ain’t i a woman by bell hooks is a foundational feminist text that grapples with the history of racism and sexism in the U.S. from colonial times up through the first wave (white) feminist movement. It’s essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our current landscape.

hooks dissects the multiple types of oppression at play for Black women throughout American history and the ways in which white men used sexism to align with Black men and white women used racism to align with white men, ultimately keeping the racist, capitalist, patriarchal power structure in the U.S. at play through the years.

I really really wish this book were still in print because I could not find a new physical copy to buy anywhere and the ebook at my library had a multiple-month hold…so I ended up listening to this. The message is good, solid, I just personally need to read nonfiction with my eyes when possible because I like to highlight and review passages. 

If you have read hooks’ other works, be ready for a denser academic text with far more original sources in the form of quotes and speeches from historical figures than her “mass market” work. The writing is more complex and detailed than her “self help” books and that’s because this was her thesis. In the introduction, she actually talks about why her other books are written in a more straightforward and less academic manner, but if you’re looking for deeply researched feminist theory and history? This is the book.

👍🏻Recommended! This is a foundational feminist text for a reason. If you are interested in feminism, social justice and anti-racism, this is a must-read. 

⚠️⚠️⚠️CW: graphic descriptions of slavery, seggsual assault, t0rture, racism, racial slurs. This is not light content. It is not censored or softened.