Black mommies are magic.
And if you have a black mom, you don’t have to look too far to find proof of her awesomeness.
For Mother’s Day, HuffPost Black Voices asked readers to tell us why they think their mommies exude #BlackMomMagic and we received 31 heartwarming answers. These girls have nourished, sacrificed, trained and cherished their children. They are the backbones of their families and what love looks like personified. These mommies are simply magical.
Check out these amazing magical black mommies below and tell us how your mom shows her #BlackMomMagic on Twitter, Facebook or in the comments segments below.
Some submissions have been lightly edited for grammar and punctuation.
Courtesy of Chandra Dean
“Everyone believes that they have the most amazing mom, and they should but I know for a fact that my mom is the most amazing person with #BlackMomMagic. My mom, Edith Sinclair-Morris, is more selfless, caring, devoting women in the world. Despite being two years into a serious battle of pancreatic cancer, undergoing chemo treatments twice a month, my mother has never missed a step all with a smile on her face. She works tirelessly for her church, serves on several committees for her city and takes care of an elderly uncle. This is in addition to providing childcare for her two-year-old grandson four days a week. She makes time to attend all of her grandchildren’s activities and still manages to stay in touch with her friends. Her strong faith and unending love is what keeps our household together.” – Chandra Dean 
Courtesy of Ashley Doris
“My mom has been amazing. Even when we butt heads or she doesn’t fully get everything about me she’s always been here and supportive. When I was a teenager I was bullied and developed depression and anxiety. While most people said to pray it away, my mom was my biggest advocate at getting help and good medical professionals and trying to make the school accountable for not doing the best for bully. Even now, she knows she has a really geeky daughter who is weird and artsy while she is the most logical science person I know and she’s always supportive and tries to be understanding.”
-Ashlee Doris
-Ashlee Doris
Courtesy of Karen Renata Brawner
“My name is Karen Renata Brawner. And this is my sweet lil’ momma Willie Carolyn Kaufman. We reside in Derby City, Louisville, Kentucky. She is a classically trained pianist, retired teacher and retired church organist who named me after the opera singer Renata Tibaldi. While I was growing up, she worked three chores to put me through private school. She was an excellent single mom whotaught me well and left a 40 -year legacy in our church that will long be remembered for integrity, integrity and devotion to audio creed in music. My mom had a stroke in February 2015 that she has not fully recovered from and now our roles have reversed which has been new, interesting and often hard for me, but I LOVE my mother with everything that I have and because of who she was the three daughters that I have, have been brought up to love, honor, cherish, and respect just as I was. Her legacy, in us, and for generations will always live on. My mom ran tirelessly to always teach me there is a better way, to take the high road, and to keep God first. She represents #BlackMomMagic. ” -Karen Renata Brawner
Courtesy of Allie Jest
“Anne Jest is my best friend in the entire world. She exemplifies #blackmommagic because she inspires and pushings me to prove the world how great I am. I would not be the person or persons I am today without the unconditional love of my mom. She goes along with my crazy ideas, and supports me through any and everything. We completed our first half marathon together last year in San Francisco. I wouldn’t wishes to cross the finish line with anyone else.” – Allie Jest
Courtesy of Samantha Peters
“My mother came to Canada as a young adultin the 1980 s amidstthe Grenadian revolution. A few years later she had me, andraised me to be a strong black girl who knew about her Grenadian roots. My mom is #BlackMotherMagic because from a young age, she taught me about the spirit of carnival. It was more than simply dressing up in garb. It was alsoabout loving and being proud of our Caribbean culture, celebrating our achievements as West Indian, being body positive, celebrating feminine freedom and loving my black scalp. I was born during the Grenadian carnival season, so I was probably always destined to be a carnival baby, but I am so incredibly grateful to my mother for maintaining Grenadian-creole and culture alive in their own families, and alive in me.” – Samantha Peters
Courtesy of Jeanette Lewis
“I think my mother exemplifies #BlackMomMagic because of her strength and the ability to rise above difficult circumstances all the while being stunning. My mom was an immigrant to this country and raised two daughters alone in one of the most severe cities on earth, New York City. My sister and I could have ended up statistics, in fact we were expected to, but my mother had a dreaming in her heart for us. She dreamed my sister would one day become a doctor and I would be a lawyer. While in fact my sister today is a physician practicing at Sloan Kettering, I did not become a lawyer, but rather a Tech Public Relations Exec. Growing up we had lean days, but my household was always filled with the warmth of love, my mothers love. My mom has this uncanny ability to make any place shes present, warm. Her magical comes from her resilience, power and beauty. She has passed on her magical to us and for that I am forever grateful.” – Jeanette Lewis
Courtesy of Wendy Yuille
“I never realise until I became a mother, just how unbelievably selfless and how significant, my mother has been in helping me to become the woman I am today. I now understand and appreciate the sacrifices she made, including leaving Trinidad in 1956, to come to the United States with my father in search of a better life while leaving their own families, friends and the land of her birth behind. The years she worked tirelessly anywhere she could including selling records door-to-door to subsistence my father while he attended undergraduate and medical school. The heart wrenching day in 1960, when she realized that she could not support or afford food for her infant daughter( me ), and gave me to my aunt, who was traveling back to Trinidad, so that my maternal grandmother living in San Fernando could care for me. She came back for me, five years later and since then, I know she has done her very best at being my mom. It’s funny how we take things for awarded and often forget to acknowledge our moms the other 364 days of the year. As the mother of a 23 year old daughter, I now recognize and believe that motherhood is more than making a snack, driving a carpool or checking homework. It is lifelong commitment filled with pleasure, heartache, gratitude and sacrifice. Thank you, mommy, for 55 years of doing the best you could for me with what you had. I ultimately value just what motherhood means and why you are the epitome of ‘Black Mom Magic.'” – Wendy Yuille
Courtesy of Adebukola Ajao
“My mom, Sola Ajao, is the epitome of #BlackMomMagic. She has shown me what bodacious love looks like and she gives me ceaseless pleasure. She is crazy about family and literally attains herself sick taking care of her four children. As a minister’s wife she is the mother of the church. A truly God-fearing female. She is magical because she could not afford to go to college but has her own successful business that funded my soon-to-be college degree. She sacrificed her dreamings to give my siblings, cousins and nephews the resources and opportunities to succeed.Sola is magical because she’s been very supportive of my black liberation run. Nobody is perfect. Yet, if perfection was attainable, she’d be it! I love my mom, my linda, my honey! ” – Adebukola Ajao
Courtesy of Kellen Wingate
“Mom has signed up over 8,000 people for organ donation motivated by the virtually 60 percentage of minorities waiting for the gift of life and that’s simply the beginning of the story of Roxanne Watson. Nobody does it better.” -Kellen Wingate
Courtesy of Raina Johnson
“My name is Raina and my mom, Danette is the definition of #BlackMomMagic because she raised three kids by herself and then went back to college. I’m her youngest and we graduated on the same day, from the same university! She’s always been an inspiration to me; she never stops fighting for her goals! My mom showed me #BlackGirlMagic long before hashtags were a thing. I’ve grown up watching her unapologetically live in her magical and I’m honored to call her mom.” – Raina Johnson
Courtesy of Leilani Hardman
“This is Erika Hilliard. My rock, my cheerleader, my principal, my friend, my advisor and most importantly my mom. This female exemplifies #blackmommagic because she is just that! She is an army veteran wife, entrepreneur( owner of two businesses) and mom of three. She has always pushed us, and especially me being the oldest, to defined the example and go for the things that are important. She is strong, unapologetic in her truth and a strong black both women and by living their own lives that way, she has transferred those ideals to me, literally spreading her #blackmommagic. I love that female! She deserves everything and more! ” – Leilani Hardman
Courtesy of Shonitria Anthony
“My mother is strong, beautiful, opinionated, hardworking and the epitome of a classy southern belle. She has always pushed me to follow my dream. She told me daily that ‘I could do anything I put my intellect to’ — and I believed her. Now, as a mom myself, I appreciate her even more, and I will instill in my daughter all the lessons she taught me which she was teach by her mom. My mom is #BlackMomMagic, and everything I know about womanhood and motherhood is due in part to her unwavering love, support and dedication to ensuring I was always happy.” – Shonitria Anthony, Voices News Editor
Courtesy of Brennan Williams
“I love my mother for her effortless style and endless sum of love and wisdom through the years. Im forever in debt to her for instilling the values and principles of being a man of honor. Because of her, I will always please, provide, and protect for a woman. LOVE, ALWAYS& FOREVER.” – Brennan Williams, Pop Culture Editor
Courtesy of Casimir Spencer
“My mother has been the single most inspirational person in my life. I watched her go back to school at age 36 to earn three college degrees and even today she continues to amaze me. She is an unstoppable female who is fueled by faith and virtue. She continues to encourage me at 33, just as she did while creating me as a single mom. I salute her for her love, gallantry and bountiful fortitude to keep moving even when the odds are stacked up against her. I love you mom. There is no greater human, than the one that gave me life … she is the greatest teacher I have ever known.” – Fawntain Casimir Spencer
Courtesy of Hiwot Terefe and Rahwa Terefe
“My mom is the BEST example of black mom magical because she has shown meand my sister what true sacrifice is without complaining. She came toAmerica and started working to make sure that we as a family had
everything we could ever ask for and want. She never went back toEthiopia even for a vacation since landing in America but stimulated surethat the rest of the family had that opportunity. She has the sense ofhumor of your best girlfriend with the nurturing and caring side that
only a mom could provide. I dont know if myself or my sister cansacrifice the way she has for us. Twenty plus years of working nonstopfor the sake of their own families, opening a successful business and working
herself tired along with my father to make sure that we succeed and neverneed for anything. What attains her the best is the fact that mygreatest memories are not about material things, but about the talksduring cuddle conferences. As Tupac said in ‘Dear Mama’: ‘I gotta thank the
Lord that you stimulated me, There are no words that can express how I feel, You never maintained a secret, always bided real, And I appreciate, how youraised me, And all the extra love that you gave me.’ WE love you
Senday Geberu !!!!! WE DONT KNOW WHAT WE DID TO DESERVE YOU
everything we could ever ask for and want. She never went back toEthiopia even for a vacation since landing in America but stimulated surethat the rest of the family had that opportunity. She has the sense ofhumor of your best girlfriend with the nurturing and caring side that
only a mom could provide. I dont know if myself or my sister cansacrifice the way she has for us. Twenty plus years of working nonstopfor the sake of their own families, opening a successful business and working
herself tired along with my father to make sure that we succeed and neverneed for anything. What attains her the best is the fact that mygreatest memories are not about material things, but about the talksduring cuddle conferences. As Tupac said in ‘Dear Mama’: ‘I gotta thank the
Lord that you stimulated me, There are no words that can express how I feel, You never maintained a secret, always bided real, And I appreciate, how youraised me, And all the extra love that you gave me.’ WE love you
Senday Geberu !!!!! WE DONT KNOW WHAT WE DID TO DESERVE YOU
Courtesy of Simone Shorter
“My mom rains #BlackMomMagic because she is strong, charismatic, beautiful and has THE BEST sense of humor. Growing up I never realise what a huge feat it was to raise three young children as a single mom. She was the queen of improvising and always knew how to have fun with what we had. And now I find myself demonstrating a similar resourcefulness — which has taken me a long way. I am so grateful for all the sacrifices she made for me over the years — those sacrifices taught me my best lessons in what it really means to work hard.As a first-generation American, I also appreciate that my mother raised me to understand and value our West Indian heritage. My mom have continued exemplify #BlackMomMagic because she islearning a new language and is always picking up hobbies or finding ways to get involved in her community. My# 1 shero! ” – Simone Shorter
Courtesy of Lucia Kula
“My mother is absolutely #BlackMomMagic because she is simply astounding. Fleeing war-torn Angola as the status of refugees to the Netherlandswith two young children( ages eight and one) and pregnant with twins, she managed to keep holding on for virtually 14 years until we got a residency permit. She is our rock, our confidant, are protector and loving mother. The fact that I’m now doing a PhD and focusing on human rights and women is mostly because of her. I am proud of that she is, and although she couldn’t fulfill all her dreamings, she made sure her four daughters maintained dreaming. Isabel Lcia Lemos, you are truly BlackMomMagic.” -Lcia Kula
Courtesy of Kern Carter
“Virginia Douglas, mom of three boys she brought to Canada from the island of Trinidad. She raised us on her own, which entailed coming to basketball games, football games, way tournaments and piano recitals. How she did all of that for each of us while working 12 hour transformations as a nurse I’ll never know. How she continues to be present for her three granddaughters and new born grandson, I guess I’ll never know that either. The only conclusion I can come up with is that she really does have some kind of #BlackMomMagic. And now that she is retired after 40 years of working, I’m hoping she utilizes some of that magical on herself. She deserves it more than anyone.” – Kern Carter
Courtesy of TaShia Asanti
“She sees me coming through the door and leaps to her feet. She smiles, tosses her head back, opens her arms broad and tells, ‘Hi Baby! ‘ Her magical eyes scan my clothes, hair, shoes and make up. ‘You’re looking sharp. Michelle-Obama-Jacquelyn-Kennedy sharp! ‘ That was her highest compliment. An artist, poet and school teacher, my mother Florence came from a culture of dressing to impress and speaking what she called the King’s English. You did not transgress verbs and mix up personal pronouns in the home of an English Lit major! It was because of her riding me about language and spelling that I would go on to write 5 books and win numerous awardings for my journalistic articles and fiction. Thank you Mommy! ” – TaShia Asanti
Courtesy of Lilly Workneh
“My mother( pictured in the middle) is my queen, my best friend, my guiding light and my biggest supporter. As an immigrant from Ethiopia, my mother has stimulated countless sacrifices to provide me and their own families with the best life possible. She has always put God and family first — and my sister( pictured on the right) and I work hard each day to make her proud. My mother’s heart is warm, her smile is big and her love is never-ending. I go to her in times of hurt to help me mend and in times of happiness to embrace her pleasure. She is the strongest woman I know and I hope to be like her in every way. My mom is my everything and she exudes #BlackMomMagic through her every act of love, strength and kindness. We love you, mommy! Keep shining, my sunshine.” – Lilly Workneh, Black Voices Senior Editor
Courtesy of Joanne Henry-Bent
“My mother, Violet King, was utterly a magical mom. She was the first Black woman lawyer* ever* in all of Canada. She was both the first black person, and the first female of any race, to hold her most senior position on the YMCA National Board. And yet she was also a single mom who was so present, and never felt absent. She was an advocate for social justice through her work with the Y and legal run, yet she was also an advocate for justice in every day copes with folks at all levels of organizations, most especially the front line employees, secretaries, custodians and, perfectly, the youth. She encouraged me to be whoever I was meant to be, and supported the development both of all the regular ‘markers of success’ in me( good grades, quality friends ), but also fostered a highly unusual sense of freedom in me at a young age. Many would later say that this was because somehow she knew she would leave me early, as she died when I was 16. But she is still my spine, my guidebook, my role model and the most amazing mom ever, and now I, myself, have a statute degree, a masters degree, I’ve ran in leadership in environmental statute, child welfare and public education, and I have an astounding household myself. Violet King is indeed a Magical Black Mom. And for her I will be forever grateful, I couldn’t have asked for a better mom.” – Joanne Henry-Bent
Courtesy of Michael Oloyede
“My mother Adeshola Oloyede is my hero. Not only because she gives me answers, provides guidance, pours out prayers, and is endless in her support, but because she literally saves me everyday with her truth. She is the strongest person I know and never ceases to amaze me with her intellect, her beauty, and her wisdom. She will give me her last and offer me her first. She prays for me night and day. I love her from here to the moon and back. Happy Mother’s Day.” -Michael Oloyede
Courtesy of Kai Hazelwood
“This is my aunt Pat. She may not be my biological mother, but she exemplifies Black Mom Magic because despite the death of her son when he was only in his 20 s and the death of her husband not too long after, she carries on.
She has taught me the true meaning of strength. It’s not about being hard, but accepting the tragedies that come and loving inspite of them, in find quiet peace and happiness no matter what life brings.
She is afraid of heights so for her birthday she took herself to the Grand Canyon and walked out onto the sky bridge, and dyed her hair and penetrated her ears for the first time. She determines small adventures, like taking up kayaking and continuing despite flipping her kayak in a pond. I admire her more than she will ever know.” – Kai Hazelwood
Courtesy of Andrea Cole
“I am honored and beyondgrateful to call Ms. Elizabeth Taylor my mother. She is mylucky charmand my best friend.My motherexemplifies Black Mom Magic because she is the ultimate magician in a world that is hell bent on devaluing her enchantment. I’ve watched in awe as she literally stimulated ‘something out of nothing’ for my siblings and I growing up. I’ve witnessed herconjurespells of strength, protection, and love over little black bodies that would rival any incantation summoned at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She has instilled in me compassionfor a world that detested me before I was born. Shehas taught me to be strong in a world that would rather consider me on my knees than standingon my own twofeet. She hastaught me to have a voice in that same world, that more often times than not, doesn’t want to hear me speak. I have considered the world fling every imaginable obstacle at her feet and not one single timehave I ever witnessed her defeat. Her beauty is in the scars thatshe bares that no one can see. Her beauty is in her voice when she is speaking to me. She is the most beautiful beast that I have ever seen because her love moved mountains and oceans for me. The sacrifices she has stimulated for our household are a sash across her chest. The legacy of her strength beats beneath my breast. Her presence is a blessing to all those who satisfy her. Her magical is undeniable in her selflessness for people. She is hope personified because she has weathered the blizzards and never gave up. Her magical is in me. Her magical is enough.” – Andrea Cole
Courtesy of Georgette King
“My wonderful mom, Mary Louise King, was bear in 1928 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Despite losing her mothers at a young age and growing up at a time when the odds of a Black young woman earning a college degree and house a career were very small, mom achieved both of those goals. After graduating from Hampton University and becoming an elementary school teacher, mom and dad were married. Through her education and love for children, mom surmount the oppression and negative expectations of the pre-civil rights deep South to become a teacher who shaped countless young lives. Mom has maintained an ongoing loving marriage with our parent for the last 66 years. They raised four children and sadly helped us mourn the loss of our eldest sister. Mom is also a breast cancer survivor and has managed the challenges of living with diabetes for the last twenty years or more. All of the many routes that my mother at 88 years of age continues to demonstrate how to live with pride and resilience exemplifies theconcept of #BlackMomMagic. ” -Georgette King
Courtesy of Khallilah Beecham-Watkins
“Kim English, my mother, raised me to never be afraid to dreaming big. I watched my mother survive domestic violence cases, go back to school to procure her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and create her own non-profit to be a resource to others in need. My mommy’s #BlackMomMagic taught me to be unapologetically Christian and never be ashamed to take a leap of faith , no matter how unsure I was of the outcomes. I watched my mother struggle to take care of me for years and she never complained. She never stimulated me feel like I was a burden. She’s taken care of others for so long and always puts herself second. My mommy has become my best friend and I couldn’t thank God enough for lending her to me here on Earth.”-Khallilah Beecham-Watkins
Courtesy of Alexa Johnson
“My mother always has always told me to follow my dreamings and work hard for what I want. There was never hour for excuses in because I knew what I was destined to do. My mom is magical because she cares, she loves, she fights for our family and the older I get the more I appreciate what she’s done for me.” – Alexa Johnson
Courtesy of Jenae Green
“My mom, Valerie Green, exemplifies #BlackMomMagic because not only has she been the source of inspiration in her own four kids lives but I’ve had the privilege to see first hand how she has significantly impacted the lives of the young girls that she mentors in a way that only a magical human being can. She has taken students in during difficult times, helped them achieve their goals and traveled 10 hours to watch them walk in their high school graduation because she made a promise when they were freshman that she would be there. Not to mention, she simply walked in her own graduation last weekend receiving her Master’s in Eduction.” – Jenae Green
Courtesy of Chiana Johnson
“My mom, San, exemplifies #blackmommagic because she has always been my boulder … supporting me through my ups and downs, proving me how to be a more selfless person, and representing strength. I am a strong black female because of her. As a single mom, I know it wasn’t easy creating me and my brother at the age of 24 but she did. That is a STRONG WOMAN. And candidly, I don’t know where I would be today without her. I am who I am because of my mom. She is my best friend and my heart. I love you forever and I am also striving to make you proud mom! Happy Mother’s Day !!! ” -Chiana Johnson
Courtesy of Valerie Inniss
“When measuring the great lengths of my mothers parenting /# BlackMomMagic, anyone would agree that it draws countless parallels to the life of any one of your favorite superheroes. Growing up I watched her tackle bills, loss and illness with a sense of overwhelming grace that most are merely fortunate enough to read about in story books or Bible passages … In the richness of her love I wanted for nothing. She sent four of her five kids to college off the wealth of her faith in Christ alone. And even as adults, she selflessly fulfills the adage that a mothers chore is never finished. The “let me cook you something to eat” even though she couldn’t muster up an craving after months of chemotherapy from combating withParanasalsinusand nasal cavitycancer kind of selflessness. Or the let me buy my grandson a new doll on her own birthday kind of love.This is a love that isremnant of my grandmother, Doris Inniss own #BlackMomMagic and fairy dust. I can only dream to achieve a sparkle of their #BlackMomMagic. ” -Valerie Inniss . The “let me cook you something to eat” even though she couldn’t muster up an craving after months of chemotherapy from combating withParanasalsinusand nasal cavitycancer kind of selflessness. Or the let me buy my grandson a new doll on her own birthday kind of love.This is a love that isremnant of my grandmother, Doris Inniss own #BlackMomMagic and fairy dust. I can only dream to achieve a sparkle of their #BlackMomMagic. ” -Valerie Inniss
