Combahee River Collective

Combahee River Collective was a Black feminist lesbian organization active from 1974 to 1980, named after the Combahee River Raid led by Harriet Tubman in South Carolina during the American Civil War. The collective was formed by a group of Black women who were dissatisfied with the National Organization for Women and the Civil Rights Movement for not addressing the specific concerns of Black women and lesbians. The collective was influenced by the works of Sojourner Truth, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, and Shirley Chisholm, and was part of a broader movement that included organizations like the National Black Feminist Organization and the Black Women's Liberation Group. The collective's activities were also informed by the Feminist movement and the Gay liberation movement, which included key figures like Gloria Anzaldua, Chela Sandoval, and Audre Lorde.

● History

The Combahee River Collective was formed in 1974 in Boston, Massachusetts, by a group of Black women who were active in the Civil Rights Movement and the Feminist movement. The collective's early members included Barbara Smith, Demita Frazier, and Beverly Smith, who were influenced by the works of Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker. The collective's history was marked by its involvement in various social justice movements, including the Anti-apartheid movement and the Central American solidarity movement, which included organizations like the American Friends Service Committee and the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador. The collective also worked with other organizations, such as the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays and the Lesbian and Gay Task Force, to address issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia.

● Ideology

The Combahee River Collective's ideology was rooted in Black feminism and lesbian feminism, and was influenced by the works of bell hooks, Patricia Hill Collins, and Chandra Mohanty. The collective's members believed in the importance of intersectionality, which was a concept developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw and Andrea Smith, and argued that Black women and lesbians faced multiple forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, and homophobia. The collective's ideology was also influenced by the Marxist feminism of Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg, and the anarchist feminism of Emma Goldman and Lucy Parsons. The collective's members were also influenced by the Black Power movement and the American Indian Movement, which included key figures like Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, and Russell Means.

● Statement

The Combahee River Collective Statement, published in 1977, was a seminal document that outlined the collective's ideology and goals. The statement was influenced by the Port Huron Statement and the Black Panther Party's Ten-Point Program, and argued that Black women and lesbians needed to organize separately from white women and Black men in order to address their specific concerns. The statement also emphasized the importance of coalition building and solidarity with other social justice movements, including the Labor movement and the Environmental movement, which included organizations like the AFL-CIO and the Sierra Club. The statement was widely influential and helped to shape the feminist movement and the lesbian and gay movement, which included key figures like Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin, and Sylvia Rivera.

● Impact

The Combahee River Collective had a significant impact on the feminist movement and the lesbian and gay movement, and helped to shape the social justice movements of the 1970s and 1980s. The collective's emphasis on intersectionality and coalition building influenced a generation of activists and scholars, including Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker. The collective's work also influenced the development of women's studies and gender studies programs at universities like Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and New York University, which included key figures like Catharine MacKinnon, Andrea Dworkin, and Judith Butler. The collective's legacy can be seen in the work of organizations like the National Organization for Women, the Human Rights Campaign, and the American Civil Liberties Union, which continue to fight for social justice and human rights.

● Members

The Combahee River Collective's members included Barbara Smith, Demita Frazier, and Beverly Smith, who were all prominent activists and scholars in their own right. Other notable members included Gloria Anzaldua, Chela Sandoval, and Audre Lorde, who were all influential figures in the feminist movement and the lesbian and gay movement. The collective's members were also involved in other social justice movements, including the Anti-apartheid movement and the Central American solidarity movement, which included organizations like the American Friends Service Committee and the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador. The collective's members worked with other organizations, such as the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays and the Lesbian and Gay Task Force, to address issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia.

● Legacy

The Combahee River Collective's legacy can be seen in the many social justice movements and organizations that it influenced, including the feminist movement, the lesbian and gay movement, and the Black Lives Matter movement. The collective's emphasis on intersectionality and coalition building continues to shape the work of activists and scholars today, including key figures like Patricia Hill Collins, bell hooks, and Angela Davis. The collective's work also influenced the development of women's studies and gender studies programs at universities like Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and New York University, which continue to produce new generations of scholars and activists. The collective's legacy is a testament to the power of grassroots organizing and the importance of social justice movements in shaping our world, and includes key organizations like the National Organization for Women, the Human Rights Campaign, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Category:Social justice movements