Beyond the Ivy Tower: The Intersection of Academic Knowledge, Activism, and Lived Experience of Black Girlhood Scholars

• In Event: 18.048 - Food for Black Thought

Abstract

Many Black scholars, particularly women, have exhibited a long history of understanding how “post-truths” can debunk, undermine, and contribute to mistrust of research. With this recognition, many Black women scholars such as Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, Dr. Mamie Clark, Maria Stewart, and Zora Neale Hurston used their personal beliefs and experiences to guide their research trajectories. Many Black women researchers in today's society view their work with/on/about/for Black girls as both research and an intellectual and spiritual pursuit of purpose, whereby one's own lived experiences may emerge (Dillard, 2000) and serve as an impetus to making changes in one's personal and professional lives. This paper describes how six (6) Black Girlhood scholars make meaning of their research about/on/with/for Black girls.

Author

• Lashawnda A. Lindsay-Dennis, Wellesley Centers for Women