Résumé:
Despite the growing number of works that represent the black female migrant characters in the
literary scene, many narratives often fail to capture the complexity and uniqueness of their
identities and experiences. Therefore, this study examines the construction of a black female
migrant identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah (2013). This novel offers an
insightful vision on how black migrant women, who come into contact with the mainstream
white American society and confront racism and alienation, perceive and negotiate their
identities, as represented through the main character Ifemelu and other female characters. This
dissertation sheds light on how Adichie portrays the complex and nuanced nature of black female
migrant identities. Furthermore, it highlights the ways in which race, gender, culture and
migration intersect to shape migrant women’s identities. Drawing upon intersectional feminist
theories and black feminism, this research aims to critically assess the representation of black
female migrants in Americanah, questioning whether it reflects the complexity of their
experiences, and examining Adichie’s portrayal of black migrant female identities in the US. The
study analyzes how the novel challenges simplistic imaginations of race, beauty, blackness and
their intersection. The thesis shows that the blend of cultural identities seems natural and positive
for Ifemelu, yet it places her in a state of being neither completely American nor entirely
Nigerian. Instead, she becomes Americanah. This amalgamation deepens our understanding of
black female migrant identities as a fluid and dynamic constructs shaped by racial and gender
disparities.
