Sister Souljah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sister Souljah
|
|
|---|---|
Sister Souljah at the Miami Book Fair International on November 21, 2015
|
|
| Born |
Lisa Williamson
1964 (age 60–61) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
|
| Nationality | American |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Author |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) | Mike Rich |
| Children | 1 |
| Signature | |
.jpg) |
|
Lisa Williamson (born in 1964), known as Sister Souljah, is an American author, activist, rapper, and film producer. She became well-known for her strong opinions on race and society.
In 1992, she received a lot of attention when Bill Clinton, who was running for President of the United States, spoke out against some of her comments about race in America. This event led to the saying "Sister Souljah moment". This phrase describes when a politician publicly disagrees with an extreme idea or person connected to their own political group.
Contents
Early Life and Learning Journey
Sister Souljah was born in the Bronx, New York. In her book No Disrespect, she shared that she grew up in a family that faced financial challenges and received government help for a while. When she was 10, her family moved to Englewood, New Jersey. This town had a large African-American community and was also home to famous artists like Eddie Murphy. She attended Dwight Morrow High School there.
Her Views on Education
Sister Souljah felt that American schools did not teach enough about the African roots of civilization. She also believed that schools should teach more about African-American history. She thought this history was important for all students, no matter their background, to understand. She felt that her own junior high and high school did not teach enough about black history, art, and culture. She said she learned more by reading African history books on her own.
During her high school years (1978-1981), she was a legislative intern, which means she helped lawmakers in the House of Representatives. She also won several awards, including a scholarship to attend a special summer program at Cornell University.
College Years and Global Travel
In college, Sister Souljah traveled widely. She visited countries like Britain, France, Spain, and Russia. She gained real-world experience by working in a medical center in a village in Zimbabwe. She also helped children who were refugees from Mozambique. She visited South Africa and Zambia as well.
She graduated from Rutgers University with two main subjects: American History and African Studies. She was a strong voice on campus and wrote for the school newspaper. One important thing she did was lead a campaign to bring Jesse Jackson to Rutgers. He spoke against the university's investments in companies that did business in apartheid South Africa. Apartheid was a system of racial separation and discrimination. Sister Souljah and other students successfully convinced Rutgers University to stop investing in those companies. They also helped convince the state of New Jersey to do the same.
In 1985, during her last year at Rutgers, she started working for Reverend Benjamin Chavis. For three years, she created and managed programs like the African Survival Camp. This was a six-week summer camp for children from families experiencing homelessness. She also became a leader for the National African Youth-Student Alliance. She spoke out against racist violence, such as incidents in Howard Beach and the murder of Yusuf Hawkins.
Career Highlights
Music and Activism
Sister Souljah joined the hip-hop group Public Enemy as a full member. In 1992, she released her only album, 360 Degrees of Power.
Public Statements and Their Impact
In 1992, during an interview about the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Sister Souljah made some comments about race that caused a lot of discussion. Presidential candidate Bill Clinton publicly criticized her remarks. This event led to the coining of the phrase "Sister Souljah moment". This term describes when a politician publicly distances themselves from extreme views that might be linked to their own political party or group.
Becoming a Bestselling Author
In 1994, Sister Souljah published her memoir, No Disrespect.
In 1999, she released her first novel, The Coldest Winter Ever. This book became very popular and helped start a new wave of reading, especially in a genre sometimes called "street literature." As of March 2016, Sister Souljah's books had appeared on New York Times Bestseller List three times. She believes her books, like classic stories, explore themes of love, struggle, and life. A sequel to The Coldest Winter Ever, titled Life After Death, was published in March 2021.
Her novel Midnight: A Gangster Love Story was released in November 2008. It tells the background story of a character named Midnight, who first appeared in The Coldest Winter Ever. This book quickly became a New York Times bestseller. The next book in the series, Midnight and the Meaning of Love, came out in April 2011. A third Midnight novel, A Moment of Silence, was published in November 2015. By March 2016, this novel had sold over 2 million copies. It follows Midnight's journey while he is in prison.
Another related novel, A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche Santiaga Story, was published in January 2013.
Sister Souljah's novels often explore themes of faith, love, and doing what is right. Many of her books are popular in prison libraries. She has worked with Black and Nobel, a website that sends books to prisons. Her work has also been mentioned in popular TV shows like Orange Is the New Black.
She also writes articles for Essence Magazine and has contributed to The New Yorker.
Community Work
Sister Souljah has organized many programs to help communities. In 1985, she created the African Youth Survival Camp. This was a six-week summer camp in Enfield, North Carolina, for children from families experiencing homelessness. This program ran for more than three years. She has also inspired many hip-hop artists to give back to their communities. She organized youth events, programs, and summer camps with musicians like Lauryn Hill and Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Sister Souljah was very active in protests against racial discrimination, police brutality, and the lack of good education for young people in cities. She organized concerts and protests in New York City, supported by many famous rappers.
For seven years, Sister Souljah was the executive director of Daddy's House Social Programs Inc. This non-profit organization, funded by Sean "Diddy" Combs, helps young people aged ten to sixteen. It teaches them about academics, culture, and managing their money. Students in the program also get support to travel around the world.
Personal Life
Sister Souljah is married to Mike Rich. They have one son.
Music Releases
| Album Information |
|---|
360 Degrees of Power
|
Images for kids
-
Sister Souljah's signature
