Davis

Introduction

  • Title: Women, Race & Class
  • Author: Angela Y. Davis
  • Vintage Books, first edition in February 1983 (original publication in 1981)

Acknowledgments

  • The author thanks several individuals for their contributions:
    • Kendra Alexander
    • Stephanie Allen
    • Rosalyn Baxandall
    • Hilton Braithwaite
    • Alva Buxenbaum
    • Fania Davis
    • Kipp Harvey
    • James Jackson
    • Phillip McGee (Dean of the School of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University)
    • Sally McGee
    • Victoria Mercado
    • Charlene Mitchell
    • Toni Morrison
    • Eileen Ahearn
    • Women’s Studies Program of San Francisco State University

Key Themes and Concepts

Rape, Racism, and the Myth of the Black Rapist

  • Social Deterioration and Rape

    • Rape is recognized as one of the fastest-growing violent crimes in the U.S.
    • It emerges as a dysfunction of capitalist society.
    • Many women have disclosed their experiences due to growing public concern.
    • A significant number can claim to have faced sexual assault.

  • Historical Context of Rape Laws

    • Rape laws were initially designed to protect upper-class men's daughters and wives.
    • There is little concern in courts for working-class women, leading to few prosecutions of white men for sexual violence.
    • Over 90% of men executed for rape convictions between 1930 and 1967 were Black (i.e., 405 out of 455).

  • Impact of Racism on Accusations

    • The concept of the Black rapist serves as a justification for violence against the Black community.
    • Black women's absence in anti-rape movements may stem from the movement’s indifference to the misuse of rape charges against Black men.

  • Narratives of Police Brutality

    • Black women have often suffered additional abuse from law enforcement, including accusations of rape.
    • Example: In 1974, a Black woman was gang-raped by police in Chicago, barely causing outrage.

  • Historically Abused Black Women

    • The anti-rape movement had, until recently, inadequately addressed the unique challenges faced by Black women.
    • Black women, while facing oppression, often defended their men against unjust accusations.

  • Joann Little's Trial

    • Joann Little, a Black woman accused of murdering a guard who raped her, became an important figure in demonstrating the intersections of racism and gender violence.
    • Her trial garnered support from the Black community and young feminist movements, highlighting Black women's role in challenging systemic oppression.

Historical Victimization and Public Perception

  • Institutionalized Rape and Slavery

    • The sexual abuse of Black women was normalized during slavery.
    • Sexual coercion by slaveowners exemplified their perceived property rights over Black bodies.

  • Post-Civil War Racial Terror

    • Post-Civil War lynchings used sexual violence against Black women as a method of political intimidation.
    • The history of lynchings provides context for understanding the prevalent rape myths.

  • Lynching Statistics

    • Between 1865 and 1895, over ten thousand lynchings occurred, predominantly unjustified.
    • Only a fraction centered on actual accusations of rape, with many victims accused of trivial offenses.

The Myth of the Black Rapist

  • Sociopolitical Invention

    • The label of Black rapist functioned as an excuse for lynching and racial oppression.
    • Prominent Black leaders, including Frederick Douglass, challenged the myths surrounding Black men's sexuality.

  • Racist Ideological Legacy

    • Racially charged narratives regarding Black men persist, often manipulated by systemic racism.
    • These narratives reemerge with figures like Susan Brownmiller and Jean MacKellar perpetuating stereotypes.

Feminism and Race

  • Criticisms of Feminist Literature

    • Authors like Brownmiller and Russell accused of reinforcing prejudiced views on race and sexism.
    • Encouragement of victim-blaming within these feminist writings legitimizes existing racial inequalities.

  • Integration of Anti-Rape and Anti-Racism Movements

    • The necessity for coalitions among anti-rape and anti-racist activists for mutual empowerment.
    • Black women's activism against lynching and rape reflects a long tradition of intersectional feminist thought.

Contemporary Context

  • The Current Rape Epidemic

    • Today's rise in violence against women parallels socioeconomic strategies of capitalism.
    • The resurgence of racist ideologies recalls past legacies of oppression and violence.

  • Call to Action

    • Addressing racism as intrinsic to the anti-rape movement’s goals.
    • The need for a broader narrative that acknowledges the structural factors contributing to violence against women, particularly women of color.
    • Recognizing the link between racist violence and the broader economic circumstances facing marginalized communities.