Colonizing images and diagnostic labels: oppressive mechanisms for African American women's health.

The purpose of this article is to present colonizing images of African American women and describe how colonizing images and diagnostic labels function together to serve as oppressive mechanisms for African American women's health. The mammy, the matriarch, the welfare mother, the Jezebel, and the Black lady overachiever are representational images of African American women that contribute to how they are viewed and treated within the health care arena.