The San Jose State Human Rights Institute hosted a panel on Tuesday demonstrating the work of Angela Davis as an advocate for Black feminism, socialism and the abolishment of racial capitalism.
The Human Rights Institute works with community organizations, stakeholders and policymakers on social issues, human rights research and policy design, according to its website.
Around 300 people attended the webinar where colleagues, scholars and Davis’ friends discussed her work which was largely influenced by her allegedly unjust time in prison from 1971-72.
Three professors worked closely with Davis during the time of her trial: Bettina Aptheker, a professor in feminist critical race and ethnic studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz; Neferti Tadiar, a professor of women’s gender and sexuality studies at Barnard College; and Barbara Ransby a professor of African American studies, gender and women’s studies and history at the University of Illinois.
Halima Kazem-Stojanovic, a justice studies professor and the event’s organizer, said while Davis’ trial gave her worldwide attention it’s “her work that makes her revolutionary.”
Aptheker explained that Davis’ work presents radical ideas including capitalistic slavery existing in the form of imprisonment, an idea that was the first of its kind in the ‘70s.
“Angela had written as a form of resistance,” Aptheker said during the webinar, explaining that Davis’ arguments about prisons evolutionized historical understandings of slavery.
Ransby said Davis’ work aligns with socialist ideas because Davis saw the oppression caused by capitalism.
“The capitalist system does not benefit the majority of people and it is evident by the greed of the country,” she said during the webinar. “Prisons and jails are instruments of white supremacist policy but also for capitalistic benefit.”
Gavin Kindlon, a political science sophomore and attendee, said he found the webinar interesting and was refreshed to see socialism outwardly advertised in a “major discussion sponsored by the university.”
Meanwhile, Tadiar said during the webinar that Davis’ politics challenged the idea that individuals and each of their personal identities is confined to their own separate movements. She said Davis emphasized the “intersectionality of movements, not necessarily of bodies.”
The intersectionality of social movements refers to the relationships between race, gender, class and other social categories.
Kindlon said even though he’s heard of intersectionality at Black Lives Matter protests in May, the webinar opened his eyes.
“I was first introduced to the topic intersectional feminism around [George Floyd protests] but this event put it further into perspective,” Kindlon said in a Zoom call.
This webinar was part two of a three-part lecture series created in honor of Black History Month. The first event was a Feb. 1 viewing of the documentary, “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners” and the final event on Thursday will feature keynote speaker Angela Davis.
Kazem said 400 people attended the viewing of the documentary.
She also said the work of Angela Davis was a prime choice for the series because of the first Black and South Asian woman vice president, adding that “we’re in an extraordinary time.”
The panelists emphasized the importance of advocacy and solidarity within modern social movements because although Davis’ work paved the way, there’s more work to be done to dismantle systemic oppression.
“Activism of the younger generation is so inspiring,” Aptheker said during the panel.
