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Nathan Wikman

7/15/2014
PHL 356
Combahee River Collective: A black feminist statement.

Thesis: Women of African American origin have a unique spot in the fight for liberation, because they
must fight the war on two or more fronts. Though they recognize the immensity of their struggle, they
are prepared for a lifelong fight.
Section 1: This paper was written by a group of black feminists that have a long history together. They
are most generally committed to combating racism, heterosexual, sexual, and class oppression; they see
these systems as interlocking. Their essay will consist of four main parts, which will be described in the
other sections.
Section 2: This group finds it's origins in the African American woman's constant struggle for survival and
liberation. The authors claim that the back woman stands in contrast to the white man in our society.
Black Women must fight two forms of oppression, racism and sexism, which makes them somewhat
unique in radical leftist struggles. From early childhood, they were told things like "be quiet", and that
had a double meaning. It made them seem more feminine to their male counterparts, but also made
them less objectionable to whites. Before being exposed to things like the idea of class struggle and
feminism to explain their conditions, many black women report feeling crazy because of their constant
struggle to fit so many other peoples expectations.
Section 3: The authors formed a group to fight for their belief that black women are inherently valuable,
and that in order to find liberation they need to unite. They realize that the only people that care
enough about their liberation enough to fight for it are they themselves. Their movement comes out of
a love for themselves. They only desire to be recognized as humans, they don't desire a throne. They
find it very difficult to separate race from class from sex oppression because in their lives they are
almost always experienced in the same moments. This group does not demand the separation from
males that many white feminists to, they feel solidarity with the black male. The collective is socialist
because they believe that the work that a community makes must benefit the workers, not the bosses.
But, they believe that if there is a socialist revolution then it must also include sexual and racial ideas.
We need to articulate in a socialist revolution that sex and race do exist in culture, and not just imagine
the revolution to be sexless and raceless, or else at the end those groups would still be oppressed.
Although they agree with Marx's analysis of economic relationships, they think it must be expanded
further to include oppressed groups.
Section 4: They've had difficulty getting recognized as a group. The psyche of black women in our society
is not seen as important, they are supposed to deal with it on their own. Since black women are at the
bottom of the system, their liberation would require the liberation of all other groups above them.
Many African men are actually against their women becoming feminists. This only adds to the problems
that they face. The group had periods of contact with other feminist groups, but found them to be
narrow minded.
Section 5: They feel like they are inclusive, and allow all women with problems access to their help. The
group identifies things they feel like they have effected, and the problems that they are focusing on now.
They have begun to point out racism in the white woman's movement. They believe that in politics, that
the ends justify the means always. They recognize the many struggles before them, and declare their
willingness for a life long fight.

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