Black Feminists and Radical International Politics

• In Event: Radical Imaginations and the Recursion of 1970s-1990s Feminist and Queer of Color Literary and Visual Cultures in the Present

Abstract

My paper explores the anti-carceral and anti-imperialist impulses and activism by black feminist poets in the 1970s and 80s. Specifically I examine the work and allegiances of black, lesbian, feminist poet Pat Parker, including attention paid to rallies, fundraisers, and events to which they lent their energy and art. Although Parker has received less critical attention than her contemporaries like Audre Lorde, June Jordan, and Adrienne Rich, both the content of her work and her decision to lend her voice to events in support of various issues are similar to their activism. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Parker advocated for and performed at fundraisers for women in prison, the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women, and a rally in support of Iranian women in 1980. Linking Parker’s work to larger political movements, I argue that black feminism has always prioritized these issues as part of an anti-racist, queer politics. Recognizing these lineages illuminates the roots of ongoing, contemporary political movements and pushes us to expand our understanding of what has historically been a "feminist" issue.

Author

• SaraEllen Strongman, University of Pennsylvania