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bell hooks Addresses Packed Faculty Club

Those who showed up 15 minutes early to hear Dr. bell hooks found themselves out of luck when it came to sitting near the front. Many, in fact, were forced to commandeer a spot on the Faculty Club floor or prop themselves against a wall for 1-1/2 hours.

Despite the discomfort, the soft-spoken but fiery candor of author, feminist and social critic bell hooks kept the diverse audience at attention.

At UMass Boston March 24 to remember the late Paulo Freire, hooks, to no surprise to any familiar with her work, shared a sampling of her prolific insight on feminism, race relations, literacy and myriad other topics.

Freire was a Brazilian educator who died May 7, 1997, at age 75. Despite being poor, imprisoned and exiled from his native country, Freire was a world leader in the fight against poverty and oppression.

One of Freire's most famous works, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, has sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. Freire's books are required readings for many education and social science students and have been used to improve education for politically and socially disenfranchised groups.

Currently a distinguished professor of English at the City College of New York, hooks met Freire while she was a graduate student. The two shared an "intellectual kinship," she said. Though she had read Freire's writings, "meeting Paulo face to face was a far more powerful teaching than all his work," she said.

hooks said she was particularly moved at how receptive Freire was to her criticism of his sexism. "Freire behaved as though my critiques of him were necessary and useful," she said.

Formerly Gloria Jean Watkins, hooks adopted and lowercased the name of her outspoken great-grandmother. The 45-year-old Kentucky native is author of at least 17 books and countless essays and articles. She came to prominence in 1981 with Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism.

Self described as a "dissident, feminist thinker," hooks spoke of obstacles she and other black woman intellectuals face. "When people refer to black intellectuals or any other intellectuals, they usually mean men," she said.

"I don't think people realize how difficult it is for black women to find professors who really value their work," she said. "When I met Paulo, he took the time ... to validate me as a thinker," she added.

During her talk, hooks did not shy away from criticizing renowned black intellectuals and academics, many of whom seek monetary gain on the backs of the masses, she said. She also warned the audience not to confuse educators with intellectuals. "There is a major difference between intellectual engagement and academic intervention," she said.

Black writers, such as hooks and Freire, whose work extend across class structures, are often marginalized, delegitimized and dismissed as not being intellectuals, she said. Ironically, she said, most of her critics are black intellectuals.

hooks said an acquaintance once asked how it felt to be the most famous black woman intellectual. "When it comes to fame, what life has shown me is that the channel always changes," she answered.

hooks' visit was sponsored by the Bilingual ESL Studies program, the Graduate Student Assembly, the Center for World Languages, and the College of Public and Community Service. She was hosted by Professor Donaldo Macedo, whom she met through Freire.