Scholars, journalists and political leaders in the Black community will come together to celebrate the life and legacy of bells hooks during the second annual bells hooks Symposium on Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.
The event will take place at the Green Street Friends School in Philadelphia and is sponsored by Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, a Philadelphia based café founded by former CNN political commentator, Marc Lamont Hill.
Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, writer Kiese Laymon, Rutgers University professor Brittney Cooper and several other leading intellectual voices will sit on a panel moderated by Hill, to discuss hooks’ impact as a scholar, teacher and mentor in the literary world.
“Powered by thoughtful critique and deep love, the wide-ranging discussion will include topics such as Black feminism, radical politics, critical education, spirituality, masculinity, and love,” according to the event flier posted on Uncle Bobbie’s Instagram page Aug. 28.
If you can’t make it to Philadelphia, the event will be livestreamed on Uncle Bobbie’s YouTube channel.
Who was bell hooks?
Born Sept. 25, 1952, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, hooks was a writer, cultural critic and scholar, who used feminism as a tool to challenge structural oppression and to promote Black female liberation. Her pen name, written in lowercase letters to shift the focus from her identity to her ideas, was derived from her great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks.
Growing up in the racially segregated South, hooks witnessed systemic oppression firsthand. Her experiences deeply shaped and informed her work and her unique voice as a literary giant.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University, hooks went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Her academic journey laid the groundwork for her exploration of themes related to race, gender, class and culture.
Unpacking feminism, intersectionality and the power of education.
The Kentucky native’s groundbreaking work in feminist theory introduced a more inclusive and intersectional approach to understanding gender dynamics. Her book, Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism published in 1981, challenged the predominantly white feminist movement, by addressing the unique struggles Black women have faced historically due to racism, classism and sexism. Through her unique framework of intersectionality, hooks illuminated how different forms of oppression have compounded and disrupted Black womanhood in America.
The star’s perspective on education was equally transformative. She believed that education should empower individuals to think critically, challenge conventional wisdom and seek social change. In 1994, hooks, who was dubbed the “Godmother of Radical Feminism,” published Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, in which she encouraged students to “transgress” against social, racial and sexual boundaries to achieve the ultimate goal– freedom.
Her unique teaching approach empowered educators to reshape their teaching methods in order to create a more equitable and participatory environment for students of all races and cultural backgrounds. Beyond writing, hooks implemented some of her inclusive educational practices inside her own classes. As a distinguished professor in residence at Berea College, she mentored students and founded the bell hooks institute, a place where historically underrepresented students could learn more about feminism and its power as a tool of liberation and unity.
A collection of hooks’ art, personal artifacts, essays and copies of her books are housed at the legendary facility. The late scholar also taught at Yale University as an assistant professor of African American Studies and at Oberlin College as an associate professor of English among other higher education institutions.
In 2022, Uncle Bobbie’s launched their inaugural symposium event in honor of hooks at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown FUMCOG in Philadelphia. The incredible event featured dynamic panels in honor of hooks’ literary work along with guest appearances from esteemed columnist Imani Perry, professor and author Christopher Emdin, and several other leading voices from the world of education and writing.
Check out last year’s symposium below.
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