Voices That Changed Everything: 10 Black Women Writers In Feminism

Across decades, these 10 Black women transformed literature into a powerful force for justice. Their influence reaches far beyond the page, shaping thought, policy, and culture. Each name carries weight for a reason—take a closer look at the women behind the words.

Audre Lorde Challenged Silence In Feminism

Her groundbreaking essay “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master’s House” remains a defining text in Black feminist critique. Audre Lorde called herself a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” and boldly merged Black identity, lesbianism, and feminism in her work. She also co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press with Barbara Smith.

Bell hooks Redefined Feminist Theory For All

Decades before intersectionality became a buzzword, bell hooks placed it at the heart of her writing. Her 1981 book “Ain’t I A Woman?” is still considered essential to Black feminist literature. She intentionally styled her name in lowercase to shift attention to her ideas and went on to publish more than 30 influential books on feminism and race.

Angela Davis Linked Feminism And Prison Abolition

In “Women, Race, & Class”, Angela Davis exposed how mainstream feminism overlooked race and class. Her work helped build the foundation for a more inclusive and intersectional movement. Once on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, she later taught around the world, including at UCLA and in Germany.

Toni Morrison Centered Black Women In Literary Canon

Through acclaimed novels like “Beloved and The Bluest Eye”, Toni Morrison redefined how American literature saw Black womanhood. She shattered glass ceilings at Random House by championing essential Black authors and made history as the first Black woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.

Alice Walker Gave Us Womanism

By coining the term “womanist,” Alice Walker offered a powerful alternative to mainstream feminism that celebrated Black women’s experiences. Her famous novel “The Color Purple” won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. She has also long been active in anti-apartheid and global women’s movements.

Barbara Smith Amplified Black Lesbian Feminism

Through the Combahee River Collective, Barbara Smith helped introduce intersectionality into feminist theory. She later launched Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press in 1980 and published “Home Girls”, a landmark in queer Black feminism. Smith also brought her activism into politics, shaping policy through public service.

June Jordan Bridged Poetry With Political Power

June Jordan wove Black, feminist, and bisexual identity into over 25 books that reshaped American poetry. She taught at UC Berkeley and launched one of the first Black poetry programs in the country. Her essay “Nobody Mean More to Me Than You” boldly critiqued the politics of standard English.

Patricia Hill Collins Defined Intersectional Knowledge

“Black Feminist Thought” by Patricia Hill Collins remains essential in feminist academia. As the first African American president of the American Sociological Association, she championed standpoint epistemology and built critical links between scholarly work and everyday Black women’s activism.

Kimberle Crenshaw Coined Intersectionality

The term “intersectionality” first appeared in Kimberle Crenshaw’s 1989 paper on legal discrimination, forever changing feminist and civil rights frameworks. She later founded the African American Policy Forum and delivered a TED Talk that brought her ideas to a global audience.

Zora Neale Hurston Documented Black Womanhood In Folklore

Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God broke new ground by telling a story centered on the freedom and strength of Black women. A trained anthropologist and folklorist, she studied under Franz Boas and preserved Black Southern oral traditions. Her legacy was revived in the 1970s by Alice Walker.