How We Get Free -

How We Get Free

Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

How We Get Free explores the history, ideas, and ongoing influence of the Combahee River Collective, one of the most important Black feminist organizations of the twentieth century. Edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, the book features conversations with Collective members Barbara Smith, Beverly Smith, and Demita Frazier, alongside the original 1977 Combahee River Collective Statement. The book examines how Black feminists challenged movements that ignored the experiences of Black women while also challenging broader systems of racism, sexism, class inequality, and oppression. It offers a powerful examination of identity, liberation, and the belief that true freedom requires addressing the interconnected systems that shape people’s lives.

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At a Glance

"The major systems of oppression are interlocking."

Why This Book Matters

Black Fortunes matters because it restores a hidden chapter of American history—one where formerly enslaved African Americans not only survived freedom, but built wealth, businesses, and generational legacies against extraordinary odds.

These stories challenge the narrative that Black economic success is new or rare. Instead, they reveal a long tradition of entrepreneurship, land ownership, and strategic vision that has often been erased or overlooked.

This book reframes what Black success looks like—and who gets remembered for it.

Key Themes

Black Feminism

Explores the development of Black feminist thought and the importance of centering Black women’s experiences.

Intersectionality

Examines how race, gender, class, sexuality, and other identities intersect to shape people’s lived experiences.

Collective Liberation

Highlights the belief that freedom requires transforming systems that impact entire communities.

Activism and Organizing

Explores how grassroots movements create lasting social change.

The Power of Voice and Experience

Shows why personal experiences and marginalized perspectives are essential to understanding justice.

What You'll Learn

Black Fortunes offers more than historical biographies—it provides lessons in leadership, perseverance, entrepreneurship, and the importance of preserving overlooked stories. Readers will leave with a deeper understanding of how Black Americans shaped the nation’s economic history despite extraordinary obstacles.

Reflection Questions

Why is it important to center the experiences of those most affected by systems of inequality?
How does intersectionality change the way we understand social justice?
What can today’s movements learn from the organizing strategies of the Combahee River Collective?
Why do diverse voices strengthen movements for change?
How can communities build more inclusive visions of freedom?

About the Author

Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor is an award-winning author, scholar, activist, and professor whose work focuses on race, inequality, politics, and social movements. She is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and has written extensively about Black political history, racial capitalism, and movements for social justice. Through her scholarship and writing, Taylor examines the connections between historical struggles and contemporary movements for liberation. The book also centers the voices and legacy of the Combahee River Collective, a Black feminist organization founded in Boston in the 1970s whose members developed one of the most influential statements on Black feminism and intersectionality.

About the Author

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