The Queen's birthday has arrived and it's only right to pay homage to the amazing work she's done throughout her career.
Whenever you think of Beyonce Knowles-Carter, many titles may come into play: Wife, mother, feminist, entertainer are just a few. With all those and more wrapped into an elegant awe-striking bow, one thing Bey has successfully done is help women embrace the queen that lives in us all. She's proven that beyond our "Flaws and All" and what society wants us to think about ourselves, being a Black woman today is nothing short of extraordinary.
Join us as we take a look at our favorite moments Queen Bey helped us adjust our crowns!
We're starting off strong with "Brown Skin Girl." It's one of the amazingly rare moments we get to see Beyonce without the glitz and glamour of Hollywood's flashing lights. She collaborated with SAINt JHN, Wizkid, and superstar-in-the-making Blue Ivy Carter to send a message having pride in your melanin.
By baring her vulnerability to the world through the production of Lemonade, Beyonce showed us it's okay to be angry. There's nothing wrong with take in a whirlpool of emotions when feeling hurt without worrying about having to suppress ourselves in order to stay strong (an expectation African-American women have been haunted with forever). But of course, when it's time to dry our tears, never hesitate in remembering you are EXACTLY who you think you are!
Beyonce got New Orleans and the rest of the world in "Formation" with the powerful way she unapologetically reminded us of the country girl she's always been. Society's idea of beauty means nothing to the woman who likes her "baby's hair with baby hair and afros" and "negro's nose with Jackson 5 nostrils."
Being part of the cast of the live-action version of Disney's The Lion King was a surprising moment for us all. Not only did Beyonce star in a film with a predominately black cast, but it was the domino that fell into Halle Bailey being introduced as "Ariel" for The Little Mermaid.
We learned in HBO's documentary, Life Is But a Dream, that Beyonce suffered a miscarriage before giving birth to Blue Ivy.
All of that lead to the joyous occasion of Bey's pregnancy announcement that she was happy and healthy with twins!
Beyonce carried it out gracefully and effortless-looking. If her social media announcement wasn't inspirational enough, her 2017 Grammy performance definitely sealed the deal.
Her phenomenal visual take of "Love Drought" and "Sandcastles" allowed Bey to channel her inner Oshun, the African Goddess of Love and Beauty. She showed the divinity of hope, power, and reliance that lies within all women. Check out Refinery 29's breakdown of symbolism throughout the entire piece.
Beyonce's positive impact in African-American women has been recognized beyond our community. Adele, an extraordinary artist in her own right, was sure to express her admiration for the legend during her acceptance speech for Album of the Year. Listen to the inspirational words that didn't leave a dry eye in the room.
When it comes on to creating your own moments, Beyonce should be teaching the 101 class. Coachella turned into "Beychella" when the weekend festival dedicated the headlining position to the Queen.
Being the first African-American woman to headline was 'The Moment' for her to leave her permanent stamp. It was an obvious opportunity to present the greatness behind Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Incorporating Greek themes, marching bands, and traditional band line dancers was only the tip of the culturally-woke performance.
Basically if you didn't get to go to an HBCU, Dean Knowles-Carter brought the HBCU to you! Relive it all on Netflix's Homecoming and check out Complex's recollection of the show one year after its debut.
Share your favorite moments Beyonce made you proud to be beautifully black!
Photo: Getty