ABSTRACT
Collins (1990) introduced us to a set of controlling images that serve as commonly held and continuously perpetuated (mis)representations of Black women in media. One trope not specifically interrogated is that of the “awkward Black girl” (ABG). These are Black women characters who appear to struggle with their seemingly incongruous identities of Black, awkward, and educated. This chapter seeks to explore the evolution of this representation over the last three decades. By conducting a textual analysis of four ABG, Freddie Brooks (A Different World), Synclaire James (Living Single), Dr. Rainbow Johnson (Black-ish), and J (Insecure), we argue that this trope is an extension of a controlling image and potentially a space allowing us to transcend those static representations, enabling us to work “toward self-definition,” as Collins (1990) envisioned.
