bell hooks: A Legacy of Liberation and Resistance

The passing of bell hooks on December 15, 2021, at her home in Berea, Kentucky, marked the loss of a visionary thinker, writer, and cultural critic. hooks, born Gloria Jean Watkins, adopted the lowercase pen name bell hooks from her great-grandmother to emphasize the substance of her work rather than her identity. She was 69. Her death is a stark reminder that while she may be gone, the struggle against systemic oppression persists. Her influence on Black feminist thought and activism remains profound, inspiring countless scholars, writers, and activists to adopt a “Black feminist” identity rather than terms like “womanist.”

hooks’s passing has elicited an outpouring of grief and remembrance across social media, particularly within feminist, Black, and social justice communities. News outlets like PBS Newshour, BBC News, NBC Nightly News, and CBS Mornings have all recognized her impact. hooks authored over 30 solo books, and her writing and theories became foundational texts for understanding and articulating the intersections of race, gender, and class.

A Pioneering Voice in Feminism

bell hooks was a radical force in feminist theory. Her first nonfiction book, Ain’t IAin’tman? Black Women and Feminism, written as an undergraduate at Stanford University, provided critical tools for understanding Black women’s experiences. Her work extended the conversations begun by figures like Angela Davis, Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, June Jordan, Barbara Smith, and the Combahee River Collective. hooks merge intellectual with the accessible, help demystify complex theories, and make them relatable to a broader audience, infusing them with “street credibility.”

In” Her writings, hook” challenged the limitations of mainstream feminism, critiquing how it often upheld white supremacy by striving for the same rights and privileges as white men. She called for a deeper understanding of how racism and classism intersect with sexism, urging a move beyond mere equality to a more transformative vision of justice. Her work dissected the “white supremacist capi” alist patriarchy,” a term that has since “become central to discussions of systemic oppression.

Educating Through Connection and Understanding

As a professor, hooks made feminist theory accessible and relevant to students from diverse backgrounds. She taught students to see beyond academic jargon and connect deeply with the material, fostering a classroom environment where her words resonated and united even those who disagreed. This connection is a testament to her impact, as generations of students and scholars have found solace, clarity, and direction in her writings.

One of her seminal works, Black Looks: Race and Representation, introduced the concept of the “oppositional gaze,” ch” longing Black fem” nist writers to deepen their representation of “revolutionary Black wo.” This work and many others became a blueprint for analyzing popular culture and media from a Black feminist perspective.

Critique and Affirmation: Engaging with Black Feminist Thought

hooks’s critiques were not withohooks’sroversy. Her critique of Beyoncé, calling her an “anti-feminist terrorist,” sparks” d widespread debate among” feminists. Yet, her critique was an invitation to engage more deeply with the cultural messages we consume. hooks urged Black feminists to practice “critical affirmation”—to affirm “one another while providing space for constructive, not competitive, or hurtful critique.

Her passing has placed her among the ancestors, alongside figures like Audre Lorde, Michelle Cliff, Ntozake Shange, and Toni Morrison, who have all left behind a rich legacy of radical, life-changing work. hooks’s death is a powerful reminder that the work she began is far from complete. Her writings call us to resist systemic oppression and carve paths toward liberation.

Continuing the Work

bell hooks’s legacy is the relentless pit of Jin HJinshooks’s transflective force. Her teachings guide us to understand that our liberation is bound together. She says, “The moment we choose to love, we begin to move against “domination, against oppression. When we choose to love, we move towards freedom and act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.”

As we remember bell hooks, let us continue to resist and push forward, opening doors for those who follow. The journey toward liberation is ongoing; her work serves as a guiding light for those committed to justice and freedom.