Anna Julia Cooper

Anna Julia Cooper

From Philosophy Talk: Select Episodes by Philosophy Talk

January 30, 2026 · 52 min

About this episode

The episode explores the life and thought of Anna Julia Cooper, a pioneering Black feminist and educator.

More at https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/anna-julia-cooper. Born into slavery in the nineteenth century, Anna Julia Cooper received a classical education, attended the Sorbonne, and became the fourth African American in history to be awarded a PhD. Her first book, A Voice from the South, offered one of the first articulations of how Black women are impacted by race, gender, and socioeconomic class. She believed that uplifting Black women through higher education would improve life for all Black people. Josh and Ray explore her life and thought with Kathryn Sophia Belle, author of "Beauvoir and Belle: A Black Feminist Critique of The Second Sex." Part of the "Wise Women" series, generously supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

People in this episode

Hosts: Josh, Ray

Guest: Kathryn Sophia Belle

Topics covered

  • Black feminism
  • education
  • race and gender
  • socioeconomic class
  • historical figures
  • higher education

Keywords

  • Anna Julia Cooper
  • Black women
  • higher education
  • feminism
  • race
  • socioeconomic class
  • 19th century

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Endowment for the Humanities

Books & works: A Voice from the South, Beauvoir and Belle: A Black Feminist Critique of The Second Sex

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