Bell Hooks, a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, celebrated thinker and cultural critic, passed away on December 15, 2021, at 69, at her home in Berea, Kentucky. Her passing has left a void in the intellectual world, but her writings continue to shape and define how we understand culture, feminism, and the intersections of race, class, and gender. For generations of writers, critics, and scholars, Hooks’ work has been Hooks’ guiding light, offering clarity and insight into our time’s most pressing social issues.

A Voice of Clarity in Academia

What sets Hooks apart is her intellectual rigor and ability to articulate complex ideas in clear, accessible language. Her writing feels like that moment when an elusive idea finally clicks into place—Hooks is there to help us understand, putting words to thoughts that are often just out of reach. Whether discussing the paradigm-shifting power of love or critiquing the “white supremacist “capitalist patriarchy,”  her essays have become essential to our cultural understanding.

Intersectionality Before It Was Mainstream

By the time she published her first nonfiction work, Ain’t I a Woman: BlAin’tomen and Feminism, in 1981, Hooks was already reshaping feminist thought. Long before “intersectionality”” became a buzzword” she urged readers to recognize how identities are inextricably tied to race, class, and gender—always intertwined, never separate. Her work was revolutionary in the insistence that Black women’s voices and women women must be central to feminist discourse. She challenged the erasure and marginalization of Black women, not just by society but within revolutionary movements themselves.

Breaking Down Barriers in Art Criticism

Hooks’ contributionHooks’rt criticism is equally groundbreaking. She recognized that Black artists were often excluded from the rigorous scholarly attention their white counterparts received. Rather than wait for critics to catch up, Hooks took it upon herself to engage with and write about the Black artists she believed were pivotal. Her work with artists like Carrie Mae Weems, Alison Saar, Felix Gonzalez Torres, Lorna Simpson, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Emma Amos has become essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the contributions of Black artists to the visual arts.

The Oppositional Gaze and Art Criticism

One of Hooks’ most influential contributions to feminist and cultural theory is her concept of the “oppositional gaze.” This theory, first” articulated in her analysis of cinema, describes a way of looking that resists and rejects the dominant white supremacist, patriarchal modes of viewing. This gaze centers Black women as active subjects rather than passive objects. Hooks extended this idea to her art criticism, exploring how Black artists like Carrie Mae Weems de-centered whiteness and disrupted conventional notions of identity in their work.

Creating a Revolution in Vision

In her 1995 book Art on My Mind: Visual Politics, Hooks critically examined how race, gender, and class shape artistic practices. She noted how cultural critics often struggled to accept that one could be both critically aware of visual politics and deeply committed to aesthetics. Hooks advocated for a new way of thinking and writing about art, ultimately leading to a “revolution in vision,” challenging the w “ite-dominated world of art criticism.

Bell Hooks’ Legacy in AcHooks’ and Beyond

Throughout her career, Hooks taught at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, including Yale University, Oberlin College, and the City College of New York. In 2004, she returned to her home state of Kentucky to teach at Berea College, where she founded the Bell Hooks Institute. The Institute continues her legacy as a center for critical thinking about race, gender, class, and art.

A Lasting Impact on Culture and Feminism

Over the past four decades, Hooks’ work has beeHooks’uchstone for how we understand culture, art, and politics. Her willingness to challenge dominant narratives—whether in feminism, art criticism, or popular culture—has ensured that her voice remains a vital part of our intellectual landscape. Even after her passing, Hooks’ work continuHooks’provoke thought, inspire action, and invite dialogue about how we can create a more just and inclusive world.