Kimberlé Crenshaw, the Promise Institute Professor of Human Rights at the UCLA School of Law, was recently awarded the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal from the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University.
At the Oct. 1 awards ceremony, the Harvard Law alumna recounted her participation in student protests while attending the law school. Crenshaw is known for coining the term “intersectionality” — the way in which the effects of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination combine and overlap to create unique experiences. She’s also a founder and leader of critical race theory.
Crenshaw, who’s also a professor at Columbia School of Law, told the audience of more than 300 academics, alumni and students to stand up against institutional attacks on knowledge and education. “We have to fight against the selective use of ‘comfort’ to suppress uncomfortable conversations,” she said.
The co-founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum think tank has led grassroots movements and campaigns such as #SayHerName, the Freedom to Learn Network and the Critical Race Theory Summer School.
The W.E.B. Du Bois award is Harvard’s highest honor in the field of African and African American studies. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to African American history, studies and culture. Other recipients this year included musician and actor Ice T, filmmaker Spike Lee, and actor LeVar Burton.
