Barbara Smith (With)

About the Author

Barbara Smith (With) is a pioneering activist, scholar, and writer whose lifelong commitment to social justice has profoundly shaped movements for racial, gender, and economic equality. As a co-founder of the Combahee River Collective, she played a pivotal role in developing Black feminist theory and praxis during the turbulent 1970s, emphasizing intersectionality long before it became a mainstream concept. Smith's intellectual contributions extend through her essays, edited anthologies, and organizational leadership, including her tenure as executive director of the National Black Women's Health Project. Her work bridges academia and activism, inspiring generations to confront systemic oppression with unwavering resolve. In Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: Forty Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith (New Political Science), she reflects on decades of grassroots organizing, offering invaluable insights into the power of collective action.