Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

5/5 - Angela Davis is an icon. This book was a collection of essays, interviews, and speeches about the parallels of the Ferguson protests and Palestine struggles. Unfortunately, these collections are from 2013-2015. Angela was trying her best to bring attention to what was transpiring in Palestine. It's actually sad that it has gone on deaf ears given was it currently happening in 2024. I'm curious as to what she thinks about what is going on now.

“I am not so concerned about myself. Everybody has to die sometimes, and all I want is to go with dignity.”

Freedom is a Constant Struggle is a book that has been on my radar for one of the longest times and I am so happy that I took the time to finally pick it up. This collection of interviews and speeches by Angela Y. Davis concerning serious topics was first published in 2015 and sadly these issues are still prevalent in the year, 2023. It highlights the connections between the Black Freedom movement, the occupation of Palestine, the apartheid of South Africa and other injustices that have and are still happening throughout the world.

This was a truly eye-opening read and I recommend it to anyone who is wanting to educate themselves or learn something more about these serious topics. Freedom is something that many still do not have and change will not happen unless we are all willing to bring freedom and justice to all.

This is just as relevant now as it was when it came out and that is unfortunate but not surprising.
This book is an overview of the intersectionality of causes, and why it matters. I had hoped it would have even more details about Palestine but, nonetheless I do think this book's messaging is important.

‘nobody is free until we're all free'

This is a series of speeches & talks by one of the last living radical leftists who weren't murdered by the federal government. I really like what she has to say but I want to read more from her. I plan on reading more books from her because this one was pretty disappointing. Lots of interesting stuff, but for being the first book of hers I've read, I wanted more structured substance. My fault. Not hers. I would only recommend this if you've run out of her other material to read. Anyone got any good books of hers you'd recommend?

A few days ago it was announced that the officer who shot Michael Brown in Ferguson six years ago won't be charged. A gut punch in the midst of ongoing worldwide protests against police violence. Angela Davis addresses this and a whole lot more in this collection of interviews and speeches. Freedom is a Constant Struggle is a book about intersectionality and transformative change. Though short and somewhat redundant, there's a whole lot to percolate on. Davis packs wisdom and brilliance into few words, and sometimes you (or at least I) need time to sit with what she says to digest its full meaning. Many feminists understand how sexism connects with racism and homophobia. There is a certain level of consensus that zeroing in on gender as a sole or primary form of oppression is impossible and insufficient. But here Davis urges us to expand our thinking geographically and temporally. How do present struggles link up with past and future struggles? How does Ferguson relate to Palestine? How does Portland relate to Hong Kong? Making these connections is a prerequisite to meaningful social change. In a culture where we are taught to think of ourselves as distinct individuals and are taught to think of education as a means to a material end, it can be difficult to really reimagine how we could do things to better serve everyone. To reimagine what our society could be rather than simply assimilating marginalized peoples into what already is. By connecting inequity here to inequity there, by building coalitions across identities and struggles where previously there was misunderstanding and contempt, we get out of our own way, enabling ourselves to see the roots we aim to grasp and extricate. Marriage equality and implicit bias trainings, and even, Davis adds, prosecution of individual police officers, will not get us far unless we address what allows these patterns to emerge and problems to reproduce unchecked. As Audre Lorde famously said, the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. This is hardly a good place to start your antiracist or feminist reading, but Davis is outstanding. I'm excited for her [b:next release 53657256 Abolition. Feminism. Now. Angela Y. Davis https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590836554l/53657256.SX50.jpg 83977949].

This book was torture to get through. Subject matter aside, there is a simple issue when you put together a collection of speeches that all center around the same thing. You get an enormous amount of repetition. There were times when she said something so similar to what I'd already heard that I had to check to make sure I didn't accidentally skip to the previous section. While her speaking voice is pleasant to listen to, her cadence is not and it felt stilted.

There are things I certainly don't agree with, but for the most part I would find myself nodding my head. But I can't say I think everyone should read this book. This is not in “layman's terms”. Davis doesn't really add much personal experience to her speeches (except for things like, “my friend” or “I went” here or there) so the book reads much more like a textbook than anything else. Which is fine for many, but for me, this book is why it took me so long to read non-fiction books.

If you had the time and inclination I would suggest reading one speech and then setting the book down for a bit before going on to the next. Take in each speech on its own merit. Absorb what she says in that moment, giving yourself a day or so between each so you can fully appreciate Davis's words.