International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Triple Consciousness in the Works of Three African American Women

Abstract This article examines the concept of triple consciousness in the works of three major African American women writers: Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, and bell hooks. Triple consciousness, an extension of W.E.B. Du Bois' concept of double consciousness, refers to the overlapping of racial, gendered, and class identities that shape the experiences of Black women. Through an analysis of Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Morrison's Beloved, and hooks' Ain’t I a Woman?, we explore how these authors depict the struggles, resistance, and triumphs of Black women in the face of systemic oppression. This article highlights how these works embody Black agency and reaffirm the centrality of women's voices in discourses on race, gender, and class. Keywords: triple consciousness, double consciousness