▁in ▁America . ▁▁ ▁Sister ▁Cit izen ▁del ves ▁into ▁the ▁historical ▁and ▁contemporary ▁effects ▁of ▁ra cial ization ▁and ▁negative ▁s tere ot ypes ▁of ▁Black ▁American ▁women ▁and ▁their ▁relationship ▁to ▁citizens hip . ▁ ▁Harris - Per ry ▁brings ▁contemporary ▁natural ▁dis aster s , ▁film , ▁analyt ical ▁facts , ▁focus ▁groups , ▁literature , ▁and ▁political ▁issues ▁into ▁the ▁scope ▁of ▁Black ▁femin ism , ▁which ▁she ▁then ▁mar ries ▁with ▁historical ▁works ▁and ▁events ▁extending ▁over ▁centuries . ▁Con sequently , ▁she ▁expl ores ▁and ▁context ual izes ▁the ▁pre val ence ▁with ▁which ▁these ▁s tere ot ypes ▁have ▁been ▁normal ized ▁and ▁used ▁to ▁rein force ▁gender ▁and ▁race ▁hier arch ies . ▁ ▁Background ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Harris - Per ry , ▁her ▁book ▁was ▁initially ▁inspired ▁by ▁a ▁television ▁ad ▁that ▁she ▁encountered ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁She ▁claims ▁that ▁the ▁commercial ▁ideal ized ▁and ▁pra ised ▁a ▁dep iction ▁of ▁a ▁young ▁Black ▁girl ▁running ▁through ▁a ▁dangerous ▁neighbourhood ▁to ▁get ▁home ▁from ▁school . ▁Further , ▁she ▁addresses ▁the ▁representation ▁of ▁this ▁young ▁girl ▁as ▁“ a ▁strong ▁Black ▁woman ” ▁that ▁should ▁be ▁adm ired ▁and ▁comm ended , ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁being ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁source ▁to ▁effect ▁change ▁and ▁educ ate ▁the ▁middle ▁class ▁on ▁the ▁division ▁between ▁White ▁and ▁Black ▁citizens . ▁▁▁ ▁Although ▁Mel issa ▁Harris - Per ry ▁initially ▁planned ▁her ▁book ▁as ▁an ▁expl oration ▁of ▁America ' s ▁system atic