Joan Morgan (American author) facts for kids

Joan Morgan (born May 25, 1965) is a Jamaican-American author and journalist. She is known for her writing and for creating the term "hip hop feminist." This idea combines feminism (the belief in equal rights for women) with hip hop culture.

Joan Morgan's Early Life and Education

Joan Morgan was born in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica, in 1965. When she was two years old, in 1968, her family moved to the South Bronx in the Bronx, New York. Her father was a founder of the Jamaica Labour Party and later led the Jamaican Freedom League in the Bronx. Her mother worked as a nurse and taught at a community center.

School Days and Learning

Joan went to elementary and junior high schools in the Bronx. She also attended a community center called Clermont Center. In 1979, she started attending the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, a private school in the Bronx. She had already been to a summer program there. Joan graduated from Fieldston in 1983.

Higher Education and Advanced Degrees

In 1987, Joan Morgan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University. She also studied for a semester at Howard University. Later, in 2020, she earned a PhD (a very high-level degree) in American Studies from New York University. Her PhD paper was about "Claiming a Pleasure Politic in Black Feminist Thought."

Joan Morgan's Career as a Writer and Teacher

Joan Morgan has been a freelance journalist since 1988. This means she writes for different publications without being a full-time employee. She worked as a columnist and editor for SPIN magazine. She also wrote articles for many other magazines, including Working Mother, Ms., and Essence.

Creating New Ideas: "Hip Hop Feminist"

From 1993 to 1996, Joan was a writer for Vibe magazine, which focuses on music and culture. In 1999, she wrote a very important book called When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost. In this book, she introduced the ideas of "Black girl magic" and "hip hop feminist." These terms describe how Black women can be strong and powerful while also enjoying hip hop culture.

Leading Roles in Magazines

After her time at Vibe, Joan Morgan became the executive editor of Essence magazine from 2000 to 2002. She was also the editorial director of SET Magazine from 2008 to 2010.

Teaching and Discussing Important Topics

In 2012, Joan took part in a discussion tour called "Does Hip-Hop Hate Women." This tour visited many college campuses across the country, like Brown University and Harvard Law School. She and other experts talked about how hip hop affects women. In 2013, she taught a class at Stanford University called "The Pleasure Principle." She has also taught at other universities, including Duke University and Vanderbilt University.

Joan Morgan's Books

Joan Morgan has written two notable books that explore important cultural and social ideas.

When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost

Published in 1999, this book is very important in understanding "hip hop feminism." In it, Joan Morgan looks at how a woman can support feminist ideas while also enjoying parts of culture that might seem to go against feminism. For example, she discusses how someone can be a feminist and still enjoy hip hop music, even if some parts of it seem to be more about men. She asks questions like, "Can you be a good feminist and admit that there are things you like about traditional male roles?" She uses examples from music artists like R. Kelly, Jodeci, and Queen Latifah to explain her points.

She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

In 2018, Joan Morgan released her second book, She Begat This. This book looks back at Lauryn Hill's famous 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 20 years after it came out. The book explores the cultural impact and history of this important music album.

Personal Life

Joan Morgan has a son.

Awards and Recognition

• National Woman's Political Caucus, Excellence Merit Media Award (EMMA) for her reporting.
• 2013: Stanford University, Dr. St. Clair Drake Award for Outstanding Teaching for her course "The Pleasure Principle."