Spelman College is about to make public the personal writings of Audre Lorde, one of the most important black lesbian and feminist voices of the last generation.
Lorde died of breast cancer in 1992 and bequeathed her personal papers to the private, historically black female arts college in Atlanta with a stipulation: The archives would be embargoed until an authorized biography of her life was completed. That work, Warrior Poet—what Lorde called herself—was published in 2004.
The Women’s Research & Resource Center will become the repository for the Lorde archives, which includes poems, manuscripts, journals, letters and other artifacts, as well as several unpublished speeches.
The Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has now decided to focus much of its energy on fighting homophobia, says director Beverly Guy-Sheftall. She says Spelman faculty began to explore sexual orientation about 10 years ago and is “the only historically black college doing it consistently. We teach Audre Lorde in our women’s studies courses on campus," she notes, adding there is “tremendous excitement” among Spelman faculty and students about the Lorde papers.
Remembering the Warrior (Southern Voice)
More Atlanta, Gays and Homophobia:
Atlanta Gay Bash Victims Speak Out (Rod 2.0) ATL Gay Bashings (Rod 2.0) Morehouse Anti-Gay Firing (Rod 2.0) Judge Reduces Morehouse Sentence (Rod 2.0) Live Blog: Coretta Scott King Funeral (Rod 2.0) "MLK Would Favor" Gay Rights (Rod 2.0) "Gay ATL in Black and White" (Rod 2.0) SoVo Continues Series (Rod 2.0)
Audre is one of my favorite poets, her work is truly a treasure. Glad to see that Spelman is taking such an aggreessive, pro-active stance. Too bad the boys at Morehouse are such wimps when it comes to gays and homophobia.
Posted by: ATL Kid | 04 December 2006 at 14:18
Audre certainly is one of the most important black feminist voices of our time. her and Angela Davis have become icons.
Posted by: A. Ronald | 04 December 2006 at 14:23
Audre Lorde is one of my heroes. I think it is fitting that the premier Black women's college would get her papers.
Posted by: Chris | 04 December 2006 at 16:28
One of the most important voices? Nah, I'd say that Audre Lorde was "the" most important voice.
Posted by: Greg | 04 December 2006 at 19:10
Great point, ATL Kid. Spelman ismuch more progressve than Morehouse. But it's to be expected, it's a women's college, not homophobic and insecure.
Posted by: Tony R | 04 December 2006 at 19:58