Angela Davis Postcard

Description

Angela Davis Postcard

Gouache and linoprint on paper.
Format A6, 250g/m2.
Open edition, signed and numbered.
Carved and printed by hand with love and respect.

Angela Davis, born on January 26, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama, is an American political activist, scholar, and author who has become an iconic figure in the struggle for civil rights and social justice. Davis’s early years were marked by the pervasive racism and violence of the Jim Crow South. She grew up in a neighborhood nicknamed “Dynamite Hill” due to frequent bombings by the Ku Klux Klan targeting Black families.

Davis’s academic journey began at Brandeis University, where she studied under the renowned philosopher Herbert Marcuse. She later studied in Frankfurt, Germany, and earned her master’s degree from the University of California, San Diego. Her academic focus was on philosophy and critical theory, disciplines that profoundly shaped her understanding of societal structures and injustices.

In the late 1960s, Davis became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power movement, and the Communist Party USA. She also joined the Black Panther Party, known for its militant stance against police brutality and systemic racism. Her activism brought her to the attention of the FBI, and she was placed on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List in 1970 after being accused of aiding a courtroom escape that resulted in four deaths. This led to a highly publicized trial, where Davis was acquitted of all charges in 1972. Her trial and subsequent acquittal turned her into a symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice.

After her release, Davis continued her academic career, earning a Ph.D. in philosophy from Humboldt University in East Berlin. She became a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she taught courses on the history of consciousness and feminist studies. Her scholarly work focuses on issues of race, class, gender, and the prison-industrial complex, critiquing the ways these systems of oppression intersect and perpetuate inequality.

Davis has authored several influential books, including “Women, Race, & Class” (1981) and “Are Prisons Obsolete?” (2003). These works explore the intersections of race, gender, and class, highlighting the systemic nature of oppression and advocating for radical changes to the criminal justice system. Her writings have been instrumental in shaping contemporary feminist and abolitionist thought.

Throughout her career, Davis has been a vocal advocate for prison abolition, arguing that the prison system is a modern form of slavery that disproportionately affects people of color. She co-founded Critical Resistance, an organization dedicated to dismantling the prison-industrial complex and promoting alternatives to incarceration. Her work in this area has inspired a global movement seeking transformative justice and the end of mass incarceration.

Davis’s activism extends beyond prison abolition. She has been a steadfast advocate for Palestinian rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and labor rights, consistently linking these struggles to the broader fight against global capitalism and imperialism. Her commitment to intersectionality has made her a leading figure in various social justice movements.

Angela Davis’s legacy is that of a tireless advocate for justice and equality. Her life’s work demonstrates the power of intellectual rigor combined with passionate activism. She remains a vital voice in the ongoing struggle for a more equitable and just world, inspiring new generations to continue the fight against systemic oppression. Her contributions to both academia and activism underscore the importance of challenging and dismantling structures of power and oppression.