Outsiders Within: Black Women in the Legal Academy After Brown v. Board

by Elwood D. Watson

Overview

Through interviews with prominent legal academics such as Lani Guinier and Kimberle Crenshaw, Outsiders Within presents the trials and accomplishments of black women law professors who began to enter the legal academy in the 1970s and 80s. The often-overlooked legacies of these women are brought to light as chapters highlight the work of important women like Jean Cahn, who co-founded Antioch Law School in 1972, and Emma Coleman-Jordan, who founded the Northeast Corridor Collective of black women law professors in 1988. Author Elwood Watson also discusses the scholarship of a number of black women law professors who have written on the intersection of race and gender, and employs their findings to determine how the experiences of black women in the law academy differ from those of black men and white men and women.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742540743
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/16/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Elwood Watson is professor of history and African American studies at East Tennessee State University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: In the Media Spotlight: Anita Hill and Lani Guinier
Chapter 2: A Hostile and Unsupportive Environment
Chapter 3: Dealing With The Multiple Isms- Racism, Sexism, Elitism etc…
Chapter 4: Affirmative Action: Combating Assumptions
Chapter 5: Interacting With Students: That Delicate Balance
Chapter 6: Derrick Bell, Harvard Law School and the Emergence of Black Feminist Jurisprudence
Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Outsiders Within relies upon some of our finest legal intellectuals—Anita Hill, Lani Guinier, Kimberle Crenshaw—to shed light on the realities of being a Black woman while rising through the ranks of the law professoriate. Dr. Watson taps key insights regarding issues of affirmative action, harassment, credibility in the classroom, and the importance of developing a support system. This book illustrates the remarkable journeys that professional Black women often encounter.

Robin R. Means Coleman

Elwood Watson's Outsiders Within is a remarkable, inspiring, moving, and solid study that chronicles the professional careers of brilliant black women in a white dominated legal academy. In revealing and provocative interviews, the author captures the mistreatment, isolation, and marginalization these phenomenal legal minds experienced in their profession. Watson also discusses how they and other courageous professional black women persevered through public and media scrutiny. This empowering monograph is a must-read for those in search of more insight into issues of diversity and affirmative action as it relates to African American women in the legal profession.

Dwayne Mack

Elwood Watson has written a pioneering study on a topic that has been largely ignored. This book is a valuable addition to the fields of history, legal studies, and cultural and gender studies.

Quintard Taylor

Outsiders Within contributes a disciplinary perspective to growing discussions about Black women academics’ intellectual history. The accounts of professional trials and the public tribulations of law professors enriches our understanding of the experiences and perspectives of Black women who came after law student pioneers like Sadie T. M. Alexander, Constance Baker Motley, and Ada Sipuel. Watson points to invaluable resources to challenge the race and gender status quo in the legal academy.

Stephanie Y. Evans

Elwood Watson has written a pioneering study on a topic that has been largely ignored. This book is a valuable addition to the fields of history, legal studies, and cultural and gender studies.--Quintard Taylor, University of Washington

Elwood Watson's Outsiders Within is a remarkable, inspiring, moving, and solid study that chronicles the professional careers of brilliant black women in a white dominated legal academy. In revealing and provocative interviews, the author captures the mistreatment, isolation, and marginalization these phenomenal legal minds experienced in their profession. Watson also discusses how they and other courageous professional black women persevered through public and media scrutiny. This empowering monograph is a must-read for those in search of more insight into issues of diversity and affirmative action as it relates to African American women in the legal profession.--Dwayne Mack, Berea College

Outsiders Within contributes a disciplinary perspective to growing discussions about Black women academics' intellectual history. The accounts of professional trials and the public tribulations of law professors enriches our understanding of the experiences and perspectives of Black women who came after law student pioneers like Sadie T. M. Alexander, Constance Baker Motley, and Ada Sipuel. Watson points to invaluable resources to challenge the race and gender status quo in the legal academy.--Stephanie Y. Evans, University of Florida

From the Publisher