Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around

Reveals a remarkable woman’s life and her contributions to social justice movements related to Civil Rights, feminism, lesbian and gay liberation, anti-racism, and Black feminism. As an organizer, writer, publisher, scholar-activist, and elected official, Barbara Smith has played key roles in multiple social justice movements, including Civil Rights, feminism, lesbian and gay liberation, anti-racism, and Black feminism. Her four decades of grassroots activism forged collaborations that introduced the idea that oppression must be fought on a variety of fronts simultaneously, including gender, race, class, and sexuality. By combining hard-to-find historical documents with new unpublished interviews with fellow activists, this book uncovers the deep roots of today’s “identity politics” and “intersectionality” and serves as an essential primer for practicing solidarity and resistance. Alethia Jones is Director of Education and Leadership Development at 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Virginia Eubanks is Associate Professor of Women’s Studies at the University at Albany, State University of New York and author of Digital Dead End: Fighting for Social Justice in the Information Age. Barbara Smith is Public Service Professor in the School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany, State University of New York. She served two terms as a member of the City of Albany’s Common Council, and is the author of The Truth That Never Hurts: Writings on Race, Gender, and Freedom.