BLACK INTELLECTUALITY

THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMEN FROM THE TEZ GROUP

Abstract

This paper aims to show how black women have struggled daily to be recognized as intellectuals, since intellectuality continues to be associated with knowledge and the white/western male subject. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five black women from the TEZ Group. The analysis was grounded on black feminism, which brings the intersectionality of gender, race and class as a central issue. The research has enabled the conclusion that black women have struggled both to be recognized as intellectuals and to show that intellectuality is not necessarily associated with high education level. Many black men and women have not attended a university, but produced and have produced knowledge that is much more important than what is produced in the academy.