bell hooks, whose real name is Gloria Jean Watkins, was born on September 25, 1952, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. An influential feminist theorist, cultural critic, and writer, hooks is best known for her discussions on intersectionality, focusing on race, capitalism, and gender. She chose her pen name as a tribute to her maternal great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks, and uses lowercase letters to shift the focus from her identity to her ideas. Raised in a working-class family, hooks attended racially segregated public schools before moving on to Stanford University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in English literature in 1973. She received her master's degree in 1976 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed her doctorate in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1983. ## Major feminist writings hooks' first major work, "Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism" (1981), was written when she was 19 years old and established her as a formidable critic and intellectual. The book critiques the history of [racism](https://doctorparadox.net/category/psychology/racism/) and [sexism](https://doctorparadox.net/category/psychology/sexism/) that has deeply affected Black women throughout history and argues for a new feminist theory that is inclusive of the unique experiences of Black women. Throughout her career, hooks has written over 30 books, including notable titles like "Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center" (1984), "Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black" (1989), "Black Looks: Race and Representation" (1992), and "Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom" (1994). Her works offer critiques of race, gender, and class and how their intersections contribute to systems of oppression and marginalization. ## Contributions to feminist theory hooks was a professor of African-American studies and English at Yale University, Oberlin College, and the City College of New York. She was also a Distinguished Professor in Residence in Appalachian Studies at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, where she maintained an active role in teaching and scholarship. hooks' work has had a significant influence on feminist theory, providing a radical critique of mainstream [[feminism]] for its focus on the experiences of white, middle-class women. Her emphasis on intersectionality and her critique of power structures have profoundly influenced cultural studies and social theory more broadly. bell hooks died in December 2021 after a lifetime of contributing to conversations about race, gender, and capitalism through her writing and public speaking engagements. She is remembered as one of the most prominent voices in feminist theory and social critique.