African-American civil rights activist, philosopher, and university professor born in 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama. An iconic figure of the Black Power movement and intersectional feminism, she was imprisoned in 1970 before being acquitted. She remains a leading voice against systemic racism and social inequality.
Angela Davis(1944 — ?)
Angela Davis
États-Unis
8 min read
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.»
« Freedom is a constant struggle.»
« We must extend ourselves beyond the borders of the nation-state.»
Key Facts
- 1944: born in Birmingham, Alabama, in a neighborhood nicknamed "Dynamite Hill" due to racist bombings
- 1969: dismissed from her position at UCLA by Governor Ronald Reagan because of her membership in the Communist Party
- 1970: placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list, arrested, and imprisoned for 16 months
- 1972: acquitted of all charges following a highly publicized international trial
- 1981: publication of "Women, Race & Class", a foundational work in intersectionality
Works & Achievements
An autobiographical account covering her childhood under segregation, her political activism, and her imprisonment. Translated into many languages, this book has become an essential document on the civil rights struggle.
A groundbreaking work analyzing the interplay of racism, sexism, and capitalism throughout American history. Considered one of the founding texts of intersectional feminism.
A collection of speeches and essays on women's rights, peace, and economic inequality. Davis extends her feminist analysis to questions of foreign policy and international solidarity.
A manifesto for the abolition of the American prison system, now a cornerstone of the abolitionist movement. Davis demonstrates how prisons perpetuate racial and economic inequality.
An essay examining the connections between slavery, democracy, and the prison system in the United States. The work extends the argument of Are Prisons Obsolete? by proposing concrete alternatives to incarceration.
A collection of interviews and essays connecting the historical civil rights struggles to contemporary movements such as Black Lives Matter. It demonstrates the continuity of the fight against systemic racism.
Anecdotes
In 1969, Angela Davis was appointed professor of philosophy at UCLA. As soon as the FBI and Governor Ronald Reagan learned she was a member of the Communist Party USA, she was immediately dismissed. Her forced reinstatement by the courts became a symbol of the fight against political repression.
In August 1970, Jonathan Jackson, brother of activist George Jackson, attempted to free Black prisoners during a hostage-taking at the Marin County courthouse. Firearms registered in Angela Davis's name were found at the scene. She was arrested and placed at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted list, triggering a worldwide solidarity campaign under the slogan 'Free Angela Davis'.
During her sixteen months of pretrial imprisonment, Angela Davis received thousands of letters of support from around the world, including from the Soviet Union. In June 1972, an all-white jury found her not guilty on all charges — murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy — after deliberation.
In 1980 and 1984, Angela Davis ran for Vice President of the United States on the Communist Party USA ticket alongside Gus Hall. Though symbolic, her candidacy made history as one of the first Black women to seek that office at the national level.
Angela Davis was one of the first intellectuals to theorize the concept of intersectionality in her book 'Women, Race & Class' (1981), demonstrating how racism, sexism, and capitalism mutually reinforce one another. This concept would go on to become foundational in feminist studies worldwide.
Primary Sources
I was a Communist, and I was proud of it. For me, this was not merely an intellectual exercise but a commitment to struggle alongside the most exploited people of our society.
You have to be the vanguard, the leadership of this struggle. The masses are waiting, Angela. The revolution needs people like you who can think and act at the same time.
The demand for the right to vote was not an end in itself but rather a means toward the larger goal of achieving economic and social equality for Black women and men alike.
I am innocent of all charges brought against me. This trial is a political persecution designed to silence those who fight for the liberation of Black people and all oppressed people in this country.
The prison industrial complex is not a conspiracy to keep Black people enslaved. It is the predictable result of a set of social and economic priorities, none of which include the well-being of poor communities of color.
Key Places
Angela Davis's hometown, nicknamed 'Bombingham' due to the numerous bombings targeting the Black community. It was here that she grew up under segregation and where four of her friends were killed in the 1963 church bombing.
Angela Davis taught philosophy here in 1969 before being fired under pressure from Governor Reagan due to her membership in the Communist Party. Her case became a symbol of academic repression.
Angela Davis was held here for sixteen months between 1970 and 1972 while awaiting trial. Her detention conditions sparked an unprecedented wave of international solidarity.
It was in this courthouse that Angela Davis was tried and acquitted of all charges in June 1972. The verdict was celebrated as a victory by civil rights movements around the world.
Angela Davis studied philosophy here under Herbert Marcuse and Theodor Adorno in the 1960s. This training in Critical Theory profoundly shaped her political and philosophical thinking.
Typical Objects
The raised fist is the Black Power symbol adopted by Angela Davis and the civil rights movement. She displays it during her speeches and on solidarity posters distributed worldwide during her imprisonment.
Angela Davis's Afro hairstyle became a major political symbol of Black pride and resistance. Her image with this hairstyle is one of the most reproduced icons of the American civil rights movement.
Angela Davis studied Marxist philosophy in Paris and Frankfurt under Herbert Marcuse. Marxist texts form the theoretical foundation of her political commitment and her analysis of racial capitalism.
An exceptional orator, Angela Davis delivered speeches at universities, demonstrations, and international conferences from the 1960s onward. Her voice and eloquence are central tools of her activism.
During her detention, Angela Davis maintained an intense correspondence, notably with George Jackson. These letters bear witness to her political thinking and to the solidarity among political prisoners.
The FBI compiled an extensive file on Angela Davis from the 1960s as part of its COINTELPRO program to surveil Black activists. This file illustrates state repression against the civil rights movement.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Tags
Daily Life
Morning
Angela Davis rises early and begins her day by reading newspapers and philosophical texts — a habit carried over from her years of study in Paris and Frankfurt. A disciplined activist, she dedicates the first hours of the day to writing articles, speeches, or correspondence with fellow organizers.
Afternoon
Her afternoons are divided between the courses she teaches at the university — philosophy, feminism, African American studies — and meetings with activist organizations such as the Black Panther Party or the Committee to Free Political Prisoners. She prepares her public appearances with great care.
Evening
Evenings are often taken up by political rallies, lectures, or solidarity gatherings. In her private circle, she enjoys jazz and soul music, African American art, and long theoretical discussions with intellectuals and fellow activists.
Food
Growing up in a Black middle-class family in the South, Angela Davis was raised on traditional African American cuisine — collard greens, cornbread, black-eyed peas. As her critical thinking broadened globally, she gradually adopted a more conscious approach to food, attentive to questions of food justice.
Clothing
Angela Davis embraces a style of dress that affirms her Black identity and political commitment: simple, practical clothing for demonstrations, yet polished outfits for her classes and public appearances. Her full, carefully maintained Afro is itself a deliberate political statement.
Housing
During the 1960s and 70s, Angela Davis lived in modest apartments in Los Angeles, shared with fellow activists. After her acquittal, she settled in Northern California, in functional living spaces that reflected her activist priorities rather than material comfort.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Visual Style
Style documentaire en noir et blanc à fort contraste, inspiré de la photographie militante des années 1960-70, avec des accents de rouge et de noir issus de l'esthétique des affiches du mouvement Black Power.
Sound Ambience
L'univers sonore d'Angela Davis mêle les chants de manifestants, les discours amplifiés par des mégaphones et la soul music de l'Amérique noire des années 1960-1970.
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Angela Davis: An Autobiography
1974
Women, Race & Class
1981
Women, Culture & Politics
1989
Are Prisons Obsolete?
2003
Abolition Democracy
2005
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
2015
