On December 15th, 2021, the world bid farewell an illustrious feminist luminary. Bell Hooks, born Gloria Jean Watkins, passed away at the age of 69 after facing an undisclosed illness, as announced by her niece. Her passing left countless people grieving, but social media quickly filled with heartfelt tributes, thanking her not only for amplifying the voices of Black women but also for the profound personal impact she had on their lives.

Born in September 1952 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to a working-class African-American family, hooks grew up in a racially segregated community and attended a segregated school. In adopting the pen name “bell hooks,” after her great-grandmother, she intentionally used lowercase letters to draw attention away from herself and focus on the ideas within her work. This decision reflected her belief that the message was always more important than the messenger.

A Pioneering Voice for Intersectionality

Bell Hooks’ first book, Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism, published in 1981, became one of her most famous works. Referring to it as “a love letter to Black women,” Hooks highlighted the significance of intersectionality, emphasizing how race, gender, and class must be understood together to achieve real change. She was a strong advocate for recognizing the exclusion of marginalized groups—particularly Black, disabled, and LGBTQ+ women—from mainstream feminist movements, which often catered to white, middle-class women.

Her work called out feminism’s inequitable focus and urged for a more inclusive approach. Over her lifetime, Hooks authored over 40 books, consistently giving a voice to the unheard and inspiring communities to challenge oppressive discourses. She coined the term “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” to describe the interconnected systems of oppression that governed society and emphasized the need to address the education of men, particularly those from privileged backgrounds, to dismantle patriarchy.

An Everlasting Legacy of Love, Liberation, and Learning

Beyond her critique of societal structures, hooks explored themes of spirituality, self-love, and community, advocating for healing and personal transformation. In The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love, hooks examined how patriarchal ideals harm men and women, offering them a path toward emotional liberation. Two thousand four, she joined Berea College as a teacher and later established the Bell Hooks Institute in 2010. By 2018, she had been inducted into the Kentucky Writers’ Hall of Fame and Ain’t I a Woman? It was named one of the “twenty most influential women’s books” by Publishers Weekly.

Her work touched lives globally, inspiring a generation of feminists, scholars, and activists to examine the world through an intersectional lens. Contemporary feminists recognize the significant debt owed to Hooks for advancing the conversation on feminism, race, and oppression. Black communities, in particular, expressed deep gratitude for her lifetime of work, which redefined how society views the experiences of Black women.

A Lasting Impact

Bell Hooks’ spirit and intellect inspired many to question the societal structures devaluing them and find their voice in a world that often silenced them. While her contributions to feminist thought and activism were vast, more work still needs to be done. Hooks’ legacy will live on, not only in history books but also in the hearts of those she touched.

Her work made a once-unheard community feel loud, and it is only fitting that Bell Hooks will remain synonymous with love, justice, and liberation.