Explore Nina Simone's iconic "Four Women" song, its powerful cultural impact, and how it continues to inspire artists and celebrate Black women's stories across generations.
Influential Woman · Black Writing Project founder and teaching artist centering Black girls and women stories through writing and jazz
Christie Jones
Teaching artist, Founder of Black Writing Project, Adjunct at Iowa Western Community College, Black Writing Project
Omaha, NE
2001Years experience
1Article published
Her Story
About Christie
Christie Jones is the founder of the Black Writing Project, an initiative that offers writing retreats empowering participants, whether professional writers, novices, or community members, to tell their own stories through research, journalism, design thinking, and creative writing. She centers the stories of Black girls and women in retreats known as Jazz Inspired Writing, introducing participants to the stories of jazz queens such as Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald to highlight the power of jazz music and Black culture. With 25 years of experience as a teaching artist, she works with community groups integrating writing and jazz music into artistic experiences. Jones also serves as an adjunct instructor at Iowa Western Community College, drawing on her background as an English, journalism, and creative writing teacher. Her educational background includes a bachelor's degree in English from UCLA in 2001, a master's degree in multicultural education from Florida Atlantic University in 2004, a master's degree in journalism from the University of North Texas in 2006, and a degree in Digital Audiences and museum studies from Arizona State University in 2024. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, she advises young women entering the field to read and obtain a library card to access the wealth of resources available for research and learning.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Christie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute being exposed to literature, arts, and culture at an early age to my success. Through arts and culture, I have been empowered to create community to share our experiences with one another to create a more just and humane society.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I had a mentor that told me to simply be myself! They taught to stop trying to copy other people's teaching style, and focus on creating my own style and voice. I carry that advise into every situation, encouraging my students to be themselves and amplify their own voices.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Read and get a library card. The library is everything. As an instructor my students don't have library cards and have never been to the library in their K through 12 experience. Go get a library card and just go at it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Sexism, racism, and poor literacy skills are the biggest challenges in my field right now, but we have the opportunity through arts and humanities to transform thinking and move our society forward.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Servant Leadership is the most important value in my work and personal life. My purpose is to lead with a servant's heart while being in tune with the needs of my community.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Christie
The Cultural Impact of Nina Simone's Four Women
How Nina Simone's Powerful Anthem Gave Voice to the Invisible Stories of Black Women
In 1966, jazz singer, composer, and pianist Nina Simone wrote the song “Four Women” in response to the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
The song honored the four young women murdered in the heinous terrorist attack. Her anger over this event fueled her desire to create art that could express how America viewed Black women as invisible and the acts of violence and racism they faced every day.
Simone was adamant about telling the stories of Black women, and she pushed back against critics who accused her of racial stereotyping in the song. As a racial activist, Simone defiantly stated, “Black women didn’t know what the hell they wanted because they were defined by things they didn’t control, and until they had the confidence to define themselves they’d be stuck in the same mess forever – that was the point the song made.”
She created four Black women archetypes to explore: Aunt Sarah, a character who represents African American enslavement; Saffronia, a woman of mixed race; Sweet Thing, a prostitute; and Peaches, a woman who is embittered and oppressed. Although the song received harsh criticism from some listeners, its cultural impact inspired countless artists to perform their own renditions throughout the decades.
Nina Simone performed “Four Women” at the Antibes Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival in France in 1969. This is the oldest jazz festival in Europe, which debuted on July 7, 1960. This venue was known for embracing African American jazz artists by giving them a place to perform “freely,” despite the racism and civil rights struggles taking place in America.
Her magical voice captivated the audience as she sang and told the stories of four Black women. Her head wrap, big earrings, and dramatic eye makeup highlighted her beauty and style, which defied European beauty standards. She was unapologetically Black and proudly represented her culture.
A powerful rendition of “Four Women” was performed at the 2010 Black Girls Rock! Awards Show. Black Girls Rock! was founded in 2006 by entertainment entrepreneur Beverly Bond to showcase empowering images of women of color.
In 2010, Bond partnered with BET to bring the awards show to television. The song was performed by four contemporary jazz/R&B singers: Marsha Ambrosius, Ledisi, Kelly Price, and Jill Scott. Each woman soulfully expressed the characters’ emotions by belting out notes that sent shock waves throughout the audience.
Playwright Christina Ham later wrote the musical Nina Simone: Four Women to highlight Simone’s career shift from artist to activist. Directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, the musical imagines a conversation between Simone and three Black women from various backgrounds and experiences. It also explores their fight to overcome racism and the stereotypes that seek to define them.
Christina Ham felt the production was successful because, after the performances, many Black women told her they felt represented by one of the four women.
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