Published a few years after "Women Race & Class", this is mostly a collection of various speeches & a few essays on the role of women in politics historically & need for women, particularly black women, to participate in politics because their unique position that allows them to shed light on their own oppression as well as the oppression of others. It is heavily influenced by her Socialist leanings & that's a good thing. She does not shy away from critiques on the nature of Capitalism & it's role in oppression of women all over the world. She stresses the importance of black women's basic needs being met that aren't because of poverty & how that has been a hindrance in outreach & participation. Those that have tried to reach them have been unsuccessful mainly because they do not understand the role class plays in their lives. And black women have been reluctant to participate due to having more pressing concerns, such as daily survival. These needs include fair wages, job security, access to health care & contraception & quality education. One particular standout in the book was her experiences with Egyptian women & how that stressed the importance of the people being oppressed participating in dismantling or reshaping whatever system or culture it is that is oppressing them. Being under a system of oppression tends to give the oppressed unique insights into the problem, how it functions & how to fix it. A one size fits all approach does not work because every country has it's own political & cultural factors that come into play. The lesson is, more often than not, get out of the way, shut up & listen. Another highlight are her speeches on South African Apartheid & Winnie Mandela. One important thing to take away from this book is that although issues like poverty need to be addressed because they address more immediate concerns of the oppressed, larger issues should not be ignored but we simply can't expect people to care when their most immediate needs are not being met. Angela makes it clear that it is important to understand the nature of the U.S., it's role across the globe, the role of race & the nature of Capitalism & how it has been tied to all of these & other issues. It kind of lulls in the middle due to short speeches that have ideas that likely need more fleshing out but were probably short speeches due to time constraints. Overall, it's a great book. A must read!

definitely dated, but there are still some very important discussions in this book that still pertain to the world today

Honestly, this is excellent. It is well written, well thought, well argued. The book is a series of talks and articles from the late 80's. The author does an incredible job of relating every fact to the general argument. I want to also comment on how there is an exceptional amount of information here. There is a chapter for everyone. If you are interested in any aspect of women's liberation, from voting to art to medical practice, it is in this book. This was an eye-opening, jaw-dropping read. Terrifying is how this book is still 100% relevant today.

4.5
some parts are a bit dated but still very relevant to society
i love angela davis so much its my dream to meet her/be lectured by her
also fuck ronald reagan i hate him more than i can ever explain