“The most despised person in America is the black woman,” Malcolm X said in a 1962 article. speech in Los Angeles on the tribulations of black women in America. “The least protected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman. »

Perhaps one of the most recent victims of this notion is Cynthia Erivo, the Emmy Award-winning co-star of the highly anticipated film “Wicked.” (to be released November 22). “Wicked,” a film based on the 2003 Broadway hit and adapted from the 1995 novel, tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” in a different light from the classic narrative.

Erivo plays this witch, Elphaba, alongside Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, “the good witch”. The film’s promotion has been compared to that of Barbenheimer, with numerous marketing efforts and brand partnerships including Béis, Mattel and Conair to name a few. “Glicked”, the combined release of “Gladiator II” and “Wicked,» should revive the lackluster fall box office.

But it was arguably Erivo’s fiery response to the fan art that garnered the most attention. For context, the original image promoting the musical “Wicked” depicts the two witches, Elphaba with her eyes covered and Glinda whispering in her ear. The film’s poster recreated this iconic photo, but with Erivo looking down the barrel of the camera and more of Grande’s face being shown.

A fan, who calls himself X “midsommar”, edited the new poster to better resemble the original. The montage went viral, garnering 7.4 million views and the attention of Erivo herself, who immediately took offense. She furiously posted on Instagram: “Our poster is a tribute and not an imitation, modifying my face and hiding my eyes is erasing me. This is just deeply hurtful,” Erivo wrote in his story.

Many people saw this as an overreaction. However, in an interview with Entertainment tonightErivo said: “I’m passionate about this and I know the fans are passionate about this and I think for me it felt like a human moment to want to protect little Elphaba, and it felt like a human moment. I probably should have called my friends, but it’s okay.

While the fan probably meant no harm, I would argue that this is yet another perpetuation of the erasure of black women in history and entertainment. Black women have always been diminished and erased, their contributions silenced under the cries of their counterparts.

Zora Neale Hurston, an African-American writer of the Harlem Renaissance, was often silenced by other black authors. “Mule Bone,” a play written by Hurston and Langston Hughes, sparked controversial on paternity which has never been attenuated.

Claudette Colvin, 15, a dark-skinned woman, was the First of all person for refusing to give up their seat on a bus and was arrested on March 2, 1955, nine months before Rosa Parks.

The three organizers of #BlackLivesMatter are black women: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Ayo Tometi. The organization came to fruition after the murder of Trayvon Martin. They established 13 “guiding principles,” one of which was ensuring that black women were a priority and their voices were heard. However, their names are not well known and their principles are not discussed, if at all, in today’s society.

The #metoo movement was begin by Tarana Burke, a black woman. However, the movement exploded in 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano tweeted it without crediting Burke, encouraging women to share their stories of sexual abuse.

Beyoncé, the most decorated Grammy artist of all time, has yet to win Album of the Year – her latest loss to a white man, Harry Styles. Just three black women have won the AOTY in the 65-year history of the Grammys.

From Hurston to Beyoncé to Erivo, black women have been subject to subjugation and appropriation in the media. The Cynthia Erivo controversy is another example of a story as old as time: a black woman silenced and erased, this time, physically. What may seem like harmless fanart actually has the power of erasure. So, despite what the internet may think, it is indeed that deep.