When: April 29, 2016, 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Knight Library Browsing Room, 1501 Kincaid St, Eugene (on UO campus)

Tanisha Ford is an assistant professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her book Liberated Threads uncovers how and why black women use beauty culture and fashion as a form of resistance and cultural-political expression. From the Civil Rights and Black Power era of the 1960s through anti-apartheid activism in the 1980s and beyond, black women have used their clothing, hair, and style not simply as a fashion statement but as a powerful tool of resistance.

Whether using stiletto heels as weapons to protect against police attacks or incorporating African-themed designs into everyday  wear, these fashion-forward women celebrated their identities and pushed for equality. In this thought-provoking book, Ford  explores how and why black women in places as far-flung as New York City, Atlanta, London, and Johannesburg incorporated style and beauty culture into their activism.

Sponsored by the Center for the Study of Women in Society; the Departments of English, Ethnic Studies, and
Women’s and Gender Studies; the College Scholars Program; the CSWS Women of Color Project; the Office of
Equity and Inclusion; and the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

PDF copy of flyer