Phillis Wheatley, the first African American published poet, died at age
31. The strength of her work and the courage of her being did not
protect her from sickness during a cold Boston winter. Legendary
scholars like Audre Lorde, June Jordan, Barbara Christian, Nellie McKay,
Elizabeth Amelia Hadley, and most recently Aaronette M. White died long
before their time. Some Black Feminist visionaries sell their labor to
the university for stability and healthcare benefits. Many Black
Feminist visionaries believe that the racial politics and institutional
and intellectual violence of the university are carcinogenic. To
rephrase Barbara Smith’s question at the 1976 MLA convention: Is it
possible to be a Black woman academic and live?
As another early dead genius, Toni Cade Bambara, asks us at the start of
her novel /The Salt Eaters/, are we sure we want to be well? This forum
organized by /The Feminist Wire/ asks us to engage whether and how we
want to be well. Engaging research and writing on health outcomes of
Black Women Academics, concepts of self-care, legacies of Black women
navigating the academy, disparities research, and personal reflections,
we want to know what you think. What is possible? What is necessary?
What does our work mean to us and what is it worth? How can allies and
the larger structures better support and sustain healthy lives? What
narratives of sacrifice are we inheriting and passing on? What does
wellness feel like, anyway? And how can we know?
Please submit essays, stories, or research briefs of up to 1,500 words
to info@thefeministwire.com
> by
October 5, 2012. Also include a brief bio and a picture. [Note: This
issue will be the first of several theme issues to address the health of
various communities of women of color, LGBTQ health, and the health of
gender non-conforming people.]
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