Book Review: Angela Davis, An Autobiography
A story about a well known woman, an activist, a speaker, a scholar. The things that we know about Angela Davis are quite clear. In her autobiography she gives us a glimpse of her personal struggle within the struggle. The constant balancing of organizing and activism and her scholarly pursuits are outlined with such meticulous detail in a story that also chronicles the history of the black power movement that blossomed in California and across the United States. Readers are gifted with an inside look at the famous Angela Davis, her intimate thoughts about the movement, her fellow leaders of the movement and the regular struggles they faced in planning, deciding and acting in their capacities as activists and community organizers. We get an inside look at her growth in the movement, from an activist scholar herself fighting on behalf of the Soledad Brothers, to a political prisoner herself being charged with kidnapping, murder and conspiracy in 1970.
She shares with us early on in this work that she did not think she had lived enough to write an autobiography, it is clear that the text lends itself as a chronological work of the Black Liberation movement and all its iterations. Davis shares with us the internal dynamics of the organizations she was affiliated with, and helped to lead, manage and ultimately grow. The themes of racism, classism and colorism are apparent throughout, as well as love, brotherhood, sisterhood, and black power. In many instances the young activists in her story found themselves working in direct response to countless incidents of police brutality and murder, and because of that they also found themselves at odds with government and the ever growing police forces in this country. They were not only seen as black radicals but as a threat to our government, simply for wanting black people to be safe, free and treated with respect and dignity.
Like many of my books, this one sat on the shelves for some time before I had adequate enough time and mental capacity to read, but once I began I finished it quickly, stuck to the pages. I felt happy, sad, mad, enraged, seen, and in love while engrossed in the pages of Davis’ autobiography. This book tells our story through the eyes of one of us, a black woman from the South, who knew too well the ills of racism and white supremacy. Who grew up in the same neighborhood as the four little black girls killed in the Birmingham Church bombing. A black girl who was reflective, critical and astute in her thinking and went on to become a Communist, a scholar and a deep thinker. It hits close to home to read about her experience as a no nonsense activist who wanted to get the work done, while having to balance the needs and the state of her community.
We get to learn from Davis that sexism and male chauvinism dominated the black activist culture then, as it does today. That, and the fact that she has always been, and still is, an intellectual inspires me to continue on my journey of using my mind, along with taking action and engaging in disobedience, are all ingredients in the recipes for black liberation in the United States.
This book should be read by all activists who have yet to read it, but especially those looking to dismantle sexism, racism, classism, capitalism; those that believe that we all deserve to be free, safe, respected, and valued. This book should also be read by young, and grown, black girls and women as it was written by one of us and will forever be in the canon that is our lived experience, and our shared story.