Community Action

Being a distinguished teacher in English, women’s studies and black women’s studies as well as building the Women’s Center at Spelman College, and attending world wide seminars, Beverly Guy-Sheftall is the epitome of community action and involvement. Although this may not be the typical activism of perhaps rallying and petitioning that most feminist activists are known for and involved in, it is the type of constructive community action that is bettering society through educational purposes. The Women’s Center at Spelman College was established in 1981 and it is historically the first women’s center of its kind at a black college. “Under the consistently creative and effective leadership of Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Spelman has continued to develop its Women’s Center as a leading institution in the birth and maturing of black women’s studies (Howe, 333).” The three goals that the center tries to achieve are: curriculum development in women’s studies emphasis on women of African descent, community outreach, and research on black women which has been put forward in SAGE, a Scholarly Journal on black women (Davie, 79). Constructing the Women’s Center and the women’s study major program has helped broaden the interdisciplinary study of black women’s studies by reaching out and theorizing on global black feminisms. Beverly Guy-Sheftall has been continually supportive in reaching out into black women and their communities. Other things that Beverly Guy-Sheftall has involved herself in and attended are notable conventions such as the National Women’s Studies Associations where she has met other famous feminists, including those that have greatly influenced her work. By public speaking and writing she is repeatedly putting herself out there for the open. Public speaking, teaching, and creating a place of research and feminist discussion keeps her involved and remains one of Beverly Guy-Sheftall’s top priorities, “I am also convinced that teaching antiracists, cross-cultural women’s studies courses to undergraduates is still the most important and fulfilling work that I do. Perhaps it is even the most radical work in which I am still engaged (Howe 226).”

Work Referenced:
Edited - Davie, Sharon L. University and College Women’s Centers, A Journey Toward Equity. Greenwood Press. Connecticut: 2002.

Edited - Howe, Florence. The Politics of Women’s Studies. The Feminist Press. New York: 2000