Grace Lee Boggs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grace Lee Boggs
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Boggs at her home in Detroit in 2012
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Grace Chin Lee
June 27, 1915 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
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| Died | October 5, 2015 (aged 100) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Education | Columbia University (BA) Bryn Mawr College (MA, PhD) |
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| Movement | Johnson–Forest Tendency (1941–1951) | ||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 陈玉平 | ||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 陳玉平 | ||||||||||
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Grace Lee Boggs (June 27, 1915 – October 5, 2015) was an amazing American writer, activist, and thinker. She spent her life working for social change. She was known for her teamwork with other thinkers like C. L. R. James and Raya Dunayevskaya in the 1940s and 1950s.
Later, in the 1960s, she and her husband, James Boggs, started their own path. They worked together for over 40 years. Grace Lee Boggs wrote five books, including her life story. Her last book, The Next American Revolution, came out when she was 95. She is seen as a very important person in the Asian American Movement.
Contents
Grace's Early Life and Education
Growing Up and Family
Grace Lee Boggs was born on June 27, 1915, in Providence, Rhode Island. Her Chinese name was Yu Ping, which means "Jade Peace." Her parents, Chin Lee and Yin Lan Ng, came from China. They moved to the United States in 1911. Grace had one sister and four brothers.
Her School Journey
Grace was very smart and earned a scholarship to Barnard College at Columbia University. There, she learned about important philosophers like Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. She graduated in 1935. In 1940, she earned her Ph.D. in philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.
Working with James Boggs
In 1953, Grace married James Boggs. He was also a political activist and worked in a car factory. They were married for 40 years until James passed away in 1993. Together, they wrote books and started the National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR).
Their partnership was very strong. They worked together on ideas and activism. It was a true team effort that lasted many years.
Grace's Activism and Community Work
Starting Her Activism
In the 1940s, it was hard for Grace to find a good job in academics. So, she took a low-paying job at a library. Through her work helping people with their housing rights, she joined a group called the Workers Party. This group believed in big changes for society.
Grace then started to focus on helping the African-American community. This became a major part of her life's work.
Important Connections and Moves
Grace met C. L. R. James, another important activist, in Chicago. She then moved to New York. There, she met many famous people, like writer Richard Wright. She also helped translate important writings by Karl Marx into English.
She joined a group called the Johnson–Forest Tendency. This group focused on helping people who were often left out, like women and people of color. They believed in different ways to bring about change.
In 1953, Grace married James Boggs. They moved to Detroit that same year. In Detroit, they worked hard for Civil Rights and the Black Power Movement. Living in Detroit helped them understand problems like job loss and racism. Grace also helped start the Detroit Asian Political Alliance in 1970.
Continuing the Fight for Change
Grace and James Boggs kept working for change. They wrote books, including Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century. Grace became a well-known activist in Detroit. She focused on helping people in their local communities.
In 1979, Grace and James helped create the National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR). Grace believed that while fighting for equal rights was important, bigger changes were needed for society to truly improve. She studied history and worked closely with people in their neighborhoods.
Community Leadership and Legacy
In 1992, Grace started Detroit Summer. This program brought together young people from different backgrounds and ages. She received many awards for her work. Her home in Detroit also became the center for the Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership. This center helps with community projects and activism.
Grace's Passing and Lasting Impact
Grace Lee Boggs passed away on October 5, 2015, at 100 years old. The New York Times newspaper said she fought for civil rights, workers' rights, women's rights, and the environment for 70 years. She always believed that justice was possible.
President Barack Obama spoke about Grace's death. He praised her work in Detroit and her ideas that inspired everyone. He said she understood how powerful community organizing could be.
Honors and Recognition
- In 1999, Grace was added to the National Women's Hall of Fame.
- In 2013, The James and Grace Lee Boggs School opened in Detroit. This school teaches students to think critically and work together.
- In 2014, a social justice center at The New School was named the Baldwin Rivera Boggs Center, honoring Grace and other activists.
- In 2014, Grace was also added to the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.
Grace received special honorary doctorates from several universities.
Grace in Media
- Her life is featured in books like In Love And Struggle and We Are Here.
Biographical Film
- American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs is a 2013 movie about her life and ideas. It was directed by Grace Lee.
Other Appearances
- In the 2016 movie Barry, which is about Barack Obama's college years, Grace Lee Boggs is played by Marion Kodama Yue.
See also
In Spanish: Grace Lee Boggs para niños
