Tributes for late feminist author bell hooks pour in from US VP Kamala Harris, author Roxane Gay, others
- bell hooks died on Wednesday at her home in Kentucky, ‘surrounded by family and friends’
- She gained acclaim for works examining the impact of sexism and racism on Black women, as well as racism within feminism
Iconic Black-American feminist author bell hooks, known for her trailblazing works on the intersection of gender, race and class, died on Wednesday aged 69, her family said.
Born Gloria Jean Watkins in 1952, hooks passed away early Wednesday at her home in Kentucky, “surrounded by family and friends”, her niece, Ebony Motley, wrote on Twitter.
Her family is “deeply saddened at the passing of our beloved sister on December 15, 2021”, a statement posted by Motley read.
Using the lower-case pen name bell hooks, in honour of her great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks, she published her first book of poems And There We Wept in 1978.
She gained acclaim in 1981 for Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism, in which she examined the impact of sexism and racism on Black women, as well as racism within feminism, arguing for a more inclusive movement.
She went on to publish some 40 works, including poetry, children’s fiction, memoir and literary criticism, delving into not only feminism, racism and other social justice issues, but love – romantic and beyond.
“I’m talking about a love that is transformative, that challenges us in both our private and our civic lives,” she told NPR in 2000. “We can love in a deep and profound way that transforms the political world in which we live.”