Freedom’s Plow

Freedom’s Plow: Framing Black Women’s Journey in Contemporary Society provides students with diverse readings on the multifaceted experiences of black women with particular focus on their historical treatment and how their identity has been shaped by the intersection of race, class, and gender in a changing society.

The anthology is comprised of black feminist texts that center on the experience of black women and explore the cultural, political, and historical contexts in which black women live their lives. Part I features readings on the history and politics of black womanhood, including selections on slavery, motherhood, work, and family. Part II explores issues of controlling images, beauty, and the body, featuring readings on media representation and racialization, sexual politics, the embodiment of diaspora, and more. The final part contains readings that closely examine how black women challenge political and social systems through activism and feminism.

A powerful anthology centered on resilience and black womanhood, Freedom’s Plow is well-suited for courses that focus on racial, gender, and ethnic relations, as well as those that explore the social problems of race and ethnicity.