Black Feminist Politics from Kennedy to Clinton (Contemporary Black History)

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book analyzes Black women's involvement in American political life, focusing on what they did to gain political power between 1961 and 2001, and why, in many cases, they did not succeed. Harris demonstrates that Black women have tried to gain centrality through their participation in Presidential Commissions, Black feminist organizations, theatrical productions, film adaptations of literature, beauty pageants, electoral politics, and Presidential appointments. Harris contends that 'success' in this area means that the feminist-identified Black women in the Congressional Black Caucus who voted against Clarence Thomas's appointment would have spoken on behalf of Anita Hill; Senator Carol Moseley Braun would have won re-election; Lani Gunier would have had a hearing; Dr. Joycelyn Elders would have maintained her post; and Congresswoman Barbara Lee wouldn't have stood alone in her opposition to the Iraq war resolution. Publisher description: Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book analyzes Black women's involvement in American political life, focusing on what they did to gain political power between 1961 and 2001, and why, in many cases, they did not succeed. Harris demonstrates that Black women have tried to gain centrality through their participation in Presidential Commissions, Black feminist organizations, theatrical productions, film adaptations of literature, beauty pageants, electoral politics, and Presidential appointments. Harris contends that 'success' in this area means that the feminist-identified Black women in the Congressional Black Caucus who voted against Clarence Thomas's appointment would have spoken on behalf of Anita Hill; Senator Carol Moseley Braun would have won re-election; Lani Gunier would have had a hearing; Dr. Joycelyn Elders would have maintained her post; and Congresswoman Barbara Lee wouldn't have stood alone in her opposition to the Iraq war resolution Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Series Editors’ Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 18 List of Abbreviations......Page 19 Part I: A History of Black American Feminism......Page 20 Part II: The 1990s in Context: A History of Black Women in American Politics......Page 74 Part III: Black Women’s Relationships with Party Politics......Page 108 Part IV: Doubting the Democrats: Current Disenchantment and Political Futures......Page 154 Epilogue......Page 168 Appendix A: Interview Questions......Page 176 Appendix B: Executive Order 1098 Establishing the President’s Commission on the Status of Women......Page 180 Appendix C: Members of the President’s Commission and Its Committees and Consultations......Page 184 Notes......Page 198 C......Page 204 D......Page 205 K......Page 206 P......Page 207 S......Page 208 W......Page 209 A history of Black American feminism Black women's relationships with party politics The '90s in context : a history of Black women in American politics Doubting the Democrats : current disenchantment and political futures.