Theorizing Black women’s experiences with institution-sanctioned violence: a #BlackLivesMatter imperative toward Black liberation on campus

Abstract

Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi are the three Black women and founders of #BlackLivesMatter (BLM). Despite being founded by Black women, public discourses about BLM often foreground Black men’s lives, and deaths, at the hand of the state. When attention is given to the violence against Black women, they are either blamed for their victimization or rendered invisible altogether. Black women’s labor as a driving force of the BLM movement is also largely unacknowledged. This manuscript explores intersectional failures in the treatment of Black women’s contributions broadly, and within higher education, specifically. The authors argue that in addition to state-sanctioned violence, institution-sanctioned violence contributes to the erasure of Black women. Using the experiences of the BLM founders as an entry point, the authors illuminate multiple forms of institution-sanctioned violence experienced by Black women scholars and leaders who, despite their commitment to Black liberation and uplift, experienced marginalization. This article closes with Black women’s liberation strategies to disrupt institution-sanctioned violence.

Keywords:

• Black women
• violence
• institutions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lori D. Patton

Lori D. Patton is Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs and Chair of the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. She is the immediate past President of the Association for the Study of Higher Education.

Nadrea R. Njoku

Nadrea R. Njoku is Senior Research Associate in the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute at the United Negro College Fund.