Angela Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Angela Davis
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Davis in 2014
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Angela Yvonne Davis
January 26, 1944 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
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Notable work
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Hilton Braithwaite
(m. 1980; div. 1983) |
| Partner(s) | Gina Dent |
| Awards | Lenin Peace Prize |
| Era | 20th century philosophy 21st century philosophy |
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| Doctoral advisor | Herbert Marcuse |
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Main interests
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Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American activist, writer, and professor. She is known for her work on social justice, especially about prisons and civil rights. Davis has taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She was a member of the Communist Party USA and helped start the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism.
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Early Life and Influences
Angela Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in a neighborhood known as "Dynamite Hill" because of attacks against Black families. Her mother, Sallye Bell Davis, was an important organizer for the Southern Negro Youth Congress. This group worked to bring African Americans together and fight for fair treatment.
Davis was surrounded by people who believed in social change. These thinkers greatly shaped her ideas from a young age. When she was in high school, she joined a program that helped Black students from the South attend integrated schools in the North. She chose Elisabeth Irwin High School in Greenwich Village, New York. There, she became involved with a youth group focused on social issues.
Education and Early Activism
Davis earned a scholarship to Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. She was one of only three Black students in her class. During her studies, she became interested in the ideas of philosopher Herbert Marcuse. She graduated with honors in 1965.
After Brandeis, she went to the University of Frankfurt in Germany for graduate studies in philosophy. She lived with roommates who were active in student movements. Davis took part in some of their actions.
When she returned to the United States, she earned a master's degree from the University of California, San Diego, in 1968. She became interested in groups like the Black Panther Party. She also joined an all-Black branch of the Communist Party USA.
Academic Career and Challenges
In 1969, Angela Davis became an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). However, the university's governing board soon tried to fire her. This was because she was a member of the Communist Party USA.
A court ruled that the firing was not legal. But the university later fired her again. This time, it was because they said she used strong language, especially when talking about police officers.
Legal Challenges and Public Support
Angela Davis supported a group of inmates known as the Soledad Brothers. One of these inmates was George Jackson. His younger brother, Jonathan Jackson, was a 17-year-old student whom Davis knew.
In August 1970, Jonathan Jackson went to a courtroom in Marin County with weapons. He wanted to try and free the Soledad Brothers. During an attempt to leave with hostages, a shootout happened. Several people died, including the judge. Some of the weapons used were traced back to Angela Davis.
After this event, Davis went into hiding. The FBI began searching for her. She was placed on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list. In October 1970, FBI agents found and arrested her in New York City.
She was put on trial for serious charges. Her lawyers worked to show that eyewitness accounts might not be reliable. On June 4, 1972, Angela Davis was found not guilty. This verdict was a big moment for her supporters.
Global Recognition and Activism
After being found not guilty, Angela Davis started speaking to large crowds. She traveled to Cuba, where she had been welcomed by Fidel Castro before. She spoke about how fighting racism could be more successful in a socialist society.
In 1972, she was invited to the Soviet Union. She received an honorary degree from Moscow State University. She also got financial support from the Soviet Union. She visited East Germany and spoke about racism and her support for the Berlin Wall.
In 1979, she received the Lenin Peace Prize from the Soviet Union. She went to Moscow to accept the award.
Later Academic and Political Work
Angela Davis continued her career as a lecturer and professor. She taught at several universities, including the Claremont Colleges, San Francisco State University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
She also remained active in politics. She ran for Vice President of the United States twice, in 1980 and 1984. She was the running mate for Gus Hall, representing the Communist Party USA. In 1991, she left the Communist Party and helped start the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism.
Davis has strong opinions about the United States prison system. She calls it the "prison–industrial complex." She believes that prisons in America are not the best way to deal with crime. She thinks they are like a modern form of slavery.
She has written many books and given many interviews. She often speaks at universities and other events. She shares her views on topics like the war on terror, capitalism, and the criminal justice system.
Angela Davis Quotes
- "When one commits oneself to the struggle, it must be for a lifetime."'
- "The work of the activist is not to fight for a single issue or a single cause but to pursue a political vision which will transform all issues and causes."
- "The longer prisons exist, the harder it becomes to imagine life without them."
Interesting Facts About Angela Davis
- Davis spent her childhood surrounded by communist organizers and thinkers who greatly influenced her ideas.
- She traveled Europe during her college years.
- Davis gained the attention of the FBI by attending a communist-sponsored festival in Helsinki.
- She was a member of the Black Panther Party.
- Davis went into hiding before being arrested.
- She was the third woman to appear on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
- Davis was given honorary degrees by the Karl Marx University of Leipzig, Moscow State University, the University of Tashkent, and Dalhousie University.
- In 2018, a cotton shirt with Angela’s face was featured in Prada’s collection of the year.
- In 2020, she was included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
See Also
In Spanish: Angela Davis para niños
- Africana philosophy
- Billy Strachan, headed the London branch of the Angela Davis Defence Committee
