“Our stories, our voices, our lives are too often disregarded, marginalised, and left on the cutting floors of films, the editing screens of books, while archivists have ignored us.”
So Irma McClaurin, a black feminist activist, anthropologist, poet and professor is on an attempt to give voice for black women.
Ms. McClaurin, who initiated a ‘black feminist archive’, says it will be game-changer by preserving and showcasing the intellectual and activist contributions of black feminists for eternity.
Black Feminism
Black Feminism is a school of thought that states that sexism, class oppression, gender identity, and racism are inseparable.
“I want the archive to be of ordinary women. The history of black women as slaves did not get archived. Other people came in and looked at superficial things and put words into their mouths. The archive offers activists a chance to determine their own legacy,” said Ms. McClaurin, a Fulbright Scholar, who was here as part of an exchange programme.
“The profound contributions to scholarships and activism made by black feminists are seldom seen in the archives. So a record of their achievements remains under-recognised and under-appreciated. So our attempt is to address the gap in archival representations,” says Ms. McClaurin, a specialist in gender studies.
“The black feminist archive is an opportunity for us to be curators of our own history,” she said.
A native of Chicago and first-generation college graduate, she served as president of Shaw University, founding executive director of the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach – Engagement Centre, and Mott Distinguished Chair of Women’s Studies at the Bennet College for Women.
Parallels with Dalits
Drawing similarities with conditions of Dalits in India and people of colour in the USA, she says, “The feminist movement was seldom able to address the specific problem of women of colour, who are denied all social privileges. White supremacy has been existing despite how educated or knowledgeable the people of colour are”.
“We have been discriminated at every stage from education, jobs, and other privileges in society. Though our children go to the same school of whites, they face discrimination and harassment. White people constitute the majority of teaching community. White parents do not like their children taught by black teachers. Culture takes time to change,” she said.
“We hardly get representation in decent jobs. Even when you reach the high level, the system will not support. You have to work harder than white colleagues. You have to be aware that you will never get a second chance,” says Ms. McClaurin, who served as a programme officer.
She has authored many books, including Black Feminist Anthropology and Women of Belize; Gender and Change in Central America .
