City Arts & Lectures Angela Davis with Deepa Fernandez
8 snips
Jan 4, 2026 
Angela Davis, a legendary activist and scholar known for her contributions to Black liberation and prison abolition, speaks with journalist Deepa Fernandez. They discuss her harrowing experience as a fugitive on the FBI’s most wanted list and the media spectacle surrounding her arrest. Davis shares insights on the targeting of Black women activists, her transition from prison reform to abolition, and the importance of intergenerational organizing. She emphasizes the need for hope and community-led safety initiatives, while urging a long-term vision for social justice.
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Discovery Of The FBI Wanted Poster
- Angela Davis describes discovering her face on a televised FBI wanted poster while in a Miami apartment.
- She explains going underground, traveling via Las Vegas and Chicago, and narrowly avoiding capture due to missed rendezvous and tips to the FBI.
Staged Arrest And Media Spectacle
- Angela Davis recounts her arrest in New York and the staged media spectacle at FBI headquarters.
- She notes officers kept her from calling anyone, snatched her wig, and paraded her for press photos.
Targeting Women To Cripple Movements
- Angela Davis reflects that targeting her was a deliberate effort to prevent Black women from radical organizing.
- She argues state repression focused on women because they did most of the organizing work in movements like the Black Panthers.