Digital Black Feminism

Digital Black Feminism is a book that explores the long-standing relationship between technology and Black feminist thought, tracing the history of Black feminist technoculture in the United States and its ability to decenter white supremacy and patriarchy. It highlights the technical skill, communicative expertise, and entrepreneurial acumen of Black women's labor, positioning them at the center of discourse about the past, present, and future of technology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 25 October 2021
Publisher: New York University Press

Winner of the Diamond Anniversary Book Award, presented by the National Communication Association, the 2022 Nancy Baym Book Award was awarded by the Association of Internet Researchers. This book explores the enduring connection between technology and Black feminist thought, highlighting the significant role that Black women play in shaping the discourse surrounding technology in the contemporary era.

Black women have been at the forefront of crucial discussions about technology, including trolling, online harassment, algorithmic bias, and influencer culture. However, Catherine Knight Steele argues that Black women's relationship with technology extends far beyond the recent emergence of platforms like Twitter or Instagram. To truly engage with Black women and understand their perspectives, Steele emphasizes the importance of examining the history of Black feminist technoculture in the United States.

Through the metaphor of the virtual beauty shop, Digital Black Feminism offers a comprehensive exploration of the technical skills, communicative expertise, and entrepreneurial acumen of Black women's labor. This labor is rooted in survival strategies and economic necessity, manifesting both offline and online. By positioning Black women at the center of our discourse on technology, Steele provides a historical and contemporary through-line, connecting the writings of early twentieth-century Black feminist writers to the bloggers and social media mavens of the twenty-first century.

The book makes meaningful connections between the letters, news articles, and essays of Black feminist writers of the past and a digital archive of blog posts, tweets, and Instagram stories of some of the most well-known Black feminist writers of our time. Digital Black Feminism traverses the boundaries between historical and archival analysis and empirical internet studies, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of Black women's technology use across different eras.

In conclusion, Digital Black Feminism is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the profound impact of Black women on the development and evolution of technology. By centering Black women's experiences and perspectives, the book offers valuable insights into the past, present, and future of technology, challenging dominant narratives and promoting a more inclusive and equitable technological landscape.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479808373