Music has always been a form of expression. A be-freeing medium through which the oppressed found a way to vent out and voice their rebellion. Here are 10 black women who by assuming their blackness as well as their womanhood showcased a vocal force that could sing about racism, love, being a woman strong or weak.

10. Jennifer Holliday

9. Nancy Wilson

8. Natalie Cole

7. Gladys Knight

6. Etta James

5. Sarah Vaughan

4. Billie Holiday

https://youtu.be/h4ZyuULy9zs

3. Nina Simone

2. Ella Fitzgerald

1. Aretha Franklin