Akasha Gloria Hull facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Akasha Gloria Hull
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| Born |
Gloria Theresa Thompson
December 6, 1944 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | Southern University (BA) Purdue University (MA, PhD) |
| Occupation | Poet, educator, writer and critic |
| Spouse(s) |
Prentice Roy Hull
(m. 1966–1984) |
| Children | 1 |
Akasha Gloria Hull (born December 6, 1944) is an American poet, teacher, and writer. She is a very important figure in African-American studies and Women's studies. Her work helped create a new field of study called Black Women's Studies. This new field made sure that the experiences and stories of Black women were included in history and literature.
Hull has taught literature and women's studies at several universities, including the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Delaware. She has written many books, articles, and poems. Her work has helped people better understand feminism and African-American culture.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gloria Theresa Thompson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her father was a carpenter, and her mother worked as a maid and cook. From a young age, she was a brilliant student. She graduated first in her class from Booker T. Washington High School.
She then went to Southern University and graduated with the highest honors. During this time, she was active in her community. She was the secretary for her local chapter of the NAACP, an organization that fights for civil rights. She later attended Purdue University, where she earned her master's degree and Ph.D. in English Literature.
A Groundbreaking Career
Hull began her teaching career in 1971 at the University of Delaware. She became a full professor there in 1986. Her work focused on sharing the stories and voices of Black women, which were often overlooked.
Creating Black Women's Studies
In the 1970s, Hull joined the Combahee River Collective, a group of Black feminist writers and activists in Boston. This group inspired her to focus on the unique experiences of Black women.
At the time, Women's Studies often focused on white women, and Black Studies often focused on Black men. Black women's stories were not being fully told. To fix this, Hull co-edited a very important book in 1982 called All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave: Black Women's Studies. This book became a classic and helped establish Black Women's Studies as a respected field.
Highlighting Forgotten Writers
Hull also brought attention to forgotten writers. In 1986, she published the diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson, a talented poet and journalist. Before Hull's book, Dunbar-Nelson was mostly known only as the wife of the famous poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Hull's work showed how important Dunbar-Nelson was on her own.
Her 1987 book, Color, ..., and Poetry: Three Women Writers of the Harlem Renaissance, explored the lives and work of women writers from that important cultural era. Her research uncovered new details about the writers' lives and relationships.
In 1988, Hull began teaching at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Writing and Poetry
Akasha Hull is also a gifted poet. Her poems have appeared in many magazines and collections. Her 1989 poetry book, Healing Heart: Poems 1973–1988, was praised for its powerful and vivid voice.
In 2001, she published Soul Talk: The New Spirituality of African-American Women. The book explores how many African-American women connect spirituality, creativity, and social change in their lives.
After moving to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 2006, she began writing fiction. Her first novel, Neicy, was published in 2012.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout her career, Hull has given speeches at many universities and conferences. She has talked with other famous authors like Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Gwendolyn Brooks.
She has received many awards and fellowships from major organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Program, and the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1992, Purdue University gave her an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree. They honored her for her pioneering work in Black feminist studies.
Personal Life and Name Change
Hull has explored different spiritual paths throughout her life, including Christianity, Rastafari, and Buddhism. She has also traveled to many countries, which has influenced her writing.
In 1992, she legally changed her name from Gloria Theresa Thompson to Akasha Gloria Hull. "Akasha" is a word from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit that means "light" or "luminous."
Hull has one son, Adrian Prentice Hull.
Selected Publications
- 1982: (Co-editor) All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave: Black Women's Studies
- 1984: (Editor) Give Us Each Day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson
- 1987: Color, ..., and Poetry: Three Women Writers of the Harlem Renaissance
- 1989: Healing Heart, Poems 1973–1988
- 2001: Soul Talk: The New Spirituality of African-American Women
- 2012: Neicy: a novel
