Probably there is no such person who at least once has not heard of a woman with the big name Angela Davis. Activist, teacher, scholar and writer, she has made a huge contribution to the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Davis became the author of books about culture, politics and the fate of women. An ardent feminist has shown herself to be a supporter of gender equality. She also advocated reforming the prison system.
Angela Davis: Autobiography
The girl Davis was born into the family of a school teacher and a gas station driver in Birmingham, Alabama, on January 26, 1944. From an early age, Angela was deeply imbued with the ideas of socialism. During these times, in the south of the United States, the Ku Klux Klan felt quite at ease.
Davis was an excellent student in her school days. She dreamed of becoming a teacher. At the age of 15, Davis Angela goes to New York, where she attends high school. She first became interested in politics in high school.
Brandeis University
The girl joined a Marxist circle, in which she became friends with the daughter of the famous historian Herbert Apteker. After school, Angela, along with her black girlfriend, enters Brandeis University. She gets an excellent opportunity to studyphilosophy with the famous American culturologist Herbert Marcuse.
She has always been attracted to the concept of human equality. Angela Davis, whose photo you can see here, studied in good educational institutions available to black children. In those days, not everyone was given the opportunity to study at the university. She trained at the Sorbonne. There, the girl honed her knowledge of French literature. Professors at the University of Paris later said that Davis was modest and serious.
VIII World Festival for Youth and Students
In 1962, the VIII World Festival for Youth and Students opened its doors for Angela Davis. It was held in Helsinki. This event played an important role in the fate of the girl. Davis' goal is to learn more about revolutionary youth from around the world. At the festival, Angela meets students from Cuba. She becomes a supporter of the legendary Fidel Castro.
University of Frankfurt, Germany
Then the girl continues her studies at the University of Frankfurt. In 1965, she graduated from an educational institution. In 1966 Angela Davis comes to Paris. There she is going to learn French. Instead, however, he began to study philosophy. Davis pays special attention to the works of Albert Camus, Karl Marx, Jean-Paul Sartre.
Return to the States
While the American girl was in Europe, radical movements began to appear massively in the USA. Angela decidesreturn to their homeland to become part of them.
In 1967 Angela Yvonne Davis arrives in San Diego. There she continued her in-depth study of philosophy. At this time, Angela actively helps citizens who are in prison. She is known as a strong public figure and organizer of many actions and rallies.
In 1970, Davis is wanted by the FBI. While awaiting trial, the girl was forced to spend a year and a half in a New York detention center for women. In 1972, Angela was supported by celebrities such as John Lennon and the British rock band the Rolling Stones. "Black Panther" has been admired by many celebrities at all times. Russian singer Garik Sukachev released a song called "Free Angela Davis".
The formation of the views of Angela Davis
US history knows no more famous radical activists and African-American educators than Davis. She was a fierce civil rights activist. Even in her childhood, Angela learned what "disparity in races" means. As a teenager, she, along with associates, organized group studies on the study of interracial relations. The bombing of a church located in Birmingham played a big role in the formation of the girl's views. This event in 1963 claimed the lives of innocent girls she knew. Angela Davis reacts sharply to unfair politics and the cruelty of society.
19-year-old black girl listened with awe in her heart to the powerful anti-racist speech of the famous African AmericanMartin King. The leader of the movement for the rights of blacks in the United States played an important role in the development of civil rights sentiment. These events could not but leave a mark on the worldview of Angela Davis.
Social injustice in all its manifestations caused mental anguish in the girl. The Ku Klux Klan's ruthless operations in Alabama were forever wounded in her heart.
Davis's favorite book for many years was the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels "The Communist Manifesto". The black human rights activist called herself a communist and led a fierce fight for justice.
Davis' personal life
Davis had a bright romance after being fired from the University of California and joining the Communist Party. Angela Davis, whose biography is discussed in this article, defended the rights of prisoners and was a frequent visitor to prisons. In one of them, she met 28-year-old George Jackson. Many crimes "hung" on the young handsome man. But he managed to charm the girl. Angela decided to represent the guy's interests by becoming his public lawyer.
Most of the time, the human rights activist, together with George's brother and his comrades, planned the release of her beloved. However, the escape never materialised. Jonathan, the prisoner's younger brother, took the judge hostage during the trial. The story ended sadly: the police shot both Jackson Jr. and the judge. George himself was killed after some time within the walls of the prison. The weapon thatthe referee was shot, was purchased in the name of Davis…
Davis Arrest
Angela was arrested for her involvement in Jackson's escape attempt. The woman spent about a year and a half in prison. At first she was kept in a solitary punishment cell, but due to her perseverance, the girl was transferred to a regular pre-trial detention center. Angela urged her cellmates to fight for better prison conditions, which made the local guards very angry.
During this time, Davis' he alth deteriorated greatly. She began to experience vision problems. However, it was this story that brought the human rights activist worldwide fame. Numerous "leftist" forces in various parts of the world came out in its defense. Later, the court returned a verdict of not guilty, and Angela was released.
Angela Davis in the USSR
During the Cold War, Angela Davis met with General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Leonid Brezhnev. The image of a black girl was diligently promoted by Soviet propaganda. She was presented to Russian socialists as a victim of capitalism. The woman took part in many meetings of local authorities. Very quickly in the USSR, she became "one of her own." Angela's liberal slogans were tightly controlled and conveyed somewhat differently by translators.
Later, the workers of the Soviet Union were required to donate 10 kopecks to Comrade Angela Davis' Relief Fund. The students wrote letters to her en masse, the template of which was approved by the Central Committee of the CPSU.
Political activities
In 1980 and 1984Davis Angela fought for the chair of the American Vice President from the Communist Party of the USA. She also continues to work as a scientist. Angela publishes books and textbooks. In educational institutions around the world, a black human rights activist lectures. In the early 1990s, a woman quits the Communist Party after refusing to support a coup attempt in Russia.
Davis delves into science. At the same time, she continues to protect the rights of women prisoners. In 1997, Angela made a stunning confession. According to her, she is not only a feminist, but also a lesbian. Angela Davis, whose personal life has been hidden from the public for many years, called all her relationships with the male sex “mistakes of youth.”
Prizes and awards
Angela Davis was awarded USSR, Cuban and German awards as a woman who contributed to the protection of human freedom and dignity. So, in 1972, a dark-skinned human rights activist received the National Order of Playa Giron and the medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin." In 1979, Davis was awarded the International Lenin Prize "For the strengthening of peace among peoples." In 2004, Angela won the German Civil Rights and Dignity Prize.
Angela Davis quotes
As a young woman, Davis stated, “My world is changing. I want to be part of this change." This is one of the most striking and popular quotes of the human rights activist. Her name has forever become a symbol of the concept of "freedom". Angela lotspoke about human freedom. She said that "police repression and terror are directed against those who refuse the thoughtless role of the victim."
Black human rights activist today
Now 72-year-old Davis Angela positions herself as a democratic socialist. She still fights for the rights of prisoners and women, is against the death pen alty and homophobia.
She works at the University of California. Davis also serves as Director of Feminist Studies. The legendary human rights activist continues to stage large-scale protests against the oppression of people.
