HistoryExtra podcast Black women and the fight for human rights
14 snips
Sep 11, 2025 
Keisha N Blain, a Professor of Africana Studies and History at Brown University, dives into the crucial but often overlooked role of Black women in the human rights movement. She discusses transformative figures like Kadi Diallo and their personal journeys to advocacy following tragedy. The podcast highlights the vital contributions of the Black press in amplifying women's voices and the intersection of racism and sexism in activism. Blain also connects historical struggles to contemporary movements, illustrating the enduring legacy of figures like Fannie Lou Hamer.
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Multiple Barriers Shaped Activism
- Black women activists faced racism, sexism and class constraints simultaneously.
- These intersecting barriers shaped both their strategies and political positions.
Solidarity Worked But Was Fraught
- Collaborations with both Black men and white women occurred but often contained tensions and exclusions.
- Partnerships required mutual respect and shared visions to succeed.
State Response Depended On Politics
- Responses from the political establishment varied by activist and politics.
- Mainstream figures could access formal spaces while radicals faced surveillance and repression.
