Jenn M. Jackson

“Black Women Taught Us,” Jenn M. Jackson, PhD’s debut book, examines the historical oversight of Black women’s contributions to freedom struggles in America. Jackson passionately explores why society has neglected the intellectual and political efforts of Black women throughout history and the resulting losses to our collective understanding. Through eleven insightful essays, Jackson highlights the pivotal roles of figures such as Harriet Jacobs, Ida B. Wells, the Combahee River Collective, and Audre Lorde. These essays reclaim Black women’s legacy in movement organizing, theory development, and coalition building for racial, gender, and sexual justice both domestically and internationally. Jackson underscores how Black women have consistently led liberation movements despite facing erasure and misrecognition, often risking their lives and livelihoods. “Black Women Taught Us” serves as a poignant reminder to a new generation of activists and allies, that Black women pioneered strategies against racism, articulated their struggles, and envisioned a more equitable world for all.