Toward an Intellectual History of Black Women (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture)

Despite recent advances in the study of black thought, black women intellectuals remain often neglected. This collection of essays by fifteen scholars of history & literature establishes black women's places in intellectual history by engaging the work of writers, educators, activists, religious leaders, & social reformers in the United States, Africa, & the Caribbean. Dedicated to recovering the contributions of thinkers marginalized by both their race & their gender, these essays uncover the work of unconventional intellectuals, both formally educated & self-taught, & explore the broad community of ideas in which their work participated. The end result is a field-defining & innovative volume that addresses topics ranging from religion & slavery to the politicized & gendered reappraisal of the black female body in contemporary culture. Contributors are Mia E. Bay, Judith Byfield, Alexandra Cornelius, Thadious Davis, Corinne T. Field, Arlette Frund, Kaiama L. Glover, Farah J. Griffin, Martha S.Jones, Natasha Lightfoot, Sherie Randolph, Barbara D. Savage, Jon Sensbach, Maboula Soumahoro, & Cheryl Wall. Martha S. Jones is the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor & professor of history at Johns Hopkins University. She is president of the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians, the oldest & largest association of women historians in the United States, & she sits on the executive board of the Organization of American Historians. Martha S. Jones is also an associate professor of history & Afroamerican & African studies (Arthur F. Thurnau Professor) & visiting professor of law at the University of Michigan. Author of Birthright Citizens & All Bound Up Together, she has written for The Washington Post, The Atlantic, USA Today, & more. She lives in Baltimore, MD. Despite Recent Advances In The Study Of Black Thought, Black Women Intellectuals Remain Often Neglected. This Collection Of Essays By Fifteen Scholars Of History And Literature Establishes Black Women's Places In Intellectual History By Engaging The Work Of Writers, Educators, Activists, Religious Leaders, And Social Reformers In The United States, Africa, And The Caribbean. Dedicated To Recovering The Contributions Of Thinkers Marginalized By Both Their Race And Their Gender, These Essays Uncover The Work Of Unconventional Intellectuals, Both Formally Educated And Self-taught, And Explore The Broad Community Of Ideas In Which Their Work Participated. The End Result Is A Field-defining And Innovative Volume That Addresses Topics Ranging From Religion And Slavery To The Politicized And Gendered Reappraisal Of The Black Female Body In Contemporary Culture. -- From Back Cover. Machine Generated Contents Note: Pt. I Diasporic Beginnings -- Born On The Sea From Guinea Women's Spiritual Middle Passages In The Early Black Atlantic / Jon Sensbach -- Phillis Wheatley, A Public Intellectual / Arlette Frund -- The Hart Sisters Of Antigua Evangelical Activism And Respectable Public Politics In The Era Of Black Atlantic Slavery / Natasha Lightfoot -- Pt. Ii Race And Gender In The Postemancipation Era -- The Battle For Womanhood Is The Battle For Race Black Women And Nineteenth-century Racial Thought / Mia Bay -- A Taste Of The Lash Of Criticism Racial Progress, Self-defense, And Christian Intellectual Thought In The Work Of Amelia E. Johnson / Alexandra Cornelius -- Frances E. W. Harper And The Politics Of Intellectual Maturity / Corinne T. Field Pt. Iii Redefining The Subject Of Study -- Ann Petry's Harlem / Farah J. Griffin -- Daughter Of Haiti Marie Vieux Chauvet / Kaiama L. Glover -- The Polarities Of Space Segregation And Alice Walker's Intervention In Southern Studies / Thadious M. Davis -- Story, History, Discourse Maryse Conde's Segu And Afrodiasporic Historical Narration / Maboula Soumahoro -- Pt. Iv Intellectual Activism -- From Ladies To Women Funmilayo Ransome-kuti And Women's Political Activism In Post -- World War Ii Nigeria / Judith A. Byfield -- Living By The Word June Jordan And Alice Walker's Quest For A Redemptive Art And Politics / Cheryl Wall -- Not To Rely Completely On The Courts Florynce Kennedy And Black Feminist Leadership In The Reproductive Rights Battle / Sherie M. Randolph -- Professor Merze Tate Diplomatic Historian, Cosmopolitan Woman / Barbara D. Savage -- Histories, Fictions, And Black Womanhood Bodies Race And Gender In Twenty-first-century Politics / Martha S. Jones. Edited By Mia Bay, Farah J. Griffin, Martha S. Jones, And Barbara D. Savage. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction: Towards an intellectual history of black women / Mia Bay, [et al.] - Part I: Diasporic beginnings Born on the sea from Guinea: Women's spiritual middle passages in the early black Atlantic / Jon Sensbach Phillis Wheatley, a public intellectual / Arlette Frund The Hart sisters of Antigua: Evangelical activism and "respectable" public politics in the era of black Atlantic slavery / Natasha Lightfoot Part II: Race and gender in the postemancipation era The battle for womanhood is the battle for race: Black women and nineteenth-century racial thought / Mia Bay A taste of the lash of criticism: Racial progress, self-defense, and christian intellectual thought in the work of Amelia E. Johnson / Alexandra Cornelius Frances E.W. Harper and the politics of intellectual Maturity / Corinne T. Field. Part III: Redefining the subject of study Ann Petry's Harlem / Farah J. Griffin Daughter of Haiti: Marie Vieux Chauvet / Kaiama L. Glover The polarities of space: Segregation and Alice Walker's intervention in southern studies / Thadious M. Davis Story, history, discourse: Maryse Conde's Segu and Afrodiasporic Historical Narration / Maboula Soumahoro Part IV: Intellectual activism From ladies to women: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and women's political activism in post-World War II Nigeria / Judith A. Byfield Living by the word: June Jordan and Alice Walker's wuest for a redemptive art and politics / Cheryl Wall Not to rely completely on the courts: Florynce Kennedy and black feminist leadership in the reproductive rights battle / Sherie M. Randolph Professor Merze Tate: Diplomatic historian, cosmopolitan woman / Barbara D. Savage Histories, fictions, and black womanhood bodies: Race and gender in twenty-first-century politics / Martha S. Jones Cover -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction: Toward an Intellectual History of Black Women -- PART I: Diasporic Beginnings -- Born on the Sea from Guinea: Women's Spiritual Middle Passages in the Early Black Atlantic -- Phillis Wheatley, a Public Intellectual -- The Hart Sisters of Antigua: Evangelical Activism and "Respectable" Public Politics in the Era of Black Atlantic Slavery -- PART II: Race and Gender in the Postemancipation Era -- The Battle for Womanhood Is the Battle for Race: Black Women and Nineteenth-Century Racial Thought -- A Taste of the Lash of Criticism: Racial Progress, Self-Defense, and Christian Intellectual Thought in the Work of Amelia E. Johnson -- Frances E. W. Harper and the Politics of Intellectual Maturity -- PART III: Redefining the Subject of Study -- Ann Petry's Harlem -- Daughter of Haiti: Marie Vieux Chauvet -- The Polarities of Space: Segregation and Alice Walker's Intervention in Southern Studies -- Story, History, Discourse: Maryse Condé's Segu and Afrodiasporic Historical Narration -- PART IV: Intellectual Activism -- From Ladies to Women: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Women's Political Activism in Post-World War II Nigeria -- Living by the Word: June Jordan and Alice Walker's Quest for a Redemptive Art and Politics -- Not to Rely Completely on the Courts: Florynce Kennedy and Black Feminist Leadership in the Reproductive Rights Battle -- Professor Merze Tate: Diplomatic Historian, Cosmopolitan Woman -- PART V: The Long View -- Histories, Fictions, and Black Womanhood Bodies: Race and Gender in Twenty-First-Century Politics -- Contributors -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z Introduction: Toward an intellectual history of black women -- PART I: Diasporic beginnings -- Born on the sea from Guinea: women's spiritual middle passages in the early black Atlantic -- Phillis Wheatley, a public intellectual -- The Hart sisters of Antigua: evangelical activism and "respectable" public politics in the era of black Atlantic slavery -- PART II: Race and gender in the postemancipation era -- The battle for womanhood is the battle for race: black women and nineteenth-century racial thought -- A taste of the lash of criticism: racial progress, self-defense, and Christian intellectual thought in the work of Amelia E. Johnson -- Frances E.W. Harper and the politics of intellectual maturity -- PART III: Redefining the subject of study -- Ann Petry's Harlem -- Daughter of Haiti: Marie Viewx Chauvet -- The polarities of space: segregation and Alice Walker's intervention in Southern Studies -- Story, history, discourse: Maryse Condé's Segu and Afrodiasporic historical narration -- PART IV: Intellectual activism -- From ladies to women: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and women's political activism in post-world war II Nigeria -- Living by the word: June Jordan and Alice Walker's quest for a redemptive art and politics -- Not to rely completely on the courts: Florynce Kennedy and black feminist leadership in the reproductive rights battle -- Professor Merze Tate: diplomatic historian, cosmopolitan woman -- PART V: The long view -- Histories, fictions, and black womanhood bodies: race and gender in twenty-first-century politics -- Contributors -- Index. Despite recent advances in the study of black thought, black women intellectuals remain often neglected. This collection of essays by fifteen scholars of history and literature establishes black women's places in intellectual history by engaging the work of writers, educators, activists, religious leaders, and social reformers in the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean. Dedicated to recovering the contributions of thinkers marginalized by both their race and their gender, these essays uncover the work of unconventional intellectuals, both formally educated and self-taught, and explore the broad community of ideas in which their work participated. The end result is a field-defining and innovative volume that addresses topics ranging from religion and slavery to the politicized and gendered reappraisal of the black female body in contemporary culture. Contributors are Mia E. Bay, Judith Byfield, Alexandra Cornelius, Thadious Davis, Corinne T. Field, Arlette Frund, Kaiama L. Glover, Farah J. Griffin, Martha S. Jones, Natasha Lightfoot, Sherie Randolph, Barbara D. Savage, Jon Sensbach, Maboula Soumahoro, and Cheryl Wall.