Angela Davis

Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an African American radical activist, primarily working for racial and gender equity and for prison abolition.

Later career

She has continued a career of activism, and has written several books.

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A principal focus of her current activism is the state of prisons within the United States. She considers herself an abolitionist, not a "prison reformer," and refers to the United States prison system as the "prison-industrial complex." Her solutions include abolishing prisons and addressing the class, race, and gender factors that have led to large numbers of blacks and Latinos being incarcerated. She has lectured at San Francisco State University, Stanford University and other schools. She is currently a UC Presidential Chair and professor with the History of Consciousness department at the University of California, Santa Cruz and director of the Women's studies department. She states that in her teaching, which is mostly at the graduate level, she concentrates more on posing questions which encourage development of critical thinking than on imparting knowledge.

Related Topics:
United States - United States prison system - Prison-industrial complex - San Francisco State University - Stanford University - History of Consciousness - University of California, Santa Cruz - Women's studies - Critical thinking

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Davis unsuccessfully rallied against the 1995 Million Man March, arguing that the exclusion of women from this event necessarily promoted male chauvinism, and that the organizers of the event, including Louis Farrakhan, preferred women to take subordinate roles in society. Together with Kimberlé Crenshaw and others, she formed the African American Agenda 2000, a small alliance of Black feminists in response to the March's growing popularity. Her actions arguably injured her previously strong popularity among African Americans.

Related Topics:
1995 - Million Man March - Male chauvinism - Louis Farrakhan - Kimberlé Crenshaw - African American Agenda 2000 - Black - Feminists - African Americans

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Although Dr. Davis is no longer a member of the Communist Party, she points to Cuba as an example of a country which successfully addresses social and economic problems. In her view, democracy and socialism are more compatible than democracy and capitalism. She makes no attempt to explain or excuse the Communist past but looks toward future solutions.

Related Topics:
Cuba - Communist

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Dr. Davis, who lives in Oakland, California, can be reached by mail in care of her publisher, Seven Stories Press, 140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013. She can also be reached by email but is unable to respond to many emails due to the large volume.

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She came out as a lesbian in OUT magazine around 1997.

Related Topics:
Came out - Lesbian - OUT magazine

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