How does the poet pose a challenge to and triumph over her oppressors?

Anjelou speaks of the legacy of oppression, making references to the suffering of black people throughout history. She condemns the oppressors—ostensibly, white people—with great fierceness. She will make her “slave” ancestors proud by rising above their suffering and defying the oppressors.

Since the speaker is ostensibly female (an extension of the poet herself), one might argue that sexism is another factor driving the speaker’s anger. While much of the figurative language applies to the oppression of black males and females, the stanza which describes the speaker’s “sexiness” and provocative “dancing” implies that she is an empowered female. She condemns the prejudice against her race as well as her sex, and she rebels against any male oppressor by delighting in her sensuality.

No