Product Description

When and Where I Enter is an eloquent testimonial to the profound influence of African-American women on race and women's movements throughout American history. Drawing on speeches, diaries, letters, and other original documents, Paula Giddings powerfully portrays how black women have transcended racist and sexist attitudes--often confronting white feminists and black male leaders alike--to initiate social and political reform. From the open disregard for the rights of slave women to examples of today's more covert racism and sexism in civil rights and women'sorganizations, Giddings illuminates the black woman's crusade for equality. In the process, she paints unforgettable portraits of black female leaders, such as anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells, educator and FDR adviser Mary McLeod Bethune, and the heroic civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, among others, who fought both overt and institutionalized oppression.

When and Where I Enter reveals the immense moral power black women possessed and sought to wield throughout their history--the same power that prompted Anna Julia Cooper in 1892 to tell a group of black clergymen, "Only the black woman can say 'when and where I enter, in the quiet, undisputed dignity of my womanhood, without violence and without suing or special patronage, then and there the whole . . . race enters with me.'"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46892 in Books
• Published on: 1996-08-16
• Released on: 1996-08-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Review
"A jarringly fresh interpretation . . . a labor of commitment and love" -- -- The New York Times Book Review

"History at its best--clear, intelligent, moving. Paula Giddings has written a book as priceless as its subject." -- -- Toni Morrison

"The best interpretation of black women and race and sex that we have" -- -- Women's Review of Books

Review
"The first historical study of the relationship in America between racism and sex." (Kirkus Reviews )

"A triumphant study." (Publishers Weekly )

"The best interpretation of black women and race and sex that we have" (Women's Review of Books )

About the Author
Paula Giddings, a graduate of Howard University, is the author of When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America. She has worked as an editor for Random House and Howard University Press, as Paris bureau chief of Encore American and Worldwide News, and has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines.

Customer Reviews

The Real and Gripping History of Black Women in America
This is the book for you if you are interested in history and especially the history of Black Women in America. The author factually grabs hold of you and guides you through the lifes of black women in this country. Their beliefs, struggles and the way they have affected everything from end of slavery to women's and civil rights movements, and from family and society dynamics to everyday racism. You will read about the more widely known Fannie Lou Hamer's persistent work during the 60's civil rights movement to the relatively unknown Ida Wells and her fight to stop lynchings around the country a century ago. This is a book that will touch you as a woman and as a human being.

This is a must read
This is a wonderful book about the impact of segment of our population that has been perceived as powerless. The novel-type reading of historical, sociological and societal events is truly a gift of this author. She portrays women of conviction, strenght and strong values in a moving, engaging manner.

Wonderful
This was a wonderful book. Filled with wonderful black women.
Not only is this a scholastic masterpiece which you could surely tell by the bibliography and source notes, it creates black women in a light you have never seen them in. One of strength, intellect, and dignity.
This book should be read in black history classes as well as feminist courses, which both often times lack black women. Who as you read were the first feminist just not always as mainstream as there white contemporaries.Forging the way for both feminist and Racial equality. I loved this book it was an answer to everyone who every said "black women should not have joined in the feminist movement". It shows the reactions from both black men and white women which was pretty interesting.
I love the fact that not so known women were brought up, and the education background and lives were brought to life some of these women I had never heard of before until I decided to pick this book up.
It also discuss the deterorating black family and interaccial dating.A problem that is not only common today but was common back then as well. With only 357 pages of literary work I wonder how so much information was packed inside. I also thought it was interesting how black women viewed feminism or rather what black women wanted out of feminism or women equality as opposed to the mainstream feminist as Paula brought out there agendas between black feminist and white feminist were not always the same,and how we view feminist and feminism today.
I think Paula did a wonderful job with this book not only was it very informative, there was few to no biases in it. It did not seem like Paula had an agenda with writing this book.
I took a point of because the book can sometimes be distracting while Paula shows you how the women knew each other and how there lives interlapped it sometimes was confusing.I expect no less from a book with as much information inside as this one. Nothing some rereading will not fix.
I cannot express how good and informative this book is.