What I’m Reading
Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary
By Jasmine guy
One thing I love about reading autobiographies is that, through their storytelling, the author introduces me to other people from their lives that I want to know more about! After reading the autobiographies of Assata Shakur and Evelyn Williams, this book was on my list!
Women, Race, & Class by Angela Davis
This is a fascinating read! It took me a while to get through it because this is scholarly reading with footnotes on every page. I found myself Googling things along the way and even taking notes as I read about things I want to research further, and I know that this is a work I will come back to time and time again. This book is a masterful exposition of the history of women in this country and the very tight relationships between women’s rights, race, and class. If you are a woman, love a woman, or came from a woman, of any color (yes, this includes everyone), this is a must read.
Angela Davis, An Autobiography
Angela Davis is a powerhouse. Her majesty drips from every page. This woman has lived, and loved, and fought, and learned, and traveled, and taught, and resisted, and so many other things. She is worthy of study and definitely deserves her props! I was especially tickled to learn that she is a Frenchie, like me!
A Taste of Power: A Black Woman’s Story by Elaine Brown
This is the autobiography of the only female leader of the Black Panther Party. This book gives a lot of insight into the party and is a very compelling read! As in Assata, you may be surprised at some of the names you recognize in this book as there were many celebrity allies that lent their support to the party’s cause. Reading this book lead me to want to read more about the role of women throughout the history of this country.
Inadmissible Evidence, by Evelyn Williams
This book is the perfect companion read to Assata. As Assata’s aunt and lawyer, Williams is able to fill in a lot of the gaps from Assata’s book. As an attorney who defended several activists during a crucial time in this nation’s history, this woman’s story is definitely worth reading.
Assata, An Autobiography
As the autobiography of a woman who remains one of the FBI’s most wanted, this was an exciting read! I didn’t want to put it down. In this book, Assata combines storytelling with poetry, giving the reader a front row seat to her life as a daughter, a mother, a prison inmate, and an escapee! A woman of incredible strength and resilience…..I’d read this again and again!
Finding Me by Viola Davis
I’ve always been a fan of this queen’s work, but her autobiography was riveting! She shares about her humble beginnings and takes the reader on a journey of her life. Her story, told in her voice, is both heart-wrenching and fascinating!