Angela Davis is often regarded as one of the most influential political Black female activist. Co-founding member to the Critical Resistance organization, beloved professor, and prolific author. Angela is believed to of been one of the first individuals to of coined the term prison-industrial complex, which alludes to the overlapping interests government and private industries have in over-surveillance, punishing, and imprisoning individuals for crimes routed in social, economic, and political inequities. Angela Davis gave her life to be a voice for the voiceless, often calling for the abolishment of the prison system, end to the war in Vietnam, advocated on behalf of Palestinians, Public supporter of the Black Panther Party, and fighter for second-wave feminism. In 1969 Davis was hired as a philosophy professor at UCLA, but was soon fired for her involvement in the Communist party. While the court ruled the firing illegal, the university was quick to fire her once again on the grounds of inflammatory language. Despite her admiration among students and professors, Angela Davis was not reinstated at UCLA. Today we hope to honor her legacy as her words continue to echo in our ears today.
"Education should not mold the mind according to a prefabricated architectural plan. It should rather liberate the mind"
- Angela Davis
All of these images were gathered from the UCLA Special Collections and encompass Daily bruin articles, magazine covers, protest fliers, student work, and announcements published during Angela's time at UCLA.
"You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time"
- Angela Davis
"I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept"
- Angela Davis
Chosen videos for display on the VHS:
Selected books by Angela Davis:
Related selected books:
Dream in the Rhythm by Grace Wales-bonner
wretched of the earth by Frantz Fanon
pedagogy of the oppressed by Paulo Freire
policing the planet by j.t camp et al.
"I'm moved by how the artistic community at ucla has come together to curate an exhibit of so many stories. The crossovers between stories, behind each, piece, performance, and person involved shows compassion and a desire to heal one another. "
-Nathalie Guzman; SCA member '24
