Glory Edim’s On Girlhood is a heartfelt and beautifully curated anthology that explores the many layers of Black girlhood and the path to womanhood. Spanning decades and featuring a range of voices, this collection brings together powerful stories that capture the joys, challenges, and discoveries of growing up as a Black girl. With each tale, Edim invites readers to reflect on the shared and unique experiences that shape identity and belonging.
Edim’s introduction sets the stage, acknowledging the complex transition between girlhood and womanhood for Black girls—a pivotal time when the tapping into potential is often hindered by the weight of societal expectations. Through these fifteen stories, originally published between 1953 and 2018, Edim constructs a literary framework that highlights both the diversity and shared threads of Black girlhood across generations.
collectively the works provide a nuanced exploration of black girlhood
The anthology is divided into four themes—Innocence, Belonging, Love, and Self-Discovery—each offering distinct yet interconnected perspectives. In Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif,” the tension between Twyla and Roberta reveals the insidious nature of racial bias and its corrosive impact on childhood connections. Camille Acker’s “Who We Are” paints a vivid portrait of defiance and unity as a group of Black girls redefine their belonging on their own terms, rejecting societal norms with unapologetic audacity.
In Edwidge Danticat’s lyrical “Seeing Things Simply,” the protagonist Princesse undergoes a quiet yet profound awakening as she claims her body and artistic identity, offering a tender perspective on self-discovery. Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl,” a powerful three-page stream of maternal advice, encapsulates the weight of generational expectations and cultural norms with breathtaking brevity and universality.
What unites these stories is their shared commitment to unveiling the nuanced realities of Black girlhood. The protagonists struggle with how others perceive their Blackness—whether through Sylvia’s eye-opening encounter with inequality in Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson” or Avery’s youthful longing in Dana Johnson’s “Melvin in the Sixth Grade.” Yet, within these struggles lies a reservoir of strength, creativity, and self-awareness that defines each character.
This anthology is a testament to the resilience, complexity, and beauty of Black girlhood
The inclusion of literary titans like Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison alongside contemporary voices such as Amina Gautier and Alexia Arthurs enriches the anthology, bridging past and present while emphasizing the enduring importance of these narratives. Brief biographies and recommended reading lists for each writer further root the stories in a broader literary and historical context, inviting readers to delve deeper.
Edim’s editorial choices shine, ensuring that every story resonates on its own while contributing to the collection’s overarching themes. This anthology is a testament to the resilience, complexity, and beauty of Black girlhood, offering a space where Black girls—and all readers—can see themselves, challenge societal constraints, and imagine new possibilities.
On Girlhood is not just a collection of stories; it is a celebration, a reclamation, and a call to recognize the worth of Black girls in all their dimensions. Whether read breathlessly or savored slowly, it is a prismatic and profound work that belongs on the shelves of anyone interested in the power of storytelling and the voices it amplifies.
