At the Dark End of the Street by Danielle L. McGuire

The CRM was not simply a battle between black and white men as so many textbooks have taught. Black women forged new organizations and fighting campaigns against their own ritualistic rape and degradation, which in turn sparked what became the Civil Rights movement (CRM). McGuire argues that these experiences of sexual assault, so common as to be considered “normal,” constituted a “weapon of terror” used to maintain the white supremacist social order. Yet this book is not only a testimonial account of patriarchal violence. They couldn’t always count on the support of the local black community and they often faced grave risk of retaliation by the local white power structure. Covering the 1940s – 1970s, she highlights the powerful acts of resistance by black women who came forward and fought for justice against rape and sexual assault. McGuire’s illuminating book, At The Dark End Of The Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance – A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power stands to make an important contribution towards deepening our understanding of this relationship. Yet the connection between these “quieter” moments of organizing against patriarchal violence(2) and the explosive moments of mass protest hasn’t always been clear.ĭanielle L.

When the big street protests after the murders of black men have quieted down, organizing campaigns for women like Rekia Boyd, Sandra Bland or the survivors of rapist cops(1) have continued the arduous work of mobilizing communities and building people power.

This is more than a hashtag drawing public attention to an ongoing and murderous trend. In the last two years, #SayHerName has become a familiar refrain drawing attention to the under-reported patriarchal violence against black and brown women by the state and police.

At the Dark End of the Street by Danielle L. McGuire