Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw with Farah Jasmine Griffin: Backtalker, An American Memoir

About this event

The renowned civil rights advocate reflects on the personal experiences that shaped her groundbreaking ideas on race, gender, and equality. In-person registration for this event is full but there may be a limited number of standby tickets available if space permits. Sign up for our bi-weekly NYPL Events e-newsletter to stay updated on the latest programs and events from the Library. Blending memoir with cultural and political history, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s new book traces her journey from a childhood in Canton, Ohio, to becoming one of the most influential public intellectuals of our time. Best known for coining the terms “intersectionality” and “critical race theory,” Crenshaw draws on moments from her own life to show how these concepts emerged—from early experiences of exclusion to pivotal national events, such as being escorted to back entrances or witnessing Anita Hill’s exile for testifying against Clarence Thomas. She explores how speaking up—what she calls “backtalking”—became a guiding practice throughout her life. Crenshaw discusses her new book with scholar Farah Jasmine Griffin. To join the event in-person | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For LIVE from NYPL events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment; we will do our best to accommodate everyone. Booked seats that have not been claimed will be released shortly before start time, and seats may become available then. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program. To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on this NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Kimberlé W. Crenshaw is a pioneering scholar and writer on civil rights, Black feminist legal theory, race, racism, and the law. She was a founder and has been a leader in the intellectual movement called Critical Race Theory and is also known for introducing and developing the concept of intersectionality. She is a Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles, the Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, and the cofounder and Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum. Crenshaw writes regularly for The New Republic, The Nation, and Ms., hosts the podcast Intersectionality Matters!, and has appeared as a commentator on media outlets including MSNBC and NPR. Farah Jasmine Griffin is University Professor at Columbia University, where she also served as the inaugural Chair of the African American and African Diaspora Studies. Professor Griffin received her B.A. in History & Literature from Harvard and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale. She is the author or editor of eight books including Who Set You Flowin?: The African American Migration Narrative (Oxford, 1995), If You Can’t Be Free, Be a Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday (Free Press, 2001), and Harlem Nocturne: Women Artists and Progressive Politics During World War II (Basic Books, 2013). READ THE BOOK: Borrow: NYPL Catalog E-Books: Check out this title—and even more NYPL e-books—on your favorite device. Learn more: nypl.org/ebookhelp Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here! ACCESSIBILITY NOTES In-Person Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation and real-time captioning (CART) are available upon request. Please submit your request via this form at least two weeks in advance. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs. Livestream Captions and a transcript will be provided. Media used over the course of the conversation will be accompanied by alt text and/or audio description. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation of the event: please submit your request via this form at least two weeks in advance. CONNECT WITH US Sign up for our e-newsletters to stay up to date on upcoming events and Library offerings. For questions and inquiries, please email publicprograms@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. Please submit all press inquiries at least 48 hours before the event: email press@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. SUPPORT THE LIBRARY The New York Public Library's free services and resources are made possible thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library. Join this group of Library lovers and take advantage of special membership benefits, like invitations to members-only virtual events, discounts at the Library Shop, and more. Join now. LIVE from NYPL is made possible by the continuing generosity of Celeste Bartos, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos, the Margaret and Herman Sokol Public Education Endowment Fund, and the support of Library patrons and friends.