From one of our most important scholars and civil rights activist icons, this powerful study delves into the women’s liberation movement and the complex web of oppression facing Black women.

Angela Davis provides a comprehensive history of the social and political influence of whiteness and elitism in feminism, tracing back from abolitionist days to the present. She demonstrates how the racist and classist biases of its leaders have consistently hampered collective ambitions.

While Black women found support from activists like Sarah and Angelina Grimke, and unwavering backing from Frederick Douglass for the suffrage cause, many women leveraged the fears of white supremacists for political gain, rather than adopting an intersectional approach to liberation.

In this bold and indispensable work, Davis not only contextualizes the legacy and pitfalls of civil and women’s rights activists but also discusses the roles of Communist women, the tragic murder of Emmitt Till, and Margaret Sanger’s racism. She highlights how the inequalities between Black and white women continue to influence contemporary issues such as rape, reproductive freedom, housework, and child care.