Personally Speaking talk to explore how women’s literature led the civil rights discourse

Stories of liberation from slavery or oppression have become central to African American women’s literature. In “Freedom Narratives of African American Women: A Study of 19th Century Writings,” author Janaka Bowman Lewis posits that these texts represent an earlier discussion on civil rights than the ideas of racial uplift that culminated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Lewis, an associate professor of English and a faculty affiliate in Africana Studies, explores the collective “free identity” of black women. In her study, she focuses on education, individual progress, marriage and family, labor, intellectual commitments and community-rebuilding projects.

On Tuesday, Jan. 29, there will be a Personally Speaking event with Lewis, who also serves as director of UNC Charlotte’s Women’s and Gender Studies. Her presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City. A reception and book signing will follow.

Personally Speaking is open to the public without charge, but registration is required. Information about parking and other useful tips for the evening will be emailed a few days before the event to those who RSVP.