Reading List #12 (Patreon)

1) From Prison to PhD: The Redemption and Rejection of Michelle Jones (Eli Hager) 9/13/17 

This American history scholar killed her own son. She's now enrolled at NYU to get her PhD. A fascinating, and also tragic story. 

Read Length: Medium

2. ‘ The Only Position For Women in SNCC is Prone": Stokely Carmichael and the Perceived Patriarchy of Civil Rights Organisations in America (Sabina Peck)

This excellent piece discusses sexism within the SNCC. If you don't know what prone means, it means laying flat face down. 

Read Length: Medium

3. King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa (Adam Hochschild) 1998

It reads like an adventure novel, seriously. In this book you'll learn about the terrible trauma inflicted on African (namely Congolese) people by Belgium at the hands of the greedy King Leopold II.

Read Length: Long

4. Containing "Perversion" : African Americans and Same Sex Desires in Cold War Los Angeles ( Kevin Allen Leonard)

Using black newspapers from the area, Mr. Leonard discusses how black Californians viewed queer activity, particularly drag balls. I stumbled across this piece while researching for a post I'm releasing later this week on the history of drag balls.

Read Length: Long 

5. The Politics of Talk: The "Oprah" Interview As Narrative (Sarah Henstra) Spring 2008

Last week, people discussed the notion of making Oprah president. This article unpacks how Oprah has made herself a [somewhat narcissistic] cultural icon, and how she changed talk show culture. 

Read Length: Long

6. Addicted Mothers: Substance Abusers or Child Abusers? (Livia Gershon) 9/28/16

Apparently, white women are doing more harm to their babies than "black crack mothers" ever could. 

Read Length: Short

7. Sex and The Supermarket (Erin Blakemoore) 1/3/18

Much like actual grocery stores, the history of grocery stores excites me. In this piece, you'll learn how the supermarket and American ideas of womanhood intertwine. 

Read Length: Medium

8. When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America (Paula Giddings) 1982

While working on an upcoming post, I decided to re-read this classic. In this thorough volume you'll learn everything worthwhile about the history of black women and feminism in America. 

Read Length: Long