Danielle McGuire's book, 'The Dark End of the Street', highlights the stories of Black women whose sexual assaults fueled civil rights activism in the 1950s and 60s. The Perkins case, which mobilized the Black community and emphasized the protection of Black women's rights, laid the groundwork for the Montgomery bus boycott. Women played a crucial role in leading the boycott, filling the pews, raising funds, and running the carpool system. The boycott can be seen as a women's movement for bodily integrity and dignity.
The struggles against sexism and racism come together in the bodies, and the lives, of black women. Co-hosts Celeste Headlee and John Biewen look at the intersections between male dominance and white supremacy in the United States, and the movements to overcome them, from the 1800s through the 2016 presidential election. Guests include scholars Glenda Gilmore, Ashley Farmer, and Danielle McGuire.
Music by Alex Weston, and by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine. Music and production help from Joe Augustine at Narrative Music.