Duchess Harris facts for kids

Duchess Harris is a well-known American professor, author, and legal expert. She works at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. There, she is a professor of American Studies. She focuses on topics like feminism, United States law, and African American political movements. She also teaches a course about Black Health at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Education and Early Life

Duchess Harris was born in Virginia. Her grandmother, Miriam D. Mann, was a mathematician who worked at NASA. When Duchess was 14, she received a special scholarship. This allowed her to attend Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut.

College and University Studies

Harris went to the University of Pennsylvania for her first degree. She was a Mellon Mays Fellow, which is a special scholarship. While in college, she was elected student body president. She was the first Black woman to hold this role at an Ivy League school. Her activism was even written about in a book. In 1991, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. She studied American history and Afro-American studies.

Later, in 1997, she earned her PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota. Her important research paper was nominated for an award. That same year, Ebony Magazine named her one of "Thirty Young Leaders of the Future."

Law School Journey

In 2007, Harris decided to go to law school. She attended Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She earned her law degree (J.D.) in 2011.

Career and Contributions

After her studies, Harris worked as a special researcher at the Institute on Race and Poverty. This was at the University of Minnesota Law School. She also worked with the Institute of African-American Studies at the University of Georgia.

Public Service and Writing

Harris was a policy fellow for the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. In 2010, she served on a special commission for Shirley Chisholm. Her writings and comments have appeared in many places. These include Litigation News, The Huffington Post, and The Feminist Wire.

While in law school, Harris helped start the William Mitchell Law Raza Journal. This was an online magazine about race and law. Her important work has been supported by a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship.

Teaching and Consulting

Harris joined Macalester College in 1998. She started as a Political Science professor. In 2003, she created the American Studies department there. She has also worked as a diversity consultant for many national groups. Harris often gives talks and lectures. She speaks about race, law, and feminism at universities and conferences.

Published Books

Duchess Harris has written and co-written several important books. These books explore American history, politics, and social movements.

Racially Writing the Republic

Her first book, Racially Writing the Republic, was published in 2009. She wrote it with Bruce Baum. This book looks at how race has shaped American identity. It covers the time from the American Revolutionary War to the civil rights movement. The book shows how ideas of white supremacy influenced early American leaders. It also highlights how non-white writers and activists fought against racism. The Journal of American History called it "American Studies at its finest."

Black Feminist Politics from Kennedy to Trump

In 2018, Harris published Black Feminist Politics from Kennedy to Trump. This book explores how Black feminist politics became more common in the 21st century. It studies key Black women leaders in politics and social movements. The book explains how Black women started to organize politically in the 1980s. This happened because more Black men were being put in prison.

Harris argues that Barack Obama's presidency encouraged many Black Americans to vote. However, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement showed disagreements. Some felt Obama's policies were not doing enough to help Black Americans. This included the issue of police violence. The book also looks at how social media has helped spread political messages. It shows how it reshaped struggles like the Black Lives Matter movement.

Black Girl Magic Beyond the Hashtag

In 2020, Harris co-edited a book called Black Girl Magic Beyond the Hashtag. She worked with Julia Jordan Zachery on this project. This collection of essays is about how "Black Girl Magic" is experienced in real life. It shows how Black women and girls build communities. It also explores how they fight against being invisible and create spaces for freedom. Ms. magazine praised the book. They said it offered "critical feminist examinations" of Black Girl Magic.

The Duchess Harris Collection

Duchess Harris also helps create a special series of books. It is called the "Duchess Harris Collection." These books are for middle and high school students. She works with ABDO publishing company on this project. The collection focuses on important historical and current events. It also covers laws that have had a big impact on the country and the world. Each series of books covers a different topic. Examples include "Race and the American Law," "Class in America," "Race and Sports," and "News Literacy."