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An Autobiography

An Autobiography

Summary

'Riveting; as fresh and relevant today as it was almost 50 years ago. The words fire off the page with humour, anger and eloquence' Guardian

A powerful and commanding account of the life of trailblazing political activist Angela Davis


Edited by Toni Morrison and first published in 1974, An Autobiography is a classic of the Black Liberation era which resonates just as powerfully today. It is reissued now with a new introduction by Davis, for a new audience inspired and galvanised by her ongoing activism and her extraordinary example.

In the book, she describes her journey from a childhood on Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, Alabama, to one of the most significant political trials of the century: from her political activity in a New York high school to her work with the U.S. Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Soledad Brothers; and from the faculty of the Philosophy Department at UCLA to the FBI's list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.

Told with warmth, brilliance, humour, and conviction, it is an unforgettable account of a life committed to radical change.

Reviews

  • There are books you should read, books that you will enjoy reading, and books that will educate you. Rarely does one book do all three. The Autobiography of Angela Y. Davis is one of those books
    Marcus Ryder

About the author

Angela Y. Davis

ANGELA Y. DAVIS is Professor Emerita of History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies at UC Santa Cruz. An activist, writer and lecturer, her work focuses on prisons, police, abolition and the related intersections of race, gender and class. She is the author of many books, including Women, Race and Class and Freedom Is a Constant Struggle.
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