Words of Fire: An Anthology of African-AmericanFeminist Thought

(Paperback)

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Description

This anthology traces the development - from the early 1800s to the present day - of black feminist thought. It consists of a collection of writings, in the feminist tradition, of over 60 African-American women. It demonstrates the strong tradition of African-American feminist thought,a nd its concentration on the multiple jeopardies of racism, sexism and classicism that have made it imperative for black women to forge a new and unique brand of feminism. The book includes historical documents such as Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" speech, and Lorraine Hansberry's unpublished critique of Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex". There are also contemporary pieces on the issues of today: Evelyn Hammonds on AIDS, Shirley Chisholm on abortion, Pearl Cleage on domestic violence and Kinberle Crenshaw on racial discrimination.

Reviews

"The indefatigable Beverly Guy-Sheftall has put together a breathtaking sweep of African American feminist thought in one indispensable volume." Elizabeth Spelman, professor of philosophy, Smith College

Author Bio

Beverly Guy-Sheftall is the Anna Julia Cooper Professor of English and Women's Studies at Spelman College and the founding director of the Women's Research & Resource Center. She is also one of the founding co-editors of Sage: A Scholarly Journal on Black Women. Her previous publications include Who Should Be First: Feminists Speak Out on the 2008 Presidential Campaign (co-edited with Johnnetta B. Cole) and Still Brave: The Evolution of Black Women's Studies (co-edited with Frances Smith Foster and Stanlie M. James).