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Feminist Scholar to Deliver Keynote Address for Women's History Month

Laurie Kaiser
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In celebration of Women’s History Month, Buffalo State’s Women and Gender Studies program is hosting Brittney Cooper, a prominent scholar of black feminist thought, on Thursday, March 10, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Classroom Building C122.

Cooper will deliver the keynote address “#SayHerName,” in which she will explore police violence against black women and black women’s inclusion in social movements. A short reception will follow her talk, and light refreshments will be offered. This event is free and open to the public.

An assistant professor of women and gender studies and Africana studies at Rutgers University, Cooper writes about the black intellectual tradition, racial justice, hip-hop generation feminism, and race/gender representation in popular culture for Salon magazine. She also co-founded the activist blog Crunk Feminist Collective, and has written regularly about the movement #BlackLivesMatter. In 2013 and 2014, she was named to theroot.com’s Root 100, an annual list of top black influencers. 

In her forthcoming book, Race Women: Gender and the Making of Black Public Intellectual Tradition (University of Illinois Press), Cooper examines the history of black women’s thought leadership in the United States with a view toward reinvigorating contemporary scholarly and popular conversations about black feminism.

“We are excited to have a speaker of Cooper’s caliber during a month in which we aim to highlight women’s contributions to the intellectual realm," said Meg Knowles, associate communication professor and program coordinator for the Women and Gender Studies program. "It’s also fitting that she will address police violence against black women at a time when much of the country is struggling with racial injustice at the hands of police officers. She is so knowledgeable and has such a wide range of experiences. Her talk should interest men and women alike.”

In addition to Cooper's keynote speech, the campus is hosting a range of free events honoring Women’s History Month:

  • Women entrepreneurs will offer insights into what or who ignited their interest in starting a business and advice on how they achieved their goals on Thursday, March 10, at 12:15 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210.
     
  • Buffalo State Women’s Leadership Conference on Friday, March 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Campbell Student Union, lower level.
     
  • The Diversity Dialogue Speakers Series: “The Evolution of Hip-Hop” on Tuesday, March 15, at 6:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall.
     
  • Equity and Campus Diversity Music Series on Thursday, March 17, at 12:15 p.m. in Campbell Student Union.
     
  • Women and Gender Studies Brown Bag Series: “Creating Pedagogies of Diversity in the Undergraduate Classroom” on Thursday, March 17, at 12:15 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 181B.
     
  • Beyond Boundaries, Dare to Be Diverse Film and Discussion Series presents the documentary BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez on Thursday, March 17, at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center auditorium.
     
  • Katherine Morrison, a physician with Buffalo Womenservices, presents, “The Problem with Birth in Buffalo: The Connection between Abortion Rights and Birth Justice,” on Thursday, March 31, at 4:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210.

 

Sponsors include the Women and Gender Studies program, the Buffalo State Grant Allocation Committee, the Faculty-Student Association Founder’s Fund, the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, deans of the School of Arts and Humanities and the School of Natural and Social Sciences, the African and African American Studies minor, and the Communication Department.

For more information, call (716) 878-4516.