I remain in awe of Harriet Jacobs, so I am pleased whenever she is acknowledged. And acknowledging her feels increasingly urgent, given that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. During Women's History Month, the U.S. Postal Service's Underground Railroad stamp series was released. It includes Harriet Jacobs. I found out in time to write a brief essay about why this seems appropriate. I hope you'll read and … [Read More...]
Koritha’s Blog
2024, Intense Already
by Koritha
Once Dr. Claudine Gay became Harvard University’s first African American and first woman president, her tumultuous experiences have led many people to mention my work. For my entire career, I have been framing violence (whether physical or discursive) as a response to success. Examples abound in our everyday lives, in ways that never make the news. So, I hope that clarity about the examples from the national stage will move "good" … [Read More...]
Saying Farewell to 2023
by Koritha
As another year comes to a close, it's important to take at least a moment to reflect. The first week of 2023 included the Modern Language Association (MLA) convention in San Franciso. One of the highlights was a roundtable with 6 brilliant scholars discussing my book From Slave Cabins to the White House. During that same conference, another roundtable gave me the opportunity to speak about my editorial work with both Iola … [Read More...]