Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: The Life of a Feminist Black Radical by Sherie M. Randolph

Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: The Life of a Feminist Black Radical by Sherie M. Randolph

                I love reading a biography that does more than just educate, instead it enlightens, broadens perspectives and changes the way certain segments of history are viewed. This biography of Florynce Kennedy is a great example of this type of biography. It is well written, narrated and honest about the life of a black feminist radical. Her story takes readers through many different pivotal moments throughout history and readers are exposed to the many injustices imposed on women, the Black community and both fights for equality.

                A simple narrative worked beautifully for this biography because Florynce Kennedy lived such a long and complex life. Her grandparents on both sides had been enslaved and at a young age, Kennedy saw her own parents threatened by members of the white community around her and they didn’t back down. Watching her parents stand tall in the face of discrimination influenced her own idea about what it meant to not take shit from anyone. She began challenging not only racism but sexism as well in her teens, feeling doubly criticized against because she was both Black and a woman. Kennedy would eventually attend Columbia University in the 1940’s and obtain her law degree. She would use the courts to challenge discrimination and even though she didn’t view that as the best approach she still used it to her advantage. Kennedy would join many different feminist and Black power organizations trying to fight the oppression and injustice on both sides. One of the ideas that Kennedy held on to was that the struggles of both women and the Black community should be bridged and fought together. Only by embracing both struggles and advancing both rights would there be success on both sides. Kennedy’s position in history within these different organizations refutes any past indication that the leaders of the Feminist movement, which would gain so much traction, was not exposed to the idea of fighting against both racism and sexism but simply chose to ignore the reasoning.

                I would never be able to give Florynce Kennedy’s life any justice in such a short summary. She was an extremely motivating woman who fought against extremely difficult odds and tried to make a change in our government and our culture. Her life story is extremely impressive and I am still shocked that I didn’t know more about her before reading this biography. Randolph let the story tell itself and was very detailed with the information that she provided. I have a very well rounded image of the woman that Florynce Kennedy was and the mark she has on history. My only complaint about this biography is that at times it got repetitive, not the struggles she endured but the way the information was relayed. This is definitely a novel that I would purchase and recommend. Extremely engaging from the beginning to the end. I give this biography 4 out of 5 stars. 

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review