Why the Super Bowl Was Historic for Black Women

Writing at Clutch magazine, Liane Membis says the proud day for African-American women wasn't just about Beyoncé headlining the Super Bowl's halftime show — it was about the "outstanding unity and camaraderie displayed throughout the event." Suggested Reading Three Friends Were Headed To A Beyoncé Concert, But One Dies On the Way. Guess What The…

Writing at Clutch magazine, Liane Membis says the proud day for African-American women wasn't just about Beyoncé headlining the Super Bowl's halftime show — it was about the "outstanding unity and camaraderie displayed throughout the event."

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

The 2013 Superbowl notably featured several artists of color with tremendous talent. Jennifer Hudson emphatically opened the game singing "America the Beautiful" with the Sandy Hook Elementary School chorus while Alicia [Keys] sang the Star Spangled Banner live while playing the piano. Fans nationwide waited eagerly for a Beyoncé's mind-blowing halftime performance, which featured Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, Queen Bey's former Destiny Child bandmates — in style. The time couldn't have been better: two weeks after President Barack Obama's inauguration and the dawn of Black History Month, America got to see how far black women have come.

… Kelly and Michelle's support of Beyoncé by singing their own rendition of "Single Ladies" was the epitome of sisterhood, while Jennifer Hudson's heartfelt opening (along with the ironic similarity of her own tragic loss to gun violence) exemplified the internal strength and grace that exists within the African-American female's heart …

Read Liane Membis' entire piece at Clutch magazine.

The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff. 

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.