For this examination of successful black women in higher education, Roxana Walker-Canton interviewed administrators and professors in the fields of history, sociology, African-American studies, religious studies, performance, and dance. Although most of their parents had little formal education, all describe how their childhoods were shaped by a strong emphasis on education as the key to success. The women talk about how they changed socially and became politically aware as undergraduates and grad students, noting that some of their colleagues have looked askance at their pursuit of a career in the humanities, harboring a racist assumption that African-Americans lack intellectual rigor. Dr. Allison Dorsey (Swarthmore) talks about gender expectations—to “kowtow to the boys” and act as students' mother/counselor—while Dr. Farah Griffin (Columbia) finds that the study of black women is itself undervalued in this supposedly “post-racial, post-feminist” era. The interviewees express a sense of feeling overly obligated due to cultural expectations that they leave the institution better for the next person of color, and say that academia takes its toll on their health; they also speak of the power they have to address inequalities and provide educational opportunities for black students. Ultimately, despite the stress, the message is clear: these professionals love their work. Walker-Canton intersperses her interviews with video clips from classrooms (particularly from African dance sessions), as well as archival footage and stills evoking childhood and family life or highlighting social attitudes. Offering a frank and thoughtful look into a relatively isolated world, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Puffer-Rothenberg)
Living Thinkers: An Autobiography of Black Women in the Ivory Tower
(2013) 76 min. DVD: $89: public libraries; $395: colleges & universities. Women Make Movies. PPR. Volume 30, Issue 2
Living Thinkers: An Autobiography of Black Women in the Ivory Tower
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