Lifting Black Women’s Voices

Sojourner Truth. Harriet Jacobs. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Honoring and Engaging Black Women Writers Through History

An author, educator, and activist, Alice Dunbar-Nelson was committed to elevating the work of African American women for wider audiences. Following in her footsteps, Lifting Black Women’s Voices highlights the work and impact of Black women writers of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. 

An ongoing project, Lifting Black Women’s Voices is a series of short videos featuring contemporary Black women educators reading aloud from lesser-known texts by African American women and talking briefly what those texts mean to them personally. Transcripts of early Black women intellectuals' work, brief biographies of the authors, and other educator resources to help contextualize and teach these texts accompany each video.

In this inspiring episode, Dr. Fielder delves into the rich historical legacy of Black women intellectuals, illuminating their substantial impact on African American Literature. Discover how the TBL video series "Lifting Their Voices" celebrates this legacy, featuring contemporary Black women educators reading and discussing the powerful texts of groundbreaking writers like Alice Dunbar-Nelson. Join us for a deep dive into cultural appreciation and storytelling that transcends time. Whether you're seeking professional development or simply want to indulge a love for literature, you will find this conversation enriches your understanding of Black heritage.

Ep. 1 | Sojourner Truth's “I am a woman's rights” read by Dr. Crystal Lucky

Ep. 2 | Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl read by Dr. P. Gabrielle Foreman

Ep. 3 | Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's “All Bound Up Together” read by Dr. Frances Smith Foster

Ep. 4 | Alice Dunbar-Nelson's “Negro Literature for Negro Pupils” read by Shaquita Smith