Angela Davis is an African American women is an activist and writer who was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She lived with her mother and father, Sallye and Frank. Frank owned a service station while Sallye taught elementary school. She advocates for gender equity, prison reforms, and alliances across color lines. She grew up in a neighborhood that was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in which provoked her to fight so hard. After moving out of her hometown, she attended Brandeis University and then onto graduate school at University of California, San Diego where she eventually was able to teach. However, throughout her time at the university she had participated in many groups such as the Black Panthers. The school had gotten ahold of this information and fired her. In addition to participating in these groups, she was a strong supporter of the Soledad Brothers. These three men were inmates and were accused of murdering a prison guard after many other African American inmates were killed. Davis and many others had thought that they were being blamed due to political issues within the prison. During trial in August of 1970, there was efforts for the Soledad Brothers to escape. In this plan, there ended up being deaths of many innocent people. In Davis’ involvements, she was sentenced to prison for two reasons: the guns were registered in her name and she was claimed to be in love with one of the men. She spent about 18 months in jail but was then released. Upon release, Davis began traveling and lecturing around the world and then returned back to teaching. Recently, she has spoken at the 2017 Women’s March and became co-chair member. Throughout all of her journeys she was writing. Some of her books include Angela Davis: An Autobiography (1974), Women, Race, and Class (1980), Women, Culture and Politics(1989), Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003), Abolition Democracy (2005), and The Meaning of Freedom (2012).
Davis and Hallward have a very similar reason to drive for social change. Both of these women have been through hardships in their lives. With Hallward’s father having dementia and Davis growing up in a community where she was looked down on based on her color and experience much violence in her everyday life. They both began fighting for change because of what they have been through and what they have seen others go through in which makes them that much more passionate about what they do. A similar strategy that they use is sharing their stories. Through sharing their stories, they both hoped to benefit others. In Davis situation, it provided everyone a reason to fight with her with first hand stories of real life experiences of the discrimination of the oppressed. With Hallward, sharing her stories meant showing others not to have shame in being different and to show how talking to someone will heal you. Both of these women are very courageous in their fights and it is inspiring to see the changes that they have and will make in today’s society.
Hey Emily! When I was researching Angela Davis I found a lot of similar things that you did. I thought it was super crazy how she was a part of so many campaigns when she was young and made such a different like many other huge figures in the black community. I wonder what it was like to be in the courtroom when the attempt break out occured. I think Angela Davis’s story is very powerful in many ways and speaks to a lot of people that want to stand up for what they believe in. In Hallward’s Ted Talk she speaks about the power of sharing stories and how people hope that “someone else could benefit from my struggle”. I think many people did benefit from Angela’s struggle and story. Your research is spot on!