Thread by @karlajstrand

Attending "Gendered Violence, the Carceral System, and African American Women's Advocacy for Racial and Gender Justice" next @AsalhConvention. Panelists include Kimberly Wallace-Sanders, Alison Marie Parker, @YohuruWilliams, and @MichelleYGordon. #asalh2020

Wallace-Sanders introduces "the best panel of the day". Alison Parker will be up first discussing Mary Church Terrell. #asalh2020

Parker: Mary Church Terrell was first pres of NACW, voting rights advocate, feminist, used cross-class efforts to achieve equality by challenging sexist and racist stereotypes. Defended honor of Black women from ideas of impurity. #asalh2020

Parker: MCT encouraged that violence against Black women be taken as seriously as violence of white women. Condemned the double standard of sexual purity. Rape of Black women by white men not taken seriously bc Black women's humanity and purity were questioned.

Parker: MCT supported young Black women caught in the racist carceral state. MCT and NACW came to aid of Virginia Christian, a Black teen who killed her white employer bc of the violence she suffered. Despite this, she was the first and last teen executed by electric chair.

Parker: MCT and Rosa Parks worked together on Mrs. Recy Taylor case. Parker shares story of Rosa Lee Ingram and her sons as well as example of unfair death sentences for Black citizens. MCT and others demanded commutations, pardons, parole. #asalh2020

Parker: MCT partnered with others to create National Committee to Free the Ingram Family. Used petitions, letter writing, media, pressure on officials, protest, etc. to fight against state sanctioned racism and violence in criminal justice system. #asalh2020

Parker: MCT critiqued double standards and multiple hurdles of race, gender of Black women to fight for just treatment, citizenship. #asalh2020

Williams: Discussing African American female activists in Delaware. At the forefront of challenging Jim Crow and double standard of violence against Black people esp those perpetrated by white men against Black women. #asalh2020

Williams: Important network of Black women activists played a central part in the formation of Wilmington NAACP and in the the leadership. They helped determine branch's agenda, challenged racist legal system in Delaware. Major problems in Delaware: whipping post, executions.

Williams: It was the 1940s before a white man was convicted of rape in Delaware, all previously were Black men. Several examples of Black men being convicted of assaults against white women, but Black women assaulted were ignored or forgotten. #asalh2020

Williams: In 1927, NAACP had a victory in case of 13yo Black girl, Sarah Harrison, raped by white man. White neighbor was a witness. White man was convicted and sentenced to 3 years. Although a brief sentence, historic nevertheless. #asalh2020

Williams: Because justice system wouldn't prosecute crimes of white men against Black women, ALL women suffered and were unsafe. If it wasn't for the work of the NAACP and their allies, many more would've gone free. #asalh2020

Gordon: Interlocking forms of violence (gender and race) and failure to hold white men accountable when assaulting Black women reminds us of blatantly racist justice system in the US. Not confined to the South. #asalh2020

Gordon: Black women, well known and lesser known, fought against inequalities in criminal justice system. Black women's activism and leadership have exhibited intersectional analysis before Crenshaw's coining of the term. #ASALH2020

Gordon: Too often Black women don't meet standards of respectability so their vulnerability remains beyond the pale of fair legal and social protections. Protecting Black women has been a long fight, Black women have always been leaders in it.

Gordon: Always lukewarm or hostile responses to violence against Black women from all American institutions. Lack of meaningful response from individuals and orgs "is deadly and wounds us to no end." No justice? "That leaves just us." #asalh2020

Gordon: By "just us" Gordon means not only Black people and not all Black people. She refers to all who will stand up with and for Black people. "There is no other way, lest we surrender." #asalh2020

Parker: MCT never held back from partnering with white women but also from critiquing white women.

Williams: Throughout history, coalitions develop due to common interests. Understand this context to help us in our current moment. #ASALH2020

Kim Sanders: In her responses to the papers, Michelle Gordon @MichelleYGordon brought a level of intellect and outrage that was moving and balanced perfectly. Thank you for that. #ASALH2020

It's one amazing panel after another at @AsalhConvention! #ASALH2020