Untold Story: Black Women as Listeners

Project Title

Untold Story: Black Women as Listeners

Faculty Mentor(s)

Project Description

My research is about the impact of Black women on the music taste of the Black community. It aims to address the gap in knowledge about the listening habits of Black women and the importance of the study of it.

This project is about how the listening habits of Black women are constructed through the generations. Too often, the experiences of Black women, like my mother and myself, are omitted from the record. My research addresses how Black women impact genre definition, canon creation, and the musical output of the Black community. By examining my own lived experiences and those of my mother, along with the extensive record collection of Oberlin’s founding Dance Diaspora professor, Adenike Sharpley, we can analyze the music that Black women choose to collect and listen to in response to their lives. By conducting oral history interviews, the critical role of Black women in shaping musical taste becomes clear. In short, my project is a celebration and honoring of Black women.

Why is your research important?

My research is important because it examines the significance of listening to music for Black women and how that connects to the larger music taste in the Black community. This allows for greater examination in both the identity formation for Black women and also the Black community as a whole.

What does the process of doing your research look like?

I cataloged records for the first portion of my project which involved me sitting in the ELC for hours at a time tediously going through Professor Sharpley’s collection. I also conducted oral history interviews with Professor Sharpley, my mom, and Professor Courtney Andrews to better understand the lived experiences of Black women. Lastly, I looked at literature that showcased the connection between identity and music and also the lived experiences of Black women.

What knowledge has your research contributed to your field?

I feel my research has contributed to a centering of the experiences of Black women in music scholarship. I hope that this will inspire more scholarship about the impact of Black women on music as a whole.

In what ways have you showcased your research thus far?

I showcased my research at the Summer Research Symposium with the Office of Undergraduate research. I will also have a website that is the culmination of my research that is available for everyone to look at.

How did you get involved in research? What drove you to seek out research experiences in college?

I decided to research this summer because I saw Professor Sharpley’s record collection in the ELC and immediately felt that it could have a great significance to the Black community at Oberlin. I also wanted to highlight a record collection of a Black woman because typically collections are usually framed within the white patriarchy.

What is your favorite aspect of the research process?

My favorite aspect of the research process was selecting albums out of Professor Sharpley’s record collection. I really enjoyed listening to the various albums and seeing their historical significance and how they are related to the development of the identity of Black women.

How has working with your mentor impacted the development of your research project? How has it impacted you as a researcher?

Working with my mentor Jennifer Fraser has allowed me to more effectively conduct my oral history interviews by removing my own bias of want specific information and allowing my participants to tell me about their life. Professor Fraser was also extremely helpful to me in believing in my abilities as a researcher.

How has the research you’ve conducted contributed to your professional or academic development?

This research has allowed me to learn an immense amount about the research process as this is my first research project. I really valued this experience and it has allowed me to come to a better understanding of the career opportunities available to me after college.

What advice would you give to a younger student wanting to get involved in research in your field?

I would tell a younger student to just do it and not worry about your project not being good enough or your lack of experience. This is my first research project and I have learned an immense amount about research but also my own work habits and career aspirations.