They liked her because she ‘talked white.’ I bet they didn’t expect this.

Upworthy Staff
Thu, 19 Oct 2023 22:36:00 +0000
Race, Diversity and equality, Gender equality, Diversity, Racism, Equality, Backhanded compliments, Offensive language, Respect, Discrimination, Bigotry, Culture bias

Sometimes what people may consider to be a compliment is actually horribly offensive.

This is one of those times.

An incredible woman has the perfect response for someone who says, "You speak so well ... for a black girl."

But that's not all. Ernestine Johnson is just getting warmed up. She has plenty more to say about what speaking, looking, and acting like an average black girl really means.

And nope, this isn't another lesson in political correctness; it's more about common sense.

She clearly explains it all 42 seconds in the video below:

Oh, and my favorite quote that I'm taking and framing?

This one.

"See, the average black girl that I know, the average black girl that I know were Egyptian queens like Hatshepsut and Nitocris who were ruling dynasties and whole armies of men, excuse me while I set fire to this poem on my pen because I am tired. Tired of the stereotypes black girls have fallen into because of American mentality. Oh, but not half as tired as Ella Baker, Diane Nash, Septima Poinsette-Clark. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, Miss Fannie Lou Hamer, Daisy Bates, Anna Arnold Hedgeman, and Dorothy Height are far more tired than I am." — Ernestine Johnson