl narratives in her K-12 education. Instead, sitcoms like “Sister, Sister,” “The Cosby Show,” and “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” shaped her early perceptions of Black girlhood. “My first real representations of Black girls that I was seeing were on television,” she emphasizes.
This shift from literature to media plays a significant role in her research. Starting with characters like Judy Winslow from “Family Matters,” Daley examines how Black girls have navigated their visibility — or lack thereof — across different platforms, including social media.
“The thing with social media is literally Black girls can showcase their own story,” Daley states. Unlike traditional media, where Black girl narratives were often filtered through white screenwriters and producers, social media gives young Black women the agency to shape their own identities.
However, this power comes with complications. “Black girls being brutalized is often used as clickbait,” she warns, noting how social media platforms have monetized Black trauma. Despite these challenges, she believes that digital spaces have given Black girls unprecedented opportunities for self-representation.
Beyond academia, Daley actively engages with the public through her YouTube channel, where she discusses her research and reviews books she teaches in her college classroom. One of her most thought-provoking projects involved purchasing an Addy Walker American Girl doll and retracing Addy’s fictional journey on the Underground Railroad.
“It was like a beautiful experience, but it was also really conflicting,” she admits. “I wouldn’t have had that experience had there not been a doll to purchase. But purchasing this doll whose narrative begins in enslavement is also super problematic too.”
This tension between consuming and celebrating Black girlhood is central to her work. “How do we enjoy these dolls who are supposed to represent us? How do we enjoy these television shows and these social media posts when there’s also this tension of what it means to enjoy but also to consume and to discard?” she asks.
Looking ahead as Daley continues her work, she remains committed to amplifying Black girl narratives across various platforms. Whether through academic conferences or digital storytelling, her goal is to ensure that Black girls are not just represented but truly seen.
Her research raises critical questions for readers and scholars alike: In what ways can rage be reframed as an empowering force in Black girl narratives? And how do social media platforms both amplify and exploit Black girlhood?
Dr. Lashon Daley’s work challenges us to rethink not just how Black girls are portrayed but how their stories shape our collective cultural identity. As Black girl narratives continue to expand, one thing is clear: The future of storytelling is in their hands.
Dr. Lashon Daley is hosting a talk about representations of Black girlhood in children’s literature at the Minnesota History Center, Saturday, April 5, 2 pm to 3:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.mnhs.org.
Aria Binns-Zager welcomes reader responses to abinns@spokesman-recorder.com.