Creator: Marisol Fila
Duration: 2 class periods
Published: Summer 2021
Overview
In this lesson, students will draw from the analysis of primary and secondary sources to discuss the unique features of Black feminisms. Students will analyze and discuss interviews with Black feminist women from four different countries in connection with secondary sources. Students will be able to identify common understandings among them, the relation between personal and political identities in Black feminisms, and shared elements with mainstream or dominant feminisms.
Keywords: Race, Class, Gender, Identity, African Diaspora, Intersectionality
Country sites: Brazil, Nicaragua, Germany, USA
Learning Objectives
- Use prior knowledge to conceptualize the topic of Black feminisms
- Analyze primary and secondary sources to identify common understandings and differences among Black feminists
- Summarize findings to identify the unique features of Black feminisms.
- Identify shared elements with mainstream or dominant feminisms.
- Develop reasoning abilities and recognize causal relationships by reflecting on how one’s own thinking has changed through the study of the topic.
Resources
Activities
Activity One: Black Feminisms in their Own Voices This first activity aims to introduce students to the topic of Black feminisms, based on their previous knowledge and the information provided in the interviews. The students begin by creating a concept map of what the idea of Black feminisms means to them, then move to analyze (via guiding questions) the topic as it is discussed in the primary sources. Duration: 50 minutes | Download Materials |
Activity Two: Connecting Primary and Secondary Sources This second activity builds on the work completed in Activity 1 with the interviews. For this activity, the students read excerpts from the essay “Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” by Audre Lorde (1980), in preparation for the class. In class, the students begin by discussing the essay, then consider the connections between the essay and the interviews they worked with. The activity ends by reflecting on the unique features of Black feminist thought, along with the elements that it shares with mainstream or dominant feminisms. Duration: 50 minutes | Download Materials |
Assessment: I used to think…Now I think… The thinking routine I used to think…Now I think… aims to help students to reflect on their thinking about the topic of Black feminisms, and explore how and why that thinking has changed with the analysis of primary and secondary sources. It asks students to write a short essay to identify new understandings and opinions on the topic. The assessment seeks to foster students’ reasoning abilities and recognition of causal relationships. Optionally, there can be a whole class follow up on the assignment once completed. | Download Materials |
