Religion and Race from Freedom Now to Black Lives Matter
Religion and Race from Freedom Now to Black Lives Matter
Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons is a retired Professor Emerita in African American and Religious Studies and affiliated Faculty in Women Studies at the University of Florida. Dr. Simmons became active in the Civil Rights Movement during her freshman year at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1962.
There, she joined with scores of students and others to desegregate restaurants, theatres and other public places. She was also an organizer with the National Council of Negro Women, serving as their Mid-West Field Director in their Project Woman Power. Her primary academic focus was on Islamic Law and its impact on Muslim women. She conducted research for two years as a Fulbright and NMERTA scholar in Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Syria (1996-1998) on the Shari’ah’s impact on women. Dr. Simmons’ writings and talks have straddled the two themes in her life, the Civil The Rights/Black Power Movements of the 60s, 70s & 80s and on Women and Islam.
Respondent Dr. Jawanza Clark
Moderated by Dr. Rodney Sebastian
Monday November 30, 2020
Time: 12:05-1:20
