Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower

I read this book to learn more about intersectional feminism. Brittney Cooper has taught me about what it’s like to live as a black women in the United States. Strongly recommend to ANYBODY.

Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. I know I will return to it many times over the course of my life. While reading it, I felt as though I had long been thirsting for these words. I’m so grateful to Dr. Cooper for this gift.

I loved this book!!! This book creates connections between historical experiences for Black women,systemic oppression, and various daily challenges clear. Dr. Coopers use of personal narratives, reflection on challenges, vulnerability and knowledge made this book thought provoking, tear jerking, and a wonderful way to understand the complex life implications on living at the margins. Definite must-read. Invest in this book, it is amazing

This book is a life quencher for minorities struggling to make it through white-centric PhD programs. Necessary read for white students (and non-students alike) to understand what this journey is like.Thank you for writing this.

I would recommend this book to every single woman. Black women (cis and trans), this is for us. All other women: you’ll learn something, as there are gems for you, too. Cooper’s words are thoughtful and compelling. She will have you saying “amen”, “mmmhmm”, “daaaaamnnn”, and “yasssssss”. Thank you, Dr. Cooper.

An enlightening read that will no doubt leave you enraged but informed enough to fight. Ten out of ten, highly recommended.

Should be required reading for everyone, but especially anyone who calls themselves “feminist”, White, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, whomever. And for those who resist the label, READ THIS BOOK! Seriously. A well-written memoir in the voice of critical honesty. Humor, perplexity, hunger for Justice (and Shalom), wonderful, vivid, powerful storytelling. Functional, world-changing art.

This is a great book. Would highly recommend for a variety of audiences. She is an amazing author who keeps you intrigued, interested and engaged throughout the whole book.

This is the first book I’ve read in entirety in Black feminism. I have never been interested in feminism as a topic or philosophy. This book and its author’s humor allowed me to think differently about current political affairs and process experiences that I never quite had the vocabulary to speak truth to situations I’ve experienced. I am new to Ms Coopers work and am looking forward to following her work.

My God!This book has changed the way i view my own personal journey into feminism.Definitely a must read.

Although focusing specifically on Black feminism as a way of engaging a specific community of people, this book and Dr. Cooper’s journey speaks to many of the rest of us.

There are so many strong aspects about this book – where do I begin? Cooper addresses the intersectionality of being black and female with a boldness and directness rarely seen. She also calls some groups and institutions out as well. From the black church restricting our embracing the sexual beings we are to white feminists choosing race over gender, Cooper delivers her messages with a wallop, knocking your head and really making you think. Excellent, excellent read.

Dr. Cooper is real, she is honest, and truthful. Listening to her wisdom and her history was an honor and a privilege I’ll never be able to repay. Books like this show the importance of listening and elevating Black, Feminist voices, as they have so much to offer our society, our communities, and our futures.

I love this book and the way she put my thoughts into perspective. I highly recommend for anyone wanting to know more about black feminism and how it applies to our current society.

The level of analysis of the structures that weigh down black women (as a demographic) is so high, I found myself awed at how rock solid her case is for why we all should own our rage. She does not mince words or try to make the data, research and her anecdotal evidence comfort black men and white people who believe themselves to be good. She weaves feminist theology in with honest assessments for the realities of overachieving black girls who can not be fully convinced that their silence and submission will save them. This book has me speechless hours after finishing it.

As a 40 yo white lady on a quest of continuous improvement, and as someone striving for social justice, this book opened my eyes to so much. Thank you, Dr. Cooper. 10/10 will read again.

This book is a great read. The author explains feminism, racism, sexism and the experiences of black people in America. The role that politics, laws and legislation has played in systematic racism for people of color primarily black people. For those that want a deeper understanding of these topics and how we can coexist together as people in a safer and healthier way this book is for you.

Cooper is a professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other media. She tells the feminist story from her experience as a Black woman growing up poor in the south. In her opening chapter she says, “In this book I am doing what Black women do best. I’m calling America out on her bullshit about racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and a bunch of other stuff.” She notes (quoting Audre Lorde) that, “Rage is a legitimate political emotion. Focused with precision, it can become a powerful source of energy serving progress and change.” She speaks to many issues with unapologetic honesty. It is generally understood that the oppressed are the ones who know more clearly what is going on in the dynamic of oppression; and in sexism and racism, Black women are the oppressed of the oppressed. Cooper, however, does not see herself as a “feminist killjoy.” She notes that the clarity that comes from rage tells us what we want to be rid of and also what kind of world we want; so we need to help people find better tools to work with. A Christian, Cooper ends her book like all good church services with a Benediction, the last part of which is: “May your rage be a force for good.”

Love, love this book. It’s been weeks since I’ve read it and I’m still reciting parts in my head. Cooper came strong; she preached in only a way a Black Feminist can. This book is dense with sharp and insightful social criticisms. Strongly recommended.

This book is like chicken soup for a black girl’s soul. I bought it on kindle but I’m going to also buy a paper copy. It’s something I could read over and over again as I progress through life and need an emotional cleansing. 100% recommend it.

Get this book- Now. You will not regret it. Brittney Cooper has a beautiful or should I say Eloquent way of explaining the struggles that people of color, particular women go through. I think that every white person should get a hold of this book, swallow a little of their pride, be ready for their privilege to be pointed out, and really get to know and understand why this book is important and why it needed to be written.

This book was the FIRST TIME I’ve felt HEARD SEEN and APPRECIATED as a Highly Educated Independent Single Black Woman pushing 40!!I saw it on screen in Gabrielle Union’s BET show Being Mary Jane! But I felt it in my soul that Brittany could relate to me in this book she touched on innumerable topics such as Perfectionism, Colorism,Sexuality, White women’s tears, and so many other things that affect me as I move through my life on a daily basis. This book was a warm cup of hot cocoa with a shot of bourbon! I felt like I was talking to a girlfriend and often Amened, Yes girled, and Got damn righted my way through this brilliant piece of literature!!I first heard of this book on the black girl podcast Getting Grown and needless to say it was life-affirming!! Also check out Girl, Woman Other!

This provided lots to think about. I enjoyed the opportunity to ponder on such injustices and how to make change in my piece of the world.

What a gift! I just cannot put this book down. It is breathing life into so many thoughts and experiences that have defined my life, my relationships, and my research. I bought an additional copy for my mentor, and I am planning to buy more for my girlfriends! This book is so open and honest, presenting the multiple ways race, gender, and class converge in the oppression of Black women, and how we subsequently navigate the world. Truly a great and validating read!

As a white woman pastor and author, I needed every ounce of courage within me to read this paradigm-shifting book. Unlearning my perceptions and beliefs (wrongly believing I am an amazing feminist) is now my daily work. Brittney Cooper’s Eloquent Rage benefits anyone who claims to love equality, equity, and justice for all. Her book will be my feminist Bible. The final chapter gave me permission to acknowledge my ignorance and go forth with purpose and joy.

Just an absolutely phenomenal book. I couldn’t put it down and I would not put it down for anything. So honestly refreshing and relatable on so many levels. Thank you so much Ms. Cooper for this insightful, intriguing masterpiece.

I kept coming across this book while searching for something new to read but I didn’t know if I wanted to read it at first. I’m glad I made the decision to buy it because it is an absolute gem! It felt like someone answered my questions and mirrored the anger I’ve felt in various situations. This book was released at the perfect time and I think it’s something everyone should read at least once.

It was actually the pod-cast episode “But that’s another story”, in which author and Professor Brittney Cooper spoke about religion, coming-of-age, and her love of the “Babysitters Club” that initially brought me here. In that episode (which I highly recommend), Cooper discussed growing up in a community where church was paramount, and asking questions was at best weakly tolerated, and at worst, blatantly discouraged. It took me back to my (very different) cultural upbringing, but a similar experience in my own catechism classes as a child asking questions about what a term or passage meant, and being either underwhelmed with the answer – or worse, ashamed at even having asked. Like Cooper, it took a long time to come to my own terms with what religion and spirituality meant to me. I had never heard this type of ambivalence and candidness in a discussion about religion before, and that podcast episode particularly resonated with me and eventually led me, here, to this book.Now on to the book: “Eloquent Rage” was phenomenal. Cooper somehow weaves the personal, the political, and everything in-between into a very readable and striking format. She uses rage as a tool to methodically and effectively call out injustice and fight for change. She holds no punches when pinpointing the social, political, economic and institutional forces that bolster racism and sexism. I learned a lot here, even as someone who (mistakenly) thought that they had been primed on feminism by taking women’s studies classes in college and digging into the required and suggested readings mentioned in the syllabus. However, though I had learned much about Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Susan B Anthony – I hadn’t heard of Ida B. Wells or Audre Lorde before this book despite their very prolific bibliographies and very clear contributions to the feminist movement. She uses this and many other points to illustrate how the contributions of Black women have been overlooked. To be honest, I also hadn’t heard the term “respectability politics”, though I was well aware of its contents (one of my parents being an immigrant from Asia). Cooper calls out respectability politics throughout the book, showing how it is used to rationalize injustice and only reinforce the existing patriarchy. This isn’t a dry textbook, and Cooper uses statistics sparingly, but the ones she uses are an effective and shocking indictment of the systems that be, illustrating the wide discrepancies of wealth based on race and sex.One passage that particularly stood out to me was the use of the term ‘resilience ‘and her very real explanation that term: ‘The logic of relying on people’s resilience goes something like, ‘Let’s see just how much we can take from you before you break. That is evil.” The use of this term as an excuse for idly allowing suffering and discrimination, is despicable. It also got me thinking about how the term ‘model minority’ plays into this logic – it’s a counterpart to the very faulty idea that personal traits can overcome structural problems. The idea of the underdog who breaks through boundaries and beats the odds to become something exceptional is a romanticized idea, forged in the old Western fables that accompanied the Gold Rush and the “rags-to-riches” novels that dominated the Gilded Age, but it is a fundamentally flawed and unfair expectation. By definition, exceptionalism is – well, exceptional. And, as Cooper notes, celebrating hard-earned success is distinct and separate from ignoring the barriers that stood in their way of getting there.This book left me, as another reviewer put it, ‘speechless’. It is brilliant, subversive, and honest and definitely the best (non-science) book I have read all year.

Cooper embodies the feelings of many southern black girls who grew up in the church only to leave home for higher education and get hit with a bunch of hardcore truths, facts and realizations that have been around her all along.I recommend this book to all black women and men. But I especially recommend this book to white men and women as well who may be interested in gaining understanding in how their compliance with or participation in white supremacist notions have affected black women.Amazing work.

I enjoyed it. It making reflect things on my own life. There are a lot of question i need to ask and answers.

This book speaks to everything black women experience on a day to day. It truly captures the essence of how it is to exist in this world.

I always questioned whether Feminism really stood for the liberation and equality of every human being, because it was taught by/about/for white women. Brittany spells out how Black women have BEEN the embodiment of feminism since the beginning of time in these United States. I am much better able to continue my education with open eyes after focusing my lens on that fact.

Love Brittney and this book. There are a couple of issues that I have an opposing opinion about, but I appreciate her perspective. Keep on doing what you do Brittney and I will continue to cheer you and your eloquent voice.

Yaaaaas! Brittney Cooper helps us put our rage to good use. I needed a language to help me express this mix of anger, hope, and deep faith. This book is it. Every.single.person should read this book.

Eloquent Rage is an essay collection that centers Black feminism and Black women. Cooper writes about a wide range of cultural, personal, and political topics including respectability politics, neoliberalism, and the myth of exceptionalism. Cooper’s writing is sharp and incisive. It will make you reflect and reconsider long-held assumptions and biases. What I particularly appreciated in her collection is how Cooper encourages us to celebrate and harness rage and anger as a way to fight against oppression, and how she weaves in anecdotes about her own experience.This is an excellent collection of essays about intersectional feminism. There are so many passages I highlighted and flagged as I read through this book. This is a powerful and personal read that I cannot recommend more highly. I’ll leave you with a few quotes that have stuck with me from Eloquent Rage: “We live in a nation that does everything to induce our rage, while simultaneously doing everything to deny that we have a right to feel it. American democracy is as much a project of suppressing Black rage as it is of legitimizing and elevating white rage. American democracy uses calls for civility, equality, liberty, and justice as smoke screens to obscure all the ways in which Black folks are treated uncivilly, unequally, illiberally, and unjustly as a matter of course.” “The lie we are told is that white rage and white fear are honest emotions that preserve the integrity of American democracy…White rage and white fear are reactions to perceptions among white people that their power might be slipping away. Black rage and Black fear are fundamentally more honest, because they are reactions to the violence of white supremacy.”

For most of my life, I wondered what it would be like to walk in the shoes of a black person. What it must feel like for large groups of people to assume things about me based on the color of my skin? Some would most likely be positive such as being a great lover and having the ability to hit the dance floor with such style and rhythm. However, I largely believe that mostly negative assumptions would come my way from most Whites such as being lesser than Whites; e.g. intellectually, emotionally, meaner, lazier, poorer, and more aggressive. I can imagine, but I will never really know what it feels like to be black because I will never be black. Thanks to reading Dr. Cooper’s amazing book Eloquent Rage, I was able to have a small peek into the window of what it is like to be an over-achieving, brilliant, funny as hell, blunt as hell, sometimes hurting like hell, lonely as hell, mostly misunderstood power-house black woman. My guess is that if you are a black or white heterosexual male, you may shake your head after reading her book asking “what in the hell?”. I would also guess that if you’re a black woman reading this book, you would be laughing out loud, shedding tears, but mostly shaking your head whole-heatedly agreeing with Dr. Cooper. Me, I’m none of the above. My thoughts, WOW! I cannot stop thinking about what I’ve read and my guess, neither will you.

While reading this book, I felt “seen” like no other book has done in a long time. I’m an educated black woman raised in inner city poverty. I read myself in this book. Brittney articulated the pain elegantly but also prescribed the salve to soothe the intersectional agony we all endure. Brittney also affirms that our rage isn’t the problem. We indeed have a lot to be angry about. Now more than ever, we need to let the powers that be feel our eloquent rage. It has the power to turn this world right side up again. Every black chick and lover of black chicks should pick this book up. You’ll be truly inspired.

Loved this book! So much of the author’s story resonated with me. I particularly found the white women = freedom/Black women – slavery concept thought-provoking.

Eloquent Rage is an honest and exceptionally personal account of one Black woman’s journey into feminism and self-ordained power. Cooper draws from her work as part of the Crunk Feminist Collective. Arguing that “We can neither heal nor fix that which we will not confront,” Cooper is blunt, to the point, and not afraid to make her readers uncomfortable (84). According to Cooper, we cannot effect change by remaining comfortable with our country’s history and cultural climate. While any scholar of gender or race will find this text illuminating, Cooper writes to a general audience. A must-read.

I loved this so much!!! I literally have 5 other women reading it right now. I appreciate the words. Cooper masterfully articulated the struggle is black girls feel!

This book has pulled together and given a name to all that bubbles underneath the surface. Thank you Dr. Cooper for giving us a name to our thing! For being bold enough to own it and share your story. I love the humorous and honest accounts where growth is still occurring. This book is great for all—those who can find some semblance of themselves in Dr. Cooper’s journey and for those who can’t….sit, read, you may actually learn something and change a view-great work!

If you are a white woman who considers herself to be woke, and to be an ally, but you haven’t read this book, then you are neither of those things. Dr. Cooper lays it out, unapologetically, and has taught me things about Black, and white, women that I never knew.Thank you for sharing, and for helping me understand some things about life in the US.

I also bought the audiobook because I like to hear authors read their words. This book slayed my doubts and affirmed what I’ve known to be true about being a Black woman and being a human being. Life is hard, the system isn’t fair AND we got this!

Extremely quotable. I love how her writing builds and builds almost so I can’t even tell my anger is rising and then BOOM! She hits us with the rage she feels – gives vent! Then she starts again. Perfectly titled.

This book gave the words to the experiences in my life I had no idea how to articulate. I felt seen and heard, as well as inspired and challenged. Thank you Dr. Cooper for this gift. I’ve already bought it for two other friends.