A classic piece that if not found in all black households, is still known to most black faces. An image of a restless fight to keep going on in this world. Blue Monday by Annie Lee is a painted rendition of the Black woman’s experience and it explores the fighting spirit that lives within us. Through references to black household items, exaggerated displays of exhaustion, and a faceless identity encapsulated in blue tones, Annie Lee is able to depict the struggle Black women endure. Yet even with these devices that are employed, what about this painting captures the eyes of many? How does Blue Monday persuade its onlookers to feel the depleted, “worn out” anguish that Black women are subjected to?

“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” ~ Malcolm X

On a good day Black women are seen as these strong, independent species that are expected to nurture and nourish everything in life. Yet, they are also told that they are loud, ghetto, and angry. Black women can not catch a break. They are always getting the short end of the stick. Whether it being disrespected by their own community, chastised by society, or degraded by all, Black women go through so much and are expected to keep going. That is why this painting is important. It illustrates the agony that Black women endure. It isn’t simply a feeling that we feel, it is a lifestyle afflicted onto us, that is why on the faceless body we can reflect ourselves. Blue Monday is a digestible portrayal of pain, heartache, and perseverance; it is an argument on the behalf of Black women that are “sick and tired of being sick and tired”(Fannie Lou Hamer, 1964).

“You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies, / You may tread me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise”~ Maya Angelou, Still I Rise

Paintings like such need to be seen for they demonstrate the Black Experience. Our voices have been suppressed for so long. That is why I am excited to see that this image is available to view on the internet. It is popular enough to have multiple sources of reference and imagery, thus giving it the demand to be online. It is more available to society, thus more opportunity to share our experiences.