Rose, amidst changesSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay During a long history of segregation in the United States, the 1950s was one of the eras when African- Americans actively fought for equal rights. . Many African-American men, such as Martin Luther King Jr., famous for the Montgomery bus boycott (1955-56), played crucial roles. African American women, who suffered a double burden, also underwent changes, although less visible than men. August Wilson, an American playwright, wrote Fences in 1986, which features an African-American family living in the 1950s. Rose, one of the main characters, is the wife of Troy, a black garbage truck driver . Rose must support her talkative but overbearing husband who always complains about his failed baseball dream and reluctantly blames segregation for his failures. She must play the role of mediator in conflicts between her husband and her son. She even has to put up with Troy cheating on her and later even asking her to raise the child out of wedlock. Rose compares herself to other African American women in the 1950s because she is self-sacrificing, sexually unprotected, and yet independent. Rose is sacrificial, like other black women. Even though movements for African American rights were ongoing, the rights of many black women remained vulnerable. Sacrifice was a deeply ingrained characteristic of African American women due to racism and sexism. Rose's tasks are endless. Rose is not only a housewife who does laundry and prepares meals, but she is also a caregiver and problem solver for almost everyone in the family. Rose acts as a mediator whenever Cory, born between Rose and Troy, is in conflict with his father and when their first son Lyon, born to Troy's former wife, is on bad terms with his father. She also takes care of Gabriel, Troy's brother, who is mentally retarded after an accident in the army. Despite her best efforts as a mother and wife, Troy told her that he was seeing another woman. Afterwards, Rose angrily tells Troy, "I tried to be everything a woman should be." Everything a woman could be. (2.1.235-236) Even when Troy brings the baby born to the woman he cheated with and asks Rose to take care of the baby, Rose agrees to raise him. Rose is not alone in making sacrifices as a woman. In her article, “Mammies and Matriarchs: Tracing Images of the Black Female in Popular Culture 1950s to Present,” Sewell probes 1950s popular culture to examine the imagery of black women. Most women portrayed by pop culture are seen as a “constant source of help” (Sewell). Rather than as individual women, black women in the 1950s, like Rose, were seen as mothers and wives who were expected to devote their lives to their families. Rose's sexuality is not protected, like other black women in the 1950s. Rose is not raped or sexually assaulted outside of her home in the play, unlike many black women. Troy also does not sexually abuse Rose. However, Troy's attitude and speech towards Rose indicates that Troy does not respect Rose's sexuality. It seems that Rose has no power over her sex life and that Troy is in control. In the presence of his friend Bono, Troy frequently revealed parts of his sex life with Rose, which require intimacy without the consent of the other party. Troy puts his arm around Rose and says toBono: “Don’t come over to my house Monday morning to talk about when it’s time to go to work… because I’m going to fondle myself again!” He continued his behavior even though Rose chastised him, saying, “Troy! Stop this now! (1.1.536-543) This doesn't happen just once. Troy, again in front of Bono, says, "Is dinner ready, woman?" You and I have unfinished business. I'm going to tear it up too. Rose replied, "Troy, I already told you!" (1.4.437-439) One could see this as just playful jokes that mean nothing. However, Meyer Leyser, in his article "Strange Love": Searching for Sexual Subjectivities in Popular Black Print Culture During the 1950s, analyzes several articles, letters, and other print cultures to examine subjectivity and distorted image of the sexuality of African-American women. In 1951, an article by an anonymous author, titled “Sexual Habits of Negro Women,” claimed that African-American women are “extraordinarily sensual.” Other printed materials insinuate that black women were more sexually deviant and sexually disrespectful (Meyer). This indicates that black women's sexuality in the 1950s was often distorted and unprotected, as Troy did not respect Rose's sexuality. This distorted image of black women's sexuality is not limited to simple images. These may indicate potential sexual abuse or harassment towards black women. The white man is generally considered to be a sexual aggressor against black women. However, between 1951 and 1960, of twenty-six sex crimes adjudicated in Chicago, nineteen cases, or 73 percent, included African American victims testifying against African American defendants, with the exception of one case ( flood). As the study showed, African American men's disrespect for black women's sexuality is closely linked to sex crimes. Therefore, Rose and other African American women's sexuality was not respected and protected in the 1950s. Despite her sacrifices and sexual vulnerability, she was as independent as other African American women. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “independent” means not subject to the control of others; not demand or rely on others; expressing a desire for freedom. After Troy revealed he was having an affair, Rose made her desire for freedom clear. This could be seen when Rose shouted at Troy during their argument, "I have a life too." I gave eighteen years of my life to be in the same place with you. Don't you think I always wanted something else? Don't you think I had dreams and hopes? And my life? And me. » (2.1.326-330) Although she endured her life, her repressed desires for freedom finally exploded. Desperate desires for freedom don't just apply to Rose. According to Feldstein Ruth in her writing "'The World Was on Fire': Black Women Performers and Transnational Activism in the 1950s.", activist-artists including Maya Angelou, "called attention to the relationships unequal between blacks and whites. and relationships between men and women. Black women demanded freedom as wives and as African Americans through entertainment (Feldstein 1-2). Economically, many African American women were also independent. In his article, Craig W. Heinicke focuses on changes in the labor force of married African American women in the South between 1950 and 1960. His observations show that while the rate of participation of African men in the population active population fell from 79.3% to 73.9%, the female active population increased from 37.1% to 39% between 1950 and 1960 (Heinicke). This “independence” of black women.